For visual communication designer extroo, creating a fan poster for the documentary Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat became a personal reminder of the political responsibility that comes with being a designer. The project functioned as both a homage and a declaration, a piece of work that clarified the kind of design practice they hope to build. It is a poster that operates not only as a visual object but as a statement about the power of craft to amplify stories, histories and voices.
The idea began with the documentary itself, which examines political upheaval through the lens of music. At the same time, extroo was immersed in research on jazz album art, especially the iconic work of Reid Miles for Blue Note Records. Those bold, typographic album covers, often built from photographic fragments, geometric compositions and limited palettes, sparked the direction for this poster. By drawing from that visual language, extroo wanted the design to feel as though it came from the same era as the events explored in the film.
“I wanted the poster to feel archival, almost like a piece of visual evidence from the time period the film covers,” they explain. “Design can be a bridge between history and the present, and this felt like a chance to make that connection visible.”
Typography plays a central role in the project. Extroo used a mixture of fonts to echo the documentary’s editing structure, which pieces together footage, music and narrative threads into a layered account of political struggle. The poster mirrors that rhythm by stacking type, shifting emphasis and using form as a way of expressing the improvisational nature of jazz. Each element nods to the idea of fragments coming together to form a larger, cohesive story.
“I tried to create a sense of play while still grounding the design in the seriousness of the subject,” extroo says. “Jazz is full of improvisation, repetition and surprise. I wanted the typography to reflect that energy.”
The design went through numerous iterations before reaching its final version. Each round refined the balance between historical reference, typographic experimentation and the emotional tone of the film. The final poster maintains the crisp structure of a mid century jazz cover while introducing contemporary sensitivity and personal interpretation.
For extroo, the poster became a touchstone for their future direction as a designer. “This project reminded me that design can empower people and bring attention to stories that matter. It made me want to pursue more work that has a political or social resonance, work that does something beyond looking good.”
Currently working in branding, packaging and web design, extroo continues to explore human expression through typography and photography. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat stands as a meaningful example of how design, film and music can intersect to create something both aesthetically thoughtful and politically engaged.
