Friday
Jun182010
La Vita è Bella
June 18, 2010 * * * * * Posted by: Petra 
A couple of months ago my best friends daughter contacted me. She said: in June my parents celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary and my brother and me are looking for a special gift, can you help us?
How time flies, I was present at that wedding and it seems like only yesterday.
I have made some photoshop collages in the past, like this one and this one and they were thinking about something like that. We talked about it for a while and shared some ideas, and pretty soon we decided that we wanted something different and new this time. We decided that instead of a collage we would make a picture of a scene, act out something. First she would investigate (without them finding out) what mum and dad like.
A week later, I found an email in my inbox. She casually had been asking some questions about their favorite music, books, paintings, movies etc. And it turned out they both had the same favorite movie: La vita è Bella. Maybe we can do something with that. We googled the movie poster and that was it. That is a really fun poster to act out in our own way. We all liked the idea and by emailing back and forth we started making plans.
Her brother was going to take pictures of the front door of the house they lived in 25 years ago (that’s in the background on the right) and pictures of the front door of the house they live in now (that is on the left). They found suitable clothes, bought hats and we did a photo-shoot with a bicycle in the backyard.
Together we selected the best shots.
Now it was my turn to mix it all (background, foreground, incorporate the movie-kid) together in photoshop, add a little sun and shade, make it look old, and here we are. They decided they wanted it to look as much as possible like the movie poster, so we added the movie text (although if you google on the movie you find all kinds of almost similar - but not quite - words and fonts) and accustomed them to our needs.
I was especially moved by these words that I found on one of the posters and integrated on ours:
La Vita è Bella (Life is Beautiful): an unforgettable fable that proves love, family and imagination conquer all.
Now isn’t that just beautiful and really appropriate for this family and these kids designing and creating this gift for their parents.
Yesterday, the 18th, was the day of the anniversary. My best friend and her husband decided that in stead of a party they prefer to celebrate it with the kids, by going away for the weekend to a castle somewhere in Belgium. As I write this, it is not yet the 18th and I am thrilled and anxious to know how they reacted and if they liked it.
Reader Comments (10)
OMG, Petra! Are you incredibly creative and talented or what!!! I can't imagine a more wonderful gift than this. You all deserve several more stars added to your crowns. This is delightful. PRACHTIG! :) I hope you let us know their reaction.
I have said this before, you have a talent and beyond that, the thing you did with the poster made me realise how good you are.
I can you picture yourself looking at the poster after spending hours and hours 'to get it right'....and smiling.....
I had the same feeling after some of the windows/etalages I did,
Die tekst in perpectief zetten is iets dat ik dolgraag zou willen leren, ik heb Paint Shop Pro XI maar ik heb geen idee hoe ik dat zou moeten doen.
So very clever and creative!! Love how this turned out!! And - the two 'love-birds' look much too young to have been married 25 years!!!
What a perfect gift!!!!
How clever! I love it, Petra! And your friends are going to love it even more, especially knowing what a labor of love the project has been from their children. Well done!!
this is so clever and what a wonderful idea!!!!!! i'll bet they loved it
Now!!!!How Wow!!!!Here's the bride!!! And I speak also for the broom:
We were seriously, moved (I had real tears!!) It is such an wonderfull gift. And yes, its not only a beautiful photo on the wall, its a gift full of history, friendship, family things, memories, professionality, creativity and most of all: love!!!!
1000000x thank you, my friend
(and my beatiful kiddies too;-)
What a wonderful gift! Something they will cherish always.
WoW!! How beautifully done. They must be thrilled with this gift! I know I would. I always liked the discrepancy between the film poster and the actual story in the film. Just like life! Now you have to follow up on this one Petra! We all need to know the outcome!!!
This is so good Petra, what a great idea and such a gorgeous outcome. I hope they loved it?
Amazing. Truly amazing. Such a creative, and thoughtful, gift.
And...your talent in fulfilling the vision. WOW!