How our attempts to make a new Bristol Bad Film Club logo got us into hot water with the city council.

At our StarCrash screening, some of you bought our stylish t-shirt that with our logo on it. However, with 2014 fast approaching, we thought we’d give it a slight design re-jig to herald in the new year.

Our friend and talented illustrator Sian Rees leapt at the challenge and immediately started working up some designs based on Bristol’s famous coat of arms (see right).

After all, what’s more ‘Bristol’ than that castle and boat coat of arms, which can be seen on everything from public bins to the uniforms of local Scout groups?

Sian quickly put together a design that we loved – recognisably Bristol, but with elements that are clearly from ‘bad’ movies.

However Tim, being the more legally-concerned member of our organisation, wondered if we might be in breach of certain copyright laws.

“Nonsense,” I replied. “It’s the Bristol coat of arms. Surely it’s in the public domain and anyone can use these elements?”

Yeah, turns out I was wrong.

Contacting the city council to see if this was the case, we discovered they own ALL aspects of Bristol’s coat of arms and they didn’t want it to be re-used by the likes of us… especially if we’re throwing giant monsters at it.

Still, their reasons were valid enough:

“Unfortunately due to the use of the elements of the BCC logo, we can’t allow you to use them this way. There are two issues that concern me; it could be seen as either part of BCC or that you are funded by the BCC.

It also gives the impression you are ‘destroying’ the ship and tower and as they are elements of the BCC logo, this doesn’t reflect well.”

Gives the impression? Well, seeing as we were going for the full out destruction of it, clearly we must try harder.

Still, we were surprised that the city of Banksy would object in such a way to us ‘amending’ the city’s coat of arms for charity and entertainment purposes.

Especially as the council logo (see left) is, in our opinion, quite a bit different.

Still, it was back to the drawing board of Sian.

However, now she has created a logo that not only surpasses her first attempt, but is as Bristolian as Isambard Kingdom Brunel eating a Magic Roll at the Watershed, whilst watching the best of Aardman Animations.

BEHOLD!

Remember, tickets for our next screening – Miami Connection – are on sale now!

To peruse more of Sian’s work, click here.