Led by Steve Chan, senior creative director of key art and print at Paramount+, the “1923 Environmental Portraits” campaign is a visual celebration of the world created by Taylor Sheridan. Paramount+ sought to capture the raw, sweeping landscapes and the profound emotional depth of the Dutton family’s journey, stretching from the Montana plains to the African savannas. With its strategic use of expansive scenery and character-driven storytelling, this campaign sets the stage for the world of 1923. With photographer James Minchin III behind the lens, each image reflects Chan’s vision of blending authenticity with cinematic grandeur, reinforcing the global scale of the series.
By: Steve Chan, Sr. Creative Director, Key Art & Print, Paramount+
1923 is an American Western drama from visionary creator Taylor Sheridan, streaming exclusively on Paramount+. This series is a pivotal chapter in the expansive Yellowstone universe, bridging the narrative between its predecessor, 1883, and the iconic Paramount Network hit, Yellowstone. Taylor’s storytelling prowess brings to life a rich tapestry of history, hardship, and the pioneering spirit that shaped the Dutton family legacy.
The “1923 Environmental Portraits” are a picturesque snapshot of Western life in the early 20th century. Each image offers a glimpse into a time when the American West was both harsh and romantic, embodying a rugged way of life steeped in tradition and resilience.
Inspired by the intercontinental narrative of the 1923 story, the show plays out on a global stage, from the rolling foothills of the Yellowstone ranch in Montana to the vast savannahs of the African wild. This series of portraits captures that scope, placing each set of characters in the fantastic worlds they inhabit and unlocking the imagination of viewers worldwide.
Our strategy was to remain true to the series and depict life as it is represented in the show. Being our team’s first visit to the shooting location of the series, Butte, Montana, we were largely unfamiliar with the area and did a location scout mere days before the shoot. During this scout, we determined how and where each character should be photographed and overall creative direction.
Characters whose stories unfold apart from the Yellowstone ranch were shot in nondescript areas to evoke locations far away from Montana, such as with Spencer and Alexandra (played by Brandon Skelnar and Julia Schlaepfer), who journey through Europe, South Africa, and the untamed landscape of Tanzania before even stepping foot in the United States.
In other such photos, we find the show’s vaunted main characters, Jacob and Cara Dutton (played by Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren), who are the esteemed patriarch and matriarch of the Dutton family. Their weathered expressions and traditional Western garb reflect a time when the Western frontier demanded both grit and grace.
In tandem with a robust 360 marketing campaign, these images were proudly featured in a ‘first look’ by Vanity Fair, then heavily circulated in the press, adding further color and context for audiences and rounding out a creative promotion that encompassed key art, trailers, teasers, and non-stop social media.
As creatives, working on 1923 was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s not every day that one gets to collaborate with Hollywood royalty like ‘Indiana Jones’ and ‘The Queen’, but it really happened for us on the Paramount+ creative team! The only thing more exciting than seeing the creative was actually being there, where Harrison Ford arrived in top form, piloting his own helicopter. At the same time, Helen Mirren was every bit the ‘dame’, exuding poise and sophistication off-camera and on.
For us, our passion for design and entertainment is the driving force of our work—never forgetting how, many years ago, we ourselves were first inspired by a movie poster or trailer. Today, we’re paying it forward—offering the same kind of joy and escape to all ages and doing our part to shape popular culture today and for many years to come.
