The Test

The Test is a podcast concept by SYS Education. The podcast did not enter production, but I did design a podcast cover based on the concept.

The Concept

The concept for the podcast is that an objective/dispassionate narrator presents stories of people taking tests. The test is a catalyst for character revelation. The idea of a test as intrinsically human is explored throughout.

My boss was inspired by Soviet-era movie posters, vintage comic books, and the Twilight Zone. He wanted something existential. He also gave me the conceptual audio file below.

The Design

I was inspired by an hourglass as a reference to time limits imposed by tests. I wanted there to be a sense of anxiety as the sand dribbled through the hourglass. The test-taker, silhouetted, is trapped in the hourglass as the sand falls on his head. This sense of surrealism was inspired by Soveit-era movie posters.