Well-Founded Fear is a feature-length documentary by filmmakers Shari Robertson and Michael Camerini that focuses on the U.S. asylum process by following several asylum applicants and asylum officers through actual INS interviews. As with all of their films, unprecedented access to the closed corridors of the INS allow the audience inside the asylum process, and the difficult decisions made by individuals on both sides. Our work for the film includes development and design for the Opening Title Sequence, Poster, and Press Kit for the film.

Over the past 17 years we’ve asked Level to tackle a huge range of design challenges, from film titles to posters, press kit’s and what turned out to be possibly the most beautiful pitch book ever produced for an independent documentary. In every case, they have amazed us with their ability to synthesize ideas and come up with a design solution that communicates serious complexity in what appears to be just a simple, beautiful form.

— Shari Robertson + Michael Camerini
Filmmakers

Well-founded fear

concept, design, animation

Our design concept for the film was to communicate the significance of the film's title that is taken from the actual U.S. law that defines a refugee under the UN Convention: A person deserves protection "owing to a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.”

Well-Founded Fear was screened at The Sundance Film Festival, on PBS' film series P.O.V., and at the International Documentary Film Festival.

Press Kit & Teacher's guide

concept, design, print management