JUSTIN FULTON

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I’m a New York–based Art Director and designer with over a decade of experience shaped by storytelling, intention, and a belief in design as a form of care. I’ve cultivated a practice that listens deeply—moving fluidly between concept and execution, instinct and precision. Each project begins as a question, and I work to shape a response that feels both necessary and new.
LDF All Rise, 2024
naacpldf.org/rise

 




          Overview

For LDF’s All Rise campaign video, I served as Art Director, guiding the visual concept from inception through production. A central goal of this piece was to inspire voter participation—particularly among Black men—for the 2024 election, making it essential that the audience felt genuinely seen in both story and style. I developed the initial creative direction, including scriptwiriting, visual research and a treatment anchored in the word “iconic,” drawing from a deep lineage of Black portraiture. 

We used this treatment to pitch the piece and align on tone, casting, and cinematographic approach. After selecting Director Cameron Busby and his team at Even/Odd, I collaborated on shotlists, storyboards, and creative direction—providing oversight across all visual touchpoints, from casting and styling to location framing and on-set composition. The final spot blends reverence with urgency—an emotionally resonant call to action rooted in dignity, authenticity, and collective power.


           Solutions
                                       

      Treatment & Script Writing
      Visual Research
      Shot List & Storyboarding
      Casting Guidance
      On-Set Art Direction


           Collaborators

           director.  Cameron Busby
           producers. Rod Byerson + Jess Hom
           production.  Even/Odd Studio
           cd.  Jinah Lee
           ad.  Justin Fulton
           dp.  David Merino
           set designer.  Rochelle Bennett
           casting.  Mill Ticket
           develop + scan.  Kodak



            Iconic Portraits

The visual language was rooted in the idea of “iconic”—drawing inspiration from the timeless photography of Gordon Parks, Roy DeCarava, and Carrie Mae Weems. These portraits, known for capturing everyday Black life with elegance and gravity, informed our framing, lighting, and mood. We used static shots and naturalistic settings to echo this tradition, ensuring each portrait felt like a living monument—intimate yet monumental, quiet yet powerful.






          The LDF Team

One of the film’s most resonant sequences features the Legal Defense Fund staff captured in their New York offices. Rather than stage them as background players, we framed them as the movement’s backbone—calm, focused, and formidable. These scenes were composed with intention, showing the everyday heroism and collective power behind LDF’s work. It was important that this part of the film didn’t feel corporate—it needed to feel human, reverent, and deeply rooted in legacy.

          Context

Casting was approached with intention: every face needed to carry emotional weight. We sought individuals who felt real and relatable, whose presence evoked an immediate sense of story. Rather than idealized or TV-polished looks, we prioritized authenticity—choosing people whose expressions, posture, and gaze could hold space for both personal and communal narratives. These characters became vessels for the VO and mission, avoiding cliché while reflecting the vast spectrum of Black life.

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