Mini Lights

John Vitale of the Vitale Bros, a couple of St. Pete's most prolific muralists, are attempting to bring the legend of the "Mini Lights" to the big screen. The legend tells of a plot of land once owned by a voodoo priestess in what is now downtown St. Pete. Those who trespass on the land at night will be chased off and beaten by “mini” creatures that transform into green balls of light. The tale has been around for a century, but with sightings of the Mini Lights still occurring today, the film would focus on modern day.

No one could do such a thing on their own; Many local artists and filmmakers have gotten involved in the project. I was brought on to create a presentation booklet for potential investors in the film. With so many artists involved, the film had yet to take on a consistent identity. So, taking inspiration from classic horror films, I branded it myself and created some potential posters. Once a visual identity existed, the presentation book could speak with a unique voice.

The Mini Lights Legend:

“There once was an old Voodoo Priestess named Mary “Minnie Lightning” du Lumiere. For most of her life she traveled the world with carnivals and circuses doing her voodoo and her own special blend of magic. In the 1930s, Minnie was tired of traveling and decided to settle down in her family’s home in St. Petersburg, Florida. However, her home was exactly where the county wanted to build a new highway.

The county sent their biggest thugs to attempt to bully ol’ Minnie Lightning off her land, but she had ways to keep herself safe and the men away from her land. But the longer this kept on, Minnie had to use deeper and darker means to keep them at bay.

One night, there was a group of three little people who came to St. Pete. They were living as circus clowns and wanted to seek out Minnie’s help to better their lives. They had heard that she retired from traveling and might help them with her magic to escape from the prejudice and cruelty they faced. What they did not anticipate was that the priestess was expecting them to be the thugs trying to steal her land.

When Minnie heard the little people coming, she used an unspeakable magic. Magic that would turn them into cursed and tormented beings. Beings who had incredible strength, speed, and could turn themselves into tiny balls of light. While she did not mean to curse these poor people, they would have their use. They became her Mini Lights and were bound to her bidding.

Since that day, Minnie used her Mini Lights to protect her grounds and to make sure that no one would dare bother her again, by any means necessary. And rumors are that the Mini Lights protect her grounds to this day. That was how the story went, anyway…”