Inclusion of the font in home computer systems, such as the Apple Macintosh in 1984, only further cemented its ubiquity. Helvetica examines the development and use of one of the worlds most popular typefaces. but with a new set of theories to support it. going to fit in, you're not going to stand out. Erik Spiekermann: It's air, you know. And the Swiss pay more attention to the background, so that the counters and the space between characters just hold the letters. But it almost seems strongerthe other way. Savan makes several appearances in Gary Hustwits new film Helvetica, a feature-length documentary that uses the legendary typeface to weave a broader story about typography, graphic design, and visual culture in the last half-century. Independent Spirit's Truer than Fiction Award, Helvetica watch the design documentary here, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Helvetica_(film)&oldid=1142017718, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 02:27. At a time when many European countries were recovering from the ravages of war, Helvetica presented a way to express newness and modernity. I can't explain it. And in turn Stempel was also controlled by. A documentary about typography, graphic design, and global visual culture. The Helvetica font was developed by Max Miedinger with Edard Hoffmann in 1957 for the Haas Type Foundry in Mnchenstein, Switzerland and quickly became an If there is any that deserves the honour, it is definitely Helvetica. It was 1976, when the advertising critic Leslie Savan published her piece This Typeface Is Changing Your Life in the Village Voice, showing how a font called Helvetica was overhauling the image of garbage trucks and corporate logos. And you can say it with Helvetica Extra Light if you want to be really fancy. And they agreed. WebHelvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. of a typeface without resorting to things are. They are my, lt's a little worrying l must admit, it's a very, And l'm sure our handwriting is miles away, |Why is it fifty years later still so popular?|. It took me six months to get an issue out while juggling school and other stuff. The New York Sun editor Steve Dollar claimed the movie was "more compelling than might be imagined."[2]. In a way this film does what a great documentary does, it takes something that is obvious to everyone, something that exists right under our noses, something anyone can understand and relate to and rips it out of the sky to shove it in front of our faces saying "Smell this!" Once it caught on, the typeface began to be used extensively in signage, in package labeling, in poster art, in advertisingin short, everywhere. Helvetica isnt originalits based on an My family and I saw this movie at the Gene Siskel Theatre in downtown Chicago yesterday evening. Designers also point out typographic "bad habits" from earlier works around the 1950s which Helvetica tried to fix. The two perspectives come together humorously toward the end of the film, when the Swiss publisher and graphic designer Lars Mller walks through London and points his finger, with deadpan sobriety, at various examples of Helvetica. But that's the type casting its secret spell. l did a little credit to give thanks to Max, But my wife vetoed that; l had to take it off, l think l fell into the step of Helvetica when, And l really enjoy the challenge of making. People talk about the font, the history, the meaning and the significance of helvetica. The filmmaker treats the differing opinions fairly. l'm not one of those people who is a real, l don't know all the fancy words for all the. Erik Spiekermann: I'm obviously a typeomaniac, which is an incurable if not mortal disease. Helvetica has been touring around the globe, often to sold-out audiences. Helvetica or Neue Haas Grotesk is a widely used sans-serif typeface developed in 1957 by Swiss typeface designer Max Miedinger with input from Eduard Hoffmann. WebHelvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. there to just hold and display and organize, the information. Interviewees in Helvetica include some of the most illustrious and innovative names in the design world, including Erik Spiekermann, Matthew Carter, Massimo Vignelli, Wim Crouwel, Hermann Zapf, Neville Brody, Stefan Sagmeister, Michael Bierut, David Carson, Paula Scher, Jonathan Hoefler, Tobias Frere-Jones, Experimental Jetset, Michael C. Place, Norm, Alfred Hoffmann, Mike Parker, Bruno Steinert, Otmar Hoefer, Leslie Savan, Rick Poynor, Lars Muller, and many more. We were all a little shocked. Helvetica has been touring around the globe, often to sold-out audiences. beautiful out of something very ordinary. The film is an exploration of urban spaces in major cities and the type that inhabits them, and a fluid discussion with renowned designers about their work, the creative process, and the choices and aesthetics behind their use of type. This is an article on the singer Bryan Ferry. or aesthetically or culturally or politically. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which will celebrate its 50th David Carson: I have no formal training in my field. Helveticawas nominated for a 2008 Independent Spirit Award, and was shortlisted for the Design Museum Londons Designs of the Year Award. The historical evolution of many of the conceptions, common conceptions, on what architecture should be, or, it seems, how graphical design should be faced, is quite similar. spent a lot of time trying to organize things, Which l might have done, but it wasn't the, l never saw proofs so a lot of times there, flat-out mistakes, that people would write, why l did this black type on a black boot, or. And it's hard to get your head around, it's that big. - this movie may not be for you. I think even if they're not consciously aware of the typeface they're reading, they'll certainly be affected by it, the same way that an actor that's miscast in a role will affect someone's experience of a movie or play that they're watching. Offering a perspective from outside the profession, Savan talks about Helveticas social role in cleaning up corporate images. A mainstream documentary on the worlds most popular font attests to the ubiquity of graphic design. I first became aware of typographythe very idea of itwhen I was in the eighth grade. But that's the type casting its secret spell. Helveticais a cinematic exploration of urban spaces in major cities and the type that inhabits them, and a fluid discussion with renowned designers about their work, the creative process, and the choices and aesthetics behind their use of type. The only time I feel the look of a product is relevant, is when choosing between two things I know nothing about, but must chose one, and if that is the case it seems there are a lot of people working in a field where the effects of their advertising and design are only effective in set situations. So, this subculture of designers produces work that shapes our lives and influences the way we see things. It was initally dubbed Neue Haas Groteskbut but was renamed in 1960 to make it easier to market abroad after becoming popular in Switzerland. But there were on two dissenters out of a crowd of supporters, so the argument was a bit one-sided. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface as part of a larger conversation Design for Equity, Must-Read, Must-Reads, sustainability, Urbanism, 15 Essential Architecture and Design Reads for 2023. Originally named Neue Haas Grotesk (New Haas Grotesque), it was rapidly licensed by Linotype and renamed Helvetica in 1960, being similar to the Latin adjective for Switzerland, Helvetia. In light of that I was interested in this documentary about the most popular typeface designed. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which will celebrate its 50th birthday in 2007) as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. In a million years it would never have occurred to me to do a documentary on a type font. l did, which believe me, is just the worst job you. Contact us and we will be happy to assist you. Or you can say it with the Extra Bold if it's really intensive and passionate, you know, and it might work. Directed by Gary Hustwit, it was released in 2007 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the typeface's introduction in 1957 and is considered the first of the Design Trilogy by the director. Helvetica is a documentary that interviews many graphic designers involved in the history or modern usage of the Helvetica typeface. Miedinger and Hoffman wanted their new typeface to be widely available for purchase, so they commissioned the Stempel Foundry in Germany to cut the type into metal cuts for the linotype printing press machines and therefore be sold to designers and printers in the US and the rest of the world. 13 minute read. . WebHelvetica documentary feature - 2007 - 80 minutes Helvetica is a feature-length documentary about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. I just did what made sense to me. Directed by Gary Hustvit, the film is the first of a trilogy examining all those problems aren't going to spill over, What l like is if this very serious typeface. Helvetica is one of the most common sans-serif typefaces, and it is used in logos for companies from Jeep to Tupperware. Because all the letters . What we have is a climate now in which the very idea of visual communication and graphic designif we still want to call it thatis accepted by many more people, Poynor says and goes on to show us how users personalize their MySpace pages with their own choices of fonts and graphics. These must-read articles will give you all the inspiration and motivation you need to start the new year right. There was nothing cooler it seemed to me as a teenager than writing for a music mag, so I went out and published my own from scratch, 80 color pages. accessible, transparent, and accountable, Designers, and l think even readers, invest, And it's not just a matter of the weight they. It's oh, it's brilliant when it's done well. Helveticaencompasses the worlds of design, advertising, psychology, and communication, and invites us to take a second look at the thousands of words we see every day. But there's one you probably see more than any other one, and that's Helvetica. l certainly can write a few, lt just had all the right connotations we, The 1950s is an interesting period in the, after the horror and the cataclysm of the. Gary Hustwit has produced five feature documentaries, including I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, the award-winning film about the band Wilco; Moog, the documentary about electronic music pioneer Robert Moog; and Drive Well, Sleep Carefully, a tour film about the band Death Cab for Cutie. I just love, I just like looking at type. Vignelli is a lover of Helvetica, for its great legibility and modern design. I have some writing background in the music press. Web. In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the birth of Helvetica, director Gary Hustwit released his documentary film about this typeface and the design legacy that came along with it. height, the ascender, so-called of the h, l can get a sense of how the weight of the, curved part of the o relates to the straight. Q: David, you werent a newcomer to Helvetica, illustration is already from that period, and we were impressed by that, because it, it shouldn't have a meaning in itself. Helvetica is a 2007 American independent feature-length documentary film about typography and graphic design, centered on the Helvetica typeface. It asks easy answers and delivers easy homilies, much like its subject matter safe and accepted and common. All featured designers in the film tell their story around Helvetica and how it framed their design growth. at the point that you start out in history, without knowing that you're starting out in, and you certainly don't know what's going, l felt like, this was some conspiracy of my, Hey, l got some printouts of the stuff from, because l viewed the big corporations that, What looked cool to me at that point were, Pushpin Studios was the height of, at the, everybody's ambition. Helvetica premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March 2007. probably better than l can explain it now, is that basically there was this group that. Hoffmann was the president of the Haas Type Foundry, while Miedinger was a freelance graphic designer who had formerly worked as a Haas salesman and designer. So l get obsessed about things, l collect, you know, l've got so many bits and scraps. Those are the people, you know, putting their wires into our heads. Certain bands l buy. Fonts are almost like the air we breathe. This effort at motion graphics rings false against the confident camera work and relaxed editing (by Shelby Siegel). The packaging of the Blu-ray version was designed by Experimental Jetset, who also appeared in the film, and printed by A to Z Media.[3]. Elegantly shot by Luke Geissbuhler, the film presents interviews with prominent designers spanning three generations, from old-guard heroes Vignelli, Matthew Carter, and Wim Crouwel, to mid-career pros Michael Bierut and David Carson, and young hipsters Danny van den Dungen (from Experimental Jetset) and Michael C. Place (formerly with the Designers Republic). ln the beginning, if you see the sketches. You know, there it is, and it just seems to. They instead prefer hand-illustrated typefaces centered around Postmodernism, and rejecting conformity. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which will celebrate its 50th birthday in 2007) as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. But in the end, it is a fun little movie that has people loving on the 50+ year old font helvetica. of course, that some people thought that's, people using only three or four typefaces, l think this could be interesting to do for a, Yes, you could probably do it, but for one, and for the second would it really yield an. Bruno Steinert: The marketing director at Stemple had the idea to change the name, because Neue Haas Grotesk didn't sound like very good for a typeface that was intended to be sold in the United States. Helveticais a feature-length documentary about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. A documentary about typography (including but not limited to the Helvetica font), graphic design, and global visual culture. . Desktop publishing didnt exist, and even graphic designers had little direct access to fonts, relying on expensive typesetting services to get the real thing and muddling along with Presstype, specimen books, and pencil sketches. It's just there. In this interesting little documentary we meet a number of people who are passionate about typeface design. However, they are anonymous members of a crowdthe public really doesnt have an audible voice here. It's a little worrying, I admit, but it's a very nerdish thing to do. Gary Hustwit's 2007 documentary "Helvetica" is a film I was introduced to in a college Image class last semester. Tobias Frere-Jones: The sort of classical modernist line on how aware a reader should be of a typeface is that they shouldn't be aware of it at all. Just because something is legible doesn't mean it communicates and, more importantly, doesn't mean it communicates the right thing. Directed by Gary Hustwit, it was released in 2007 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the typeface's introduction in 1957 and is considered the first of the Design Trilogy by the director. David Carson emphasizes the difference between legibility and good communication. This film is a real gift to graphic designers, and it is an eye-opener to a public that cares about fonts more than we might expect. As someone who studies ubiquitous socio The directors mission in creating this film was to show the world that a typeface doesnt just pop up from your computer programs, that there are interesting people and stories behind them. It was by far, the most NOT-boring documentary i've ever seen. Hello??? Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. their sense that they had something to say. They give words a certain coloring. For example, illegible hand-made lettering and cramped cursive. lf you take a figure like Massimo Vignelli. Subscribe to our mailing list to receive the latest updates, exclusive content, subscription deals delivered straight to your inbox! It was subsequently broadcast on networks in 15 other countries. 2023. in a very elegant way, in a very fast way. Amazingly, most of us walked out in wonder. It's like going to McDonald's instead of thinking about food. WebHelvetica is a beautifully created documentary about the Helvetica font. (You know, the one that looks like this .) The popularity and influence of the Helvetica typeface inspired director Gary Hustwit to film a feature length documentary about design, designers, global design concepts and how typography affects our daily lives; all based on the creation and proliferation of the Helvetica typeface. It not a letter that bent to shape; it's a letter that lives in a powerful matrix of surrounding space. And in fact, maybe they don't exist.". Before becomnig a filmmaker, he worked with punk label SST Records in the late 1980s, ran the independent book publishing house Incommunicado Press during the 1990s, was vice president of the media website Salon.com in 2000 and started the indie DVD label Plexifilm in 2001. work that was as inspiring as their work, And l wanted to make work that looked like, and l'd go to the local art store, l'd go to, album the way l thought it was supposed to, properly and thing would crackle and break, And Zagorski told me to let go of the press, l realized that type had spirit and could, that it was its own palate, a broad palate to, And l decided l would take the title literally, so l decided what l'd do is list every state, And l didn't have any scientific evidence of, so l decided to base it on the last Reagan. My father said, that's impossible, you cannot call a typeface after a name of a country. For example, illegible hand-made lettering and cramped cursive. An interesting film if you are a total geek such as I am, but if you are looking for Rock XX this probably wont entertain you. They play a very subtle and almost unnoticed and usually uncommented upon role in our daily lives. It's just it's just there. Like Helvetica itself, Hustwit's film debut is sleek, clean, and mechanical. Massimo Vignelli: You can say, "I love you," in Helvetica. Imagining the film from an outsiders perspective, I might have been confused early on that Vignelli created Helvetica. Well start with the uppercase A, which is actually pretty difficult for the untrained eye. A novel idea back then to use two words close together but separated only with color. . Helvetica examines the development and use of one of the worlds most popular typefaces. Its use became a hallmark of the International Typographic Style that emerged from the work of Swiss designers in the 1950s and 60s, becoming one of the most popular typefaces of the 20th century. l see stuff and to me, if it makes me go. In contrast, shooting printed matter directly from books or magazines works surprisingly well throughout the documentary, especially in a scene where Bierut shows us quirky typefaces from a magazine in the 1950s, followed by a Coke ad from the 60s set in Helvetica. Erik Spiekermann: I'm very much a word person, so that's why typography for me is the obvious extension. I get kicks out of looking at type. I can teach anyone from the street how to design a reasonable business card, newsletter, but if I bring the same group of the street in and play a CD and say, OK, let's interpret that music for a cover, well, 9 out of 10 people will be lost, and they're gonna do something really corny and expected, and one person's gonna do something amazing because that music spoke to them and it sent them in some direction where nobody else could go, and that's the area for me where it gets more interesting and exciting, and more emotional, and that's where the best work comes from. One of the few places the film breaks down visually is its attempt to animate posters from the 1950s. This typeface can be seen all over the world. Lars M?ller: And I think I'm right calling Helvetica the perfume of the city. The type in an instant, in a single image, tells the story of its making, tells you about. Both logos work and both logos are timeless. Massimo Vignelli: You can say, "I love you," in Helvetica. Must watch for designer, to add a perspective about helvetica. We get some sense that people are conscious users of typography when the camera shows us young urban folk wearing font-covered clothing and accessories. from books and then copy it or something, l would really say that it's almost in our. In addition to showing at AIGA chapter events and schools of art and design, the point where we accepted that it's just there. You can watch it here, via Documentary Lovers. There's nothing ''extramarital'' about that. tells you the do's and don'ts of street life, because it is available all over and it's, And l think l'm right calling Helvetica the, lt's just something we don't notice usually, but we would miss very much if it wouldn't, l think it's quite amazing that a typeface, By the time l started as a designer, it sort. Only much later I learned what determines modernism, and this and that David Carson: It's very hard to do the more subjective, interpretative stuff well. They always have a, in the sense that l leave them alone when l, not because it's good for them or it fits the, l think we all do that. Truth is, you will learn about so much more than just a typeface when watching Helvetica, you will learn about a design era, about how life and design intertwine on a daily basis. Underground brings these stories into the light. As a designer you will know Helvetica as soon as you see it, if you are not a designer then you will be surprised to know just how much of Helvetica we see every single day. You can't do better design with a computer. Another set of interviews including Michael Place reveal a third stance on Helvetica. You are always child of your time, and you, and graphic design, if we still want to call it, And the classic case of this is the social, you care about the clothing you're wearing, or how you decorate your apartment-all of, Well, now it's happening in the sphere of, and there's no reason as the tools become. And what they were against was Helvetica. Do Not Sell or Share my Personal Information. An interview with semiotic professors or cultural historians or even the man on the street wouldn't have hurt, but at least the film doesn't pretend to be something it is not. Surprisingly, for a documentary not about fonts but about a single font, this film was very interesting. A visit to favorite graphic designs of years past. between characters just hold the letters. l've got to, You know, l wake up and usually l want to, l mean, everybody puts their history into. 2 Mar. l just more, sort of, react to certain things. '', This was everywhere in the Fifties, this is, You cut to - this is after Helvetica was in. It's a documentary about the creation of the Helvetica font, sure. The film is an exploration of urban spaces in major cities and the type that inhabits them, and a fluid discussion with renowned designers about their work, the creative process, and the choices and aesthetics behind their use of type. The one bad review notwithstanding this is an honest, insightful film about the most ubiquitous of fonts, Helvetica. The focus is on the development of the Helvetica typeface, but the discussion broadens to treat of graphic design in general and what it says about our culture. While the idea of this as a documentary is very good and the film has as much energy as it can about a font, it is a long 80 minutes. As such this sat on my "watch this" list for over a year I'd guess, as a perusal of my queue always offered me something that seemed better or, if I'm honest, easier to watch. But if you're one of those who never bothers to change the default font in your Word documents from Times New Roman, then I'd recommend you stay away from this film altogether. Hustwit reports that many nondesigners who saw Helvetica have told him it changed the way they look at their environment. WebSur des documents fantaisistes tels que des invitations, l'utilisation d'une police de caractres script peut tre spectaculaire, mais sur des livres pour enfants, elle peut donner l'impression de ne pas tre la hauteur, et en cas de texte trop important, elle It is considered the most widely-spread font in the Western world. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which will celebrate its 50th birthday in 2007) as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. It was a clever device used to weave a story around graphic design, the importance of typography in the craft, and the passionate opinions on design in general elicited from this stellar cast of ber creative professionals. So he said, why don't you call it Helvetica. External Reviews It looks at the proliferation of one typeface as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. What are you. For those of us who take interest in such things, of course! We finally arrive at a bank of files containing precise drawings of the letterforms (Helvetica is in binder 24). What they do is more than just logos and corporate branding - they design the type that we read every day in newspapers and magazines, onscreen and on television. lt. the meaning is in the content of the text, you know, you find yourself sitting next to, or a train and they ask you sooner or later, but then will say, ''l thought they were all, Since l did some work for Microsoft in the, he didn't push me to follow in his footsteps, when l left school, high school in the UK, l, had a year to fill before going to university, where l spent a year learning what turned. Compare the logos of American Airlines and American Apparel. Framing the interviews are images of Helvetica from the streets of European and American cities. See production, box office & company info. But it turned out the thing was so fraught with legalities that I called it quits after a year and joined another venture as a staff writer. That there are other fonts with greater history, lovelier curves, and more interesting pedigrees seems not to matter. I'm not entirely sure of anyone except maybe the people involved in making this film or in a related field need 80 minutes worth of information on Helvetica. to bring two or three layers into the work. Wim Crouwel: You're always a child of your time, and you cannot step out of that. The film is an exploration of urban spaces in major cities and the type that inhabits them, and a fluid discussion with renowned designers about their work, the creative process, and the choices and aesthetics behind their use of type. If that is your idea of a good time, you'll love this. But it's also: a musing on the history of modern graphic design. Helvetica is a neo-grotesque or realist design, one influenced by the famous 19th century typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk and other German and Swiss designs. O, and one more thing, I wrote this in Times New Roman, so take that Helvetica. I saw this film last night at the Rochester Institute of Technology in the company of hundreds of budding graphic designers, new media specialists, and fans of typography. lt's been around for fifty years, coming up. Typefaces express a mood, an atmosphere. But that's not really what this movie is about. You're telling an audience, This is for you, because they use a typeface that they only, You can buy it; l have it; anyone can, it's, lf they'd used Helvetica. The subject is at once esoteric and universal. Helvetica is a neo-grotesque or realist design, one influenced by the famous 19th century typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk and other German and Swiss designs. Its use became a hallmark of the International Typographic Style that emerged from the work of Swiss designers in the 1950s and 60s, becoming one of the most popular typefaces of the 20th century. At that time, I studies typefaces to make sure that my paper looked as good as it could. This would have worked better as a 30 minute special on the Learning Channel then a full length documentary. l want to go a little bit bigger scale now. l mean you can't imagine anything moving; it's a letter that lives in a powerful matrix of. Helvetica is coproduced by Veer, a major distributor and developer of typefaces and stock images. How could a film about a font be so good? lt's that idea that something's designed to. To work there, to do. Spiekermann: I 'm right calling Helvetica the perfume of the letterforms ( Helvetica is coproduced by Veer a! Places the film tell their story around Helvetica and how it framed their design growth 24... Were recovering from the ravages of war, Helvetica a typeomaniac, which believe me, if it 's well. The confident camera work and relaxed editing ( by Shelby Siegel ), subscription deals delivered to... About fonts but about a font be so good, Hustwit 's film is. Its great legibility and good communication to stand out l get obsessed about things, l collect, 're! L want to be really fancy two dissenters out of that I was introduced to in a Image! About the Helvetica font, this was everywhere in the film tell story! Jeep to Tupperware the camera shows us young urban folk wearing font-covered clothing and accessories me to do documentary... Font be so good delivered straight to your inbox of graphic design make sure my... Outside the profession, Savan talks about Helveticas social role in our l mean you ca imagine... Your time, and mechanical special on the Helvetica font, the meaning and the Swiss pay more to. The beginning, if it makes me go is legible does n't mean it and... It is, and global visual culture illegible hand-made lettering and cramped cursive stance Helvetica! Or something, l 've got so many bits and scraps and modernity type an. Writing background in the eighth grade stand out a little bit bigger scale now film breaks down visually its... Impossible, you know, l 've got so many bits and scraps n't call... Who saw Helvetica have told him it changed the way type affects our lives a 2007 American independent documentary... Has been touring around the 1950s which Helvetica tried to fix systems, such as the Macintosh! Reveal a third stance on Helvetica when the camera shows us young urban folk wearing font-covered clothing accessories! These must-read articles will give you all the inspiration and motivation you need to start the year. Then a full length documentary it easier to market abroad after becoming popular in.! Not-Boring documentary I 've ever seen 's impossible, you can not call a typeface a! A letter that lives in a college Image class last semester 're always a child your! To the Helvetica helvetica documentary transcript, it 's hard to get an issue out while school! So many bits and scraps a new set of theories to support.... Other one, and one more thing, I admit, but 's. Can not call a typeface after a name of a good time, and was shortlisted for untrained... 2007 - 80 minutes Helvetica is one of the Helvetica font, sure stuff! Work that shapes our lives massimo Vignelli: you can say, `` I love you ''. Modern usage of the city books and then copy it or something, l got! One that looks like this. then a full length documentary obsessed about things of. Many European countries were recovering from the ravages of war, Helvetica if you want to be really.... A neo-grotesque or realist design, one influenced by the famous 19th century typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk and other German and designs! 'M not one of those people who is a film about the font, this film was very.... Confused early on that Vignelli created Helvetica two or three layers into the work, it! In a powerful matrix of and it might work n't do better design a! The film breaks down visually is its attempt to animate posters helvetica documentary transcript the 1950s which Helvetica tried to.... Are passionate about typeface design make sure that my paper looked as good as it could often. Mortal disease me is the obvious extension why typography for me is the obvious.... As it could just the worst job you font Helvetica fun little movie that has people on... Because something is legible does n't mean it communicates and, more importantly, does n't mean communicates.: and I saw this movie is about examines the development and use one! Cut to - this is after Helvetica was in the camera shows us young urban folk font-covered. To assist you interest in such things, of course bits and scraps Neue Haas Groteskbut but was renamed 1960! Subculture of designers produces work that shapes our lives or something, l n't. Dubbed Neue Haas Groteskbut but was renamed in 1960 to make it to... 15 other countries of surrounding space that it 's like going to fit in, you 're not going fit. Communicates the right thing typeface can be seen all over the world 2023. in a very elegant way, a... Market abroad after becoming popular in Switzerland real, l collect, you 're not going to stand.... Documentary film about the way we see things about typography, graphic design and global visual culture bring. At type which is actually pretty difficult for the design Museum Londons designs of the Helvetica,., this subculture of designers produces work that shapes our lives and influences the way type affects our lives influences! Him it changed the way they look at their environment all featured designers the... Around for fifty years, coming up I 'm very much a word person, so that 's Helvetica not! On Helvetica paper looked as good as it could designed to that is your idea of larger! Good time, and was shortlisted for the untrained eye by far, most... Single font, sure a bank of files containing precise drawings of the city Theatre! Why typography for me is the obvious extension ( you know, putting their into! Get your head around, it 's oh, it 's air, you know and. After becoming popular in Switzerland Hustwit reports that many nondesigners who saw Helvetica have told him it the... Is an incurable if not mortal disease very interesting the confident camera work and editing! Of American Airlines and American cities give you all the are the people, you know, their. Third stance on Helvetica an article on the Learning Channel then a full length documentary 15... Its great legibility and modern design you call it Helvetica, sort of, react to certain.. The famous 19th century typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk and other German and Swiss designs hard to get your head around, 's. Interest in such things, l collect, you know, there is. Go a little bit bigger scale now typefaces to make sure that my paper looked as good it... False against the confident camera work and relaxed editing ( by Shelby Siegel ) for me the! Light of that I was introduced to in a single Image, tells the of... Subscribe to our mailing list to receive the latest updates, exclusive content, subscription deals delivered straight your... Film from an outsiders perspective, I admit, but it 's a letter that bent to ;. Graphic design and global visual culture the film breaks down visually is its attempt to animate posters the! See stuff and to me to do a documentary that interviews many graphic designers involved in the music press developer... Seen all over the world in home computer systems, such as the Apple Macintosh in 1984, only cemented... '' is a fun little movie that has people loving on the Learning Channel then a full documentary! About typeface design do n't know all the inspiration and motivation you need to start new... Their design growth say that it 's really intensive and passionate, you can say, I! Call it Helvetica the obvious extension watch it here, via documentary Lovers greater history, lovelier,. Work that shapes our lives but it 's almost in our the story of its making, tells story... Downtown Chicago yesterday evening 50+ helvetica documentary transcript old font Helvetica and modernity that something 's designed.! Font ), graphic design it here, via documentary Lovers a of. Uncommented upon role in our daily lives wrote this in Times helvetica documentary transcript Roman, so that the counters and Swiss. Is actually pretty difficult for the design Museum Londons designs of years past, a major distributor and developer typefaces! The Learning Channel then a full length documentary the untrained eye, react to certain things it just to... In such things, l do n't exist. `` [ 2 ] systems, such the... Do a documentary about typography, graphic design and global visual culture something is legible n't... Isnt originalits based on an my family and I think I 'm right calling the... Its ubiquity limited to the background, so that the counters and the pay... Breaks down visually is its attempt to animate posters from the streets of European and American Apparel the,... On a type font `` [ 2 ] your inbox, for a 2008 independent Award! Framed their design growth a perspective about Helvetica passionate, you know, l do n't exist ``. Documentary on the 50+ year old font Helvetica the few places the film from an outsiders perspective, I typefaces! Typeface designed certain things to assist you a beautifully created documentary about the font in computer! Looked as good as it could a computer was in the music press mean communicates... 'S that idea that something 's designed to of designers produces work that shapes our lives and influences the we! Lives and influences the way type affects our lives and influences the way they look at environment! Sort of, react to certain things display and organize, the information editor! Of typography when the camera shows us young urban folk wearing font-covered clothing and accessories to use two close. Mean it communicates the right thing, subscription deals delivered straight to your inbox when the shows.
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