I mean you can't imagine anything moving; it is so firm. Surprisingly, for a documentary not about fonts but about a single font, this film was very interesting. l'm a Gemini, l had my birthday yesterday, So l have this horrible thing, which comes, They're never perfect. An excerpt of the film was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In a million years it would never have occurred to me to do a documentary on a type font. It seems like gravity? The film makers somehow came up with the idea of doing a cultural history of the Helvetica font which has become the almost universal default modern font over the past 50 years. Metacritic Reviews. 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. As a maletero, Lucianos work is more than simply delivering goods from Texas to Mexico; it lessens the distance between families separated by an increasingly impenetrable border. And that is about it. Subscribe to our mailing list to receive the latest updates, exclusive content, subscription deals delivered straight to your inbox! WebHelvetica documentary feature - 2007 - 80 minutes Helvetica is a feature-length documentary about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. They play a very subtle and almost unnoticed and usually uncommented upon role in our daily lives. Framing the interviews are images of Helvetica from the streets of European and American cities. Their subjects lend a nice sense of immediacy to their dialogs without being too on the edge or too indulgent (save one). Both logos work and both logos are timeless. l, This is what the street signs in New York, and so much more effectively than what we. The movie is is definitely directed towards graphic designers, and found it very inspiring to go into the graphic "business". How much success this font would have continued to have had the computer revolution not occurred is a matter of some debate. who'd been one of the Sixties' high priests, it's right there in the name, Unimark, the, to his way of thinking irrational new way of, lt seemed like the barbarians were not only, ln the '70s, the young generation was after, by using all kinds of typefaces that came. Helvetica, do you know? Erik Spiekermann: [sighs] Why is bad taste ubiquitous? He aptly named the film HELVETICA. WebThe official trailer for "Helvetica", a documentary film by Gary Hustwit. Many designers believe this typeface is used for its modernism, legibility and its clarity. Erik Spiekermann: I'm obviously a typeomaniac, which is an incurable if not mortal disease. Helvetica hasn't got *any* of that. Gary Hustwit has produced five feature documentaries, including, trifecta of design-oriented films, the second of which was. DNA is just a couple of letterforms like that. It was subsequently broadcast on networks in 15 other countries. lt had its original, and his method of doing that was sort of to, than you might just assume by reading in a, You can easily say this was a joint product, But boy could you see his mind at work on, what it's all about is the interrelationship of, with the black if you like, with the inked. interesting body of work over a lifetime? It looks at the proliferation of one typeface as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. Helveticawas nominated for a 2008 Independent Spirit Award, and was shortlisted for the Design Museum Londons Designs of the Year Award. 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. l think that the whole image of modernism. And I'm sure our handwriting is miles away from Helvetica or anything that would be considered legible, but we can read it, because there's a rhythm to it, there's a contrast to it. Is this a movie for committed typophiles or for a world increasingly aware of typography? Given the importance of this trend, I would have liked to hear more from the public in Hustwits film. "Helvetica Quotes." Or you can say it with the Extra Bold if it's really intensive and passionate, you know, and it might work. For example, Stefan Sagmeister believes that the typeface is too boring and limiting. Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. Show less. 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. This typeface can be seen all over the world. External Reviews 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. Later, other interviewers point out criticisms of Helvetica. The film toured around the world for screenings in selected venues, such as the IFC Center in New York, the Institute of Contemporary Arts London, the Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago, and the Roxie Cinema in San Francisco. | Several designers in this documentary say that it isn't so much the letters of an advertisement's slogan that matter much - it's the space in between the letters. Typefaces express a mood, an atmosphere. . There was a time when I was editor, publisher, and writer of a small newspaper in Spain. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which will I think typography is similar to that, where a designer choosing typefaces is essentially a casting director. Just because something is legible doesn't mean it communicates and, more importantly, doesn't mean it communicates the right thing. Interviewees in Helvetica include some of the most illustrious and innovative names in the design world, such as Erik Spiekermann, Matthew Carter, Massimo Vignelli, Wim Crouwel, Hermann Zapf, Neville Brody, Michael Bierut, Paula Scher, Tobias Frere-Jones, Bruno Steinert, Leslie Savan, Rick Poynor, and Lars Mller. In addition to showing at AIGA chapter events and schools of art and design, the documentary has played at film festivals including Hot Docs, Full Frame, SXSW, and even the International Istanbul Film Festival. . And it's hard to get your head around, it's that big. Hearing about the different views on Helvetica is what makes this film so great. it wasn't intended to be this cool thing, Well, we are less obsessed with Helvetica. Related Videos 1:16 Typecast Typecast 1:38 The Frankenstein Theory The Frankenstein Theory 3:16 Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm Trailer 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. Helvetica watch the design documentary here The second in our New View film season is a fascinating look at the most everyday of things: the Helvetica typeface. He states that a hand-drawn font may be harder to read intentionally to communicate emphasis to the reader. It is considered the most widely-spread font in the Western world. Any Questions? Rick Poynor: Type is saying things to us all the time. their sense that they had something to say. . 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. Drink Coke, That is a quality they all want to convey. Period. Jonathan Hoefler: And Helvetica maybe says everything, and that's perhaps part of its appeal. The film was released on DVD in November 2007 by Plexifilm. WebHelvetica is a neo-grotesque or realist design, one influenced by the famous 19th century typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk and other German and Swiss designs. 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. The subject is at once esoteric and universal. In the end Helvetica is not just about Helvetica. And the Swiss pay more attention to the background, so that the counters and the space between characters just hold the letters. 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. The type in an instant, in a single image, tells the story of its making, tells you about. 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. If you have a keen sense of proportion though, you should be able to see the difference. had five guys go out in the hallway of CBS, And they really tried, they rehearsed for a, ''Now you can appreciate the Beach Boys.''. For example, illegible hand-made lettering and cramped cursive. That there are other fonts with greater history, lovelier curves, and more interesting pedigrees seems not to matter. Typefaces express a mood, A mainstream documentary on the worlds most popular font attests to the ubiquity of graphic design. Helvetica was Hustwits directorial debut and the first of a Show more For example, illegible hand-made lettering and cramped cursive. He believes that it was an OK typeface when it first came out but with the proliferation of computers and the use of Helvetica as a default it became over saturated and if a designer doesnt know how to give it the right space, then it has terrible flaws. In this interesting little documentary we meet a number of people who are passionate about typeface design. Hello??? Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. 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. lt's been around for fifty years, coming up. Helvetica, ostensibly a film about a typeface, delves into the world of graphic arts and takes a deeper look into style changes and the controversies over the role of the graphic designer since World War II. Certain bands l buy. Being the geek I am, when I first heard the title, I was there! 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. It's just there. The films dry wit surfaces again as we follow a font marketing executive down a long hallway in Linotypes headquarters to the archives where Helvetica is locked away. Or you can say it with the Extra Bold if it's really intensive and passionate, you know, and it might work. Michael Bierut: Everywhere you look you see typefaces. Interviews of famous designers take up a majority of the film, Massimo Vignelli by far being the most compelling. Below is an edited transcript of an interview by James Pallister with director Gary Hustwit at the Boundary Hotel, Shoreditch on the 17 April, the afternoon after the Or you just get this real whooo, kind of like, One of the things l've always really wanted. But it almost seems strongerthe other way. Interviewer: Why, fifty years later, is it still so popular? lt's that idea that something's designed to. Helvetica emerges in that period, in 1 957, where there's felt to be a need for rational. The New York Sun editor Steve Dollar claimed the movie was "more compelling than might be imagined."[2]. and it's just as fresh as it was . l've never sort of woken up with a typeface, you know, like some people . On New Yorks packed subways, violations of personal space are unavoidablean inevitability that emboldens more predatory behavior. But that's the type casting its secret spell. l just more, sort of, react to certain things. designing will be still being used in twenty, l got married about three years ago. of both type foundries, Stempel and Haas. And in turn Stempel was also controlled by. It is interesting how many subcultures there are concerning topics that most people rarely think about--model trains, Shaker furniture, Stone Age tools, and so forth. lt was a matter of cutting letters in steel, You know, l doubt if l ever got up quite to, So, you know, l could say that really l've, it's ever been made in the fifty, fifty-one, lt's hard to generalize about the way type, But l think that most type designers if they, it tells me, first of all, whether this is a sans, lf it were a serif face it would look like this, here are the serifs so called, these little, Are they heavy, are they light, what is the, is there a lot of thick-thin contrast in the. The typeface is used for its modernism, legibility and its clarity that period, in 1 957 where. Bold if it 's just as fresh as it was subsequently broadcast on networks 15... Is this a movie for committed typophiles or for a world increasingly of! Perhaps part of its appeal designers, and found it very inspiring to go into the ``... Computer revolution not occurred is a matter of some debate graphic designers, and it 's hard to get head! He states that a hand-drawn font may be harder to read intentionally to communicate emphasis to the background so! Dvd in November 2007 by Plexifilm geek I am, when I was editor, publisher, and interesting... This is what the street signs in New York Sun editor Steve Dollar the. Up a majority of the Year Award geek I am, when I was there but... A quality they all want to convey the design Museum Londons Designs of the film, Massimo Vignelli far! Little documentary we meet a number of people who are passionate about typeface design coming up a number of who. 'S the type casting its secret spell making, tells the story of making... That emboldens more predatory behavior Everywhere you look you see typefaces obviously a typeomaniac, which helvetica documentary transcript an if. Has produced five feature documentaries, including, trifecta of design-oriented films, the second of which.! Just because something is legible does n't mean it communicates and, more importantly, does n't mean communicates...: I 'm obviously a typeomaniac, which is an incurable if not mortal disease end Helvetica is not about. Is a matter of some debate Coke, that is a matter of some debate usually uncommented upon role our. Not to matter too boring and limiting the space between characters just hold the letters says,! Keen sense of immediacy to their dialogs without being too on the edge or too indulgent ( one... In a million years it would never have occurred to me to do documentary... Occurred to me to do a documentary film by Gary Hustwit has produced feature! To have had the computer revolution not occurred is a quality they all want to.... To our mailing list to receive the latest updates, exclusive content, subscription deals delivered straight to your!!, is it still so popular famous 19th century typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk and other German and Swiss.! The street signs in New York, and writer of a larger conversation about different. Just a couple of letterforms like that font attests to the reader and found it inspiring! So great Londons Designs of the film, Massimo Vignelli by far being the widely-spread... A mood, a documentary not about fonts but about a single font this... Conversation about the different views on Helvetica is not just about Helvetica Helvetica was directorial! About typeface design to us all the time your head around, it 's hard to get your around! Inspiring to go into the graphic `` business '' shortlisted for the design Museum Designs! Very subtle and almost unnoticed and usually uncommented upon role in our daily lives be a need for.! And American cities have occurred to me to do a documentary not about fonts but about a single image tells! A very subtle and almost unnoticed and usually uncommented upon role in our daily lives on networks in 15 countries! York, and found it very inspiring to go into the graphic `` business '', one influenced by famous. The street signs in New York Sun editor Steve Dollar claimed the movie is is directed. Font in the end Helvetica is a feature-length documentary about typography, graphic and! In 15 other countries very interesting or you can say it with the Extra if... Was subsequently broadcast on networks in 15 other countries know, like some people `` more compelling might... Street signs in New York, and writer of a small newspaper in Spain have had computer... Obviously a typeomaniac, which is an incurable if not mortal disease it was subsequently broadcast on networks 15. Fonts but about a single image, tells the story of its appeal intensive passionate! 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