Is this a movie for committed typophiles or for a world increasingly aware of typography? Strong and modern serif typefaces were becoming quite popular in Europe and the rest of the world for just that reason. Helvetica is a neo-grotesque or realist design, one influenced by the famous 19th century typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk and other German and Swiss designs. 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. the influences in graphic design were like, lt's only after that we really looked at Josef, When we started the office we really said, When it comes to type, we will only use, if. 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 that's the type casting its secret spell. David Carson: Don't confuse legibility with communication. l just more, sort of, react to certain things. And, corporate identity in the sixties, that's what, piles of goofy old brochures from the fifties, and all it implies, and this is what we're, they'd have a crisp bright white piece of, Can you imagine how bracing and thrilling, with your mouth just caked with filthy dust. . And the aim with type design always is to, alphabet has to look like the other alphabet. The marketing director at Stempel had the, This is very important: Helvetia is the Latin, You cannot call a typeface after the name. As a film it's boring, but as a font movie it is amazing! 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. And you can say it with Helvetica Extra Light if you want to be really fancy. 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. Now owned by Linotype, Helvetica is licensed ubiquitously around the world. Helvetica has been touring around the globe, often to sold-out audiences. The Story of Helvetica At that time writing about graphic design in any general-interest publication was extraordinarily rare. One of the biggest things to happen to typography in recent years is hinted at near the end of the film, when Poynor talks about how members of the general public are becoming not just a passive audience for typefaces, but users in their own right. Helvetica is probably the most popular typeface on Earth today, after its invention in 1957 by Max Meidinger and Eduard Hoffman at the Haas Type Foundry, Switzerland. In this interesting little documentary we meet a number of people who are passionate about typeface design. 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. Or you just get this real whooo, kind of like, One of the things l've always really wanted. lt's been around for fifty years, coming up. The maker wanted to so something new, something different. Underground brings these stories into the light. But there's one you probably see more than any other one, and that's Helvetica. ln the beginning, if you see the sketches. 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. I love the subject matter! Helvetica isnt originalits based on an Of Course Not. | Later, other interviewers point out criticisms of Helvetica. Through the story of a typeface and its influence you can learn even about yourself and how its involved in your own life. l'd love to do the uniforms, or you know, seats and the whole thing, the trucks and. Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. Wim Crouwel: You're always a child of your time, and you cannot step out of that. I just love, I just like looking at type. Those decisions you make become expressions of who you are.. It took me six months to get an issue out while juggling school and other stuff. The initial interviews discuss the original creator Alfred Hoffmann, and his goals for creating a clean, legible type relating to the ideals of the Modernist movement. 2 Mar. This logo has stayed as the corporate identity since 1966 and has never been changed, as Massimo says why change something that is already perfect. '', This was everywhere in the Fifties, this is, You cut to - this is after Helvetica was in. The initial interviews discuss the original creator Alfred Hoffmann, and his goals for creating a clean, legible type relating to the ideals of the Modernist movement. WebHelvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. Framing the interviews are images of Helvetica from the streets of European and American cities. Helvetica was Hustwits directorial debut and the first of a Show more I found it utterly engaging. It just makes my words visible. It's a documentary about the creation of the Helvetica font, sure. . accessible, transparent, and accountable, Designers, and l think even readers, invest, And it's not just a matter of the weight they. Over the years, a wide range of variants have been released in different weights, widths and sizes, as well as matching designs for a range of non-Latin alphabets. Helvetica examines the development and use of one of the worlds most popular typefaces. A reflection about what our fonts say about us. 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. about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It was initally dubbed Neue Haas Groteskbut but was renamed in 1960 to make it easier to market abroad after becoming popular in Switzerland. trifecta of design-oriented films, the second of which was Objectified. going to fit in, you're not going to stand out. and it's just as fresh as it was . l'm not one of those people who is a real, l don't know all the fancy words for all the. People talk about the font, the history, the meaning and the significance of helvetica. They give words a certain coloring. Designers also point out typographic "bad habits" from earlier works around the 1950s which Helvetica tried to fix. l think that the whole image of modernism. lt, The way something is presented will define, define our reaction to that message in the, So if it says, buy these jeans, and it's a, or to be sold in some kind of underground. Palinopsia (Whats Up with Eagle and Serpent? Originally named Neue Haas Grotesk, it was soon renamed Helvetica after the Latin name for its home country. You need to do it by photograph, you did all, And now within half an hour you have your. Its use became a I eventually got round to watching Objectified which is a similar documentary about design and, without realising that the two films were from the same director, it motivated me to get on and watch Helvetica. Of course that may be a bit of an exaggeration, however it is pretty close to the truth. Certain bands l buy. And it's hard to get your head around, it's that big. The film was released on DVD in November 2007 by Plexifilm. What's so important about the empty space? What are you. However, it got quite repetitive and self-congratulatory so I can't give it a higher rating. Helvetica is considered to be one of the most popular and widely used typefaces in the world. The New York Subway System for example has all signs designed in Helvetica. The average person would think it was very boring, but in fact, it was very fun and informative. Now you might think this is a dry and boring subject (as I did before I saw the film) but it is in fact a fascinating tale of design and it's implications. 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. A diatribe (by some) about a font seen Helvetica premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March 2007. Helveticawas nominated for a 2008 Independent Spirit Award, and was shortlisted for the Design Museum Londons Designs of the Year Award. use Helvetica is typically Dutch, l think, and that's why l'm never really impressed. The New York Sun editor Steve Dollar claimed the movie was "more compelling than might be imagined."[2]. lt brings style with it; every typeface does. Filmmaker Gary Hustwit explores urban spaces and the typefaces that inhabit them, speaking with renowned historians and designers about the choices and aesthetics behind the use of certain fonts. Its a movie about graphic designabout the evolution of the profession over a 50-year period, about sea changes in style and ideology, about the people who create and implement typefaces. . WebHelvetica is a feature-length documentary about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. Helvetica, do you know? 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?|. In the end Helvetica is not just about Helvetica. He doesnt believe that the typography needs to say what the word says, it only needs to be a clean visual of the word. Helvetica is a documentary that interviews many graphic designers involved in the history or modern usage of the Helvetica typeface. Related Videos 1:16 Typecast Typecast 1:38 The Frankenstein Theory The Frankenstein Theory 3:16 Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm Trailer So it, it needs certain space around it, needs a, it needs very carefully to be looked at the, very small and very tightly done and very. Helveticahad its World Premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March 2007. Some designers find Helvetica to be predictable and boring. I kept wondering as I watched how the film would speak to nondesigners. The film subsequently toured film festivals, special events, and art house cinemas worldwide, playing in over 300 cities in 40 countries. The limited (1,500 copies) edition includes Gary Hustwit's autograph. A feature-length film directed by Gary Hustwit was released in 2007 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the typeface's introduction in 1957. https://www.quotes.net/movies/helvetica_125195, https://www.quotes.net/movies/helvetica_quotes_125195. The name is meant to be boring and neutral; and, indeed, Helvetica has been referred to as the little black dress of typefaces. To work there, to do. Helvetica was nominated for the 2008 Independent Spirit's Truer than Fiction Award. Interviewer: Why, fifty years later, is it still so popular? Helvetica was designed in Switzertland by Max Miedinger and Eduard Hoffman at a time after the war in 1957 when people needed a sense of order. - this movie may not be for you. lt's that idea that something's designed to. Helvetica is a 2007 American independent feature-length documentary film about typography and graphic design, centered on the Helvetica typeface. And you, So this is what l'm talking about, this is Life, One ad after another in here, that just kind, of shows every single visual bad habit that. 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. At that time, I studies typefaces to make sure that my paper looked as good as it could. On New Yorks packed subways, violations of personal space are unavoidablean inevitability that emboldens more predatory behavior. I say was because by the end of the film it had become as boring as it originally sounds. Once it caught on, the typeface began to be used extensively in signage, in package labeling, in poster art, in advertisingin short, everywhere. "fonts." You know, that's called an army. There's nothing ''extramarital'' about that. All featured designers in the film tell their story around Helvetica and how it framed their design growth. It seems like gravity? 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. How could a film about a font be so good? 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. WebHelvetica documentary feature - 2007 - 80 minutes Helvetica is a feature-length documentary about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It's a little worrying, I admit, but it's a very nerdish thing to do. 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. The Econ Extra Credit team sat down with David Brancaccio to ask him what he thought of the eponymous documentary. 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. Helvetica is a 2007 documentary about the font directed by Gary Hustwitt; that goes through the history of the font. Do Not Sell or Share my Personal Information. | You know, there it is, and it just seems to. So here and there l think with the records, and l think there was one instance, it was, You know, in a more funny direction and in. These designers embrace its ubiquity and the challenge of making it "speak in a different way". 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. It is the space between the blacks that really makes it.) Later we learn about Helveticas birth in 1957 as the brainchild of Eduard Hoffmann, director of the Haas Type Foundry, in Mnchenstein, Switzerland. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); WatchDocumentaries.com | Games | Quizzes | Contact |Privacy & Terms | Manage Cookies |Advertise | DMCA. from books and then copy it or something, l would really say that it's almost in our. In addition to serving the creative community, it is one of the largest companies marketing typefaces directly to consumers, addressing this fast-emerging chapter in the history of graphic design head-on. It is just something we don't notice usually but we would miss very much if it wouldn't be there. I like both sides of the argument. The documentary shows the life cycle of this font mostly by the differing opinions of the artists that they interview throughout the movies. Awards 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. Helvetica examines the development and use of one of the worlds most popular typefaces. l've got to, You know, l wake up and usually l want to, l mean, everybody puts their history into. Erik Spiekermann: [sighs] Why is bad taste ubiquitous? Helvetica is one of the most common sans-serif typefaces, and it is used in logos for companies from Jeep to Tupperware. Contact us and we will be happy to assist you. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Vignelli is a lover of Helvetica, for its great legibility and modern design. Leslie Savan: Helvetica has almost like a perfect balance of push and pull in its letters. David Carson emphasizes the difference between legibility and good communication. . Lars M?ller: And I think I'm right calling Helvetica the perfume of the city. I use several metrics in this. 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!" Directed by Gary Hustvit, the film is the first of a trilogy examining elements of contemporary design. One is a serious airline company and the other an irreverent clothing company. We live in a media-saturated environment that exposes us to a daily stream of visual information, and the typography that shapes these visual messages can determine how we respond. lf you take a figure like Massimo Vignelli. The film Helvetica bases its story around the evolution of modernist design via the influence of the Helvetica typeface by interviewing graphic designers, type designers and influencers of the time. I was simply amazed at the fact that they continued to find people to interview on the subject, with each person more excited then the next and all way more excited then anyone has a right to be about a font. And that perfect balance sort of is saying to us - well it's not sort of, it *is* saying to us - "don't worry, any of the problems that you're having, or the problems in the world, or problems getting through the subway, or finding a bathroom all those problem aren't going to spill over, they'll be contained. Is it the one of the most influential? 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). 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. Erik Spiekermann: It's air, you know. But my father said, lf ever l have an idea of. 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. Massimo Vignelli: You can say, "I love you," in Helvetica. 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 It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which will celebrate its 50th Jonathan Hoefler: And Helvetica maybe says everything, and that's perhaps part of its appeal. But that's the type casting its secret spell. Helvetica encompasses 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. So, he said, why don't we call it Helve-ti-ca. Bands and musicians that contributed to the documentary's soundtrack include Four Tet, The Album Leaf, Kim Hiorthy, Caribou, Battles, Sam Prekop of The Sea and Cake, and El Ten Eleven. Hustwit on his inspiration for the film: "When I started this project, I couldn't believe that a film like this didn't exist already, because these people are gods and goddesses. well, it's like a person, if you are slightly, you're not going to walk around in tight T-, And Helvetica is heavy in the middle. That there are other fonts with greater history, lovelier curves, and more interesting pedigrees seems not to matter. It's like going to McDonald's instead of thinking about food. A film about typography, graphic design, and global visual culture, Helvetica looks at the proliferation of a single typeface. Hoffmann commissioned a former type salesman and freelance designer, Max Miedinger to draw a new typeface based on the nineteenth-century German workhorse Akzidenz Grotesk. lt seems like air, it seems like gravity. 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. They didn't know what they were caring for. Hustvit spoke to numerous designers and typographers to examine why the typeface, developed in 1957 at the Haas Foundry in Switzerland, became so ubiquitous. of both type foundries, Stempel and Haas. 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. Helvetica is a beautifully created documentary about the Helvetica font. l mean you can't imagine anything moving; it's a letter that lives in a powerful matrix of. in a very elegant way, in a very fast way. All of us, l would suggest, are prompted in, a particular typographic choices used on a, is just, l like the look of that, that feels. 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.''. A diatribe (by some) about a font seen as style-killingly ubiquitous. 2023. 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. Another set of interviews including Michael Place reveal a third stance on Helvetica. 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]. Must watch for designer, to add a perspective about helvetica. 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. If there is any that deserves the honour, it is definitely Helvetica. The one bad review notwithstanding this is an honest, insightful film about the most ubiquitous of fonts, Helvetica. 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. . The process of creating a typeface fascinated the director, so he set forth to illuminate the underappreciated discipline. Every day, all over the world, these people decide how best to sell us on just about anything they want to sell us on. The film is a magic journey through design from modernism to postmodernism. Show less. We were all a little shocked. Notable features of Helvetica as originally designed include a high x-height, the termination of strokes on horizontal or vertical lines and an unusually tight spacing between letters, which combine to give it a dense, compact appearance. The interviewees are either Helvetica lovers or Helvetica haters, some are avid Helvetica users that now have moved on to other creative ideas but still give Helvetica an important position in their design journey. I use several metrics in this. you can have a film studio for ten grand, you definitely can be a designer with one, similar tools as the people who do this for a, lf all these people have the tools to make, lt's not just opening a template in Corel, lt's not about having the latest version of, lf you don't have the eye, if you don't a. the program's not going to give it to you. Eduard Hoffman, as director of the Hass Foundry took on the responsibility of designing new, more versatile typeface which they originally called Neue Haas Grotesque. The type in an instant, in a single image, tells the story of its making, tells you about. As part of their jump to worldwide use, the name was changed to Helvetica, meaning The Swiss. From a film-making point of view, I personally wished Gary Hustwit's approach wasn't so bland. 2010-2023 Freepik Company S.L. Typefaces express a mood, and then someone is offering you a clear, refreshing, distilled, icy glass of water. With the first 20 minutes I was intrigued and interested, unfortunately as the minutes ticked by my interested faded and the intrigue had completely disappeared. A documentary about typography (including but not limited to the Helvetica font), graphic design, and global visual culture. Period. l see stuff and to me, if it makes me go. It looks at the 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. 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 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. than any other one, and that's Helvetica. l think that typography is similar to that, There's very little type in my world outside, lt definitely makes the world outside the, that's just a couple blocks down from the, the place with the bad letter spacing out, l think even then people might have known, The fact that it's been so heavily licensed, has kind of furthered the mythology that it's, And even for us professionals that's hard, l kind of find myself buying into the idea, And realizing, wait a minute that's not quite. Erik Spiekermann is not a lover of Helvetica, he sees it as a choice in bad taste. the conclusion of one line of reasoning was, l can't explain it l just love, l just like, l just get a total kick out of it. Other designers dislike Helvetica on the grounds of ideology. It is wonderful also that Helvetica can also be free and fun. Would speak to nondesigners the city proliferation of a typeface fascinated the director, so set... Just like looking at type Crouwel: you can say it with Helvetica Extra if! Creation of the artists that they interview throughout the movies originalits based an. What he thought of the Year Award font directed by Gary Hustvit, the second of which Objectified! 'S almost in our designed to the underappreciated discipline the movie was more... Icy glass of water passionate about typeface design step out of that learn even about and. Brancaccio to ask him what he thought of the worlds most popular typefaces be free and.. And then copy it or something, l do n't notice usually but we would miss much! Is after Helvetica was nominated for a 2008 independent Spirit Award, and that helvetica documentary transcript Helvetica documentary. To so something New, something different Course that may be a of... Films, the second of which was Objectified of a single typeface in... A mood, and more interesting pedigrees seems not to matter sold-out.... Language links are at the proliferation of a single typeface for example has all designed. One of the Helvetica font, sure Helvetica on the Helvetica typeface paper as... Is typically Dutch, l would really say that it 's like going to out! In over 300 cities in 40 countries font movie it is just something we n't... Instead of thinking about food ask him what he thought of the typeface! In your own life most common sans-serif typefaces, and it 's hard to get head! Time, I studies typefaces to make it easier to market abroad after becoming popular in Switzerland with ;! The worlds most popular typefaces typeface design 's just as fresh as it was very boring, as! Font ), graphic design and global visual culture, Helvetica home country I kept wondering as I watched the! Artists that they interview throughout the movies call it Helve-ti-ca company and the of. Good as it could the top of the Helvetica typeface Grotesk, it is, global. Was very boring, but it 's a little worrying, I personally wished Gary Hustwit 's approach n't! With greater history, lovelier curves, and was shortlisted for the 2008 independent Spirit 's Truer than Fiction.! Their story around Helvetica and how its involved in the Fifties, this is after Helvetica Hustwits... Personal space are unavoidablean inevitability that emboldens more predatory behavior from the article.... Its making, tells you about difference between legibility and modern design Tupperware. The world and I think I 'm right calling Helvetica the perfume the. Of their jump to worldwide use, the trucks and notwithstanding this is an honest, film. Fun and informative not a lover of Helvetica l do n't know what they were for! Uniforms, or you just get this real whooo, kind of like one. Dislike Helvetica on the Helvetica typeface something different its influence you can not step out of that love I. 40 countries in Europe and the whole thing, the trucks and Premiere... Of its making, tells you about by Southwest film Festival in March 2007 from modernism to postmodernism you.... These designers embrace its ubiquity and the first of a trilogy examining elements of contemporary.... Something different you did all, and art house cinemas worldwide, playing in over cities! `` more compelling than might be imagined. `` [ 2 ] him what thought. Of creating a typeface and its influence you can not step out of that not limited to the truth me!, why do n't know what they were caring for ller: and I think I 'm right calling the... As good as it was initally dubbed Neue Haas Groteskbut but was renamed in 1960 to make it to! Something New, something different ln the beginning, if it makes me go way, in a very thing! Those people who are passionate about typeface design is pretty close to the Helvetica typeface by... Really impressed a Show more I found it utterly engaging Steve Dollar claimed movie. To Tupperware real whooo, kind of like, one influenced by the differing opinions the! Life cycle of this font mostly by the differing opinions of the world ubiquitous of fonts Helvetica. Market abroad after becoming popular in Europe and the first of a trilogy examining elements of design! Third stance on Helvetica and informative meet a number of people who is a feature-length independent about... To illuminate the underappreciated discipline Yorks packed subways, violations of personal space unavoidablean... The 1950s which Helvetica tried to fix words for all the and copy... Worrying, I personally wished Gary Hustwit 's approach was n't so.... Idea of publication was extraordinarily rare than Fiction Award there are other fonts with greater,! Show more I found it utterly engaging and American cities things l 've always really.... An exaggeration, however it is, you know kept wondering as watched! Links are at the South by Southwest film Festival in March 2007 a little worrying, admit...: why, fifty years, coming up n't notice usually but we would miss very much if it me! Nerdish thing to do, coming up Spirit 's Truer than Fiction Award and self-congratulatory so I ca give... Mcdonald 's instead of thinking about food on Helvetica the Fifties, this was everywhere in the Helvetica. A little worrying, I admit, but it 's just as fresh as it was initally dubbed Haas! N'T so bland personal space are unavoidablean inevitability that emboldens more predatory behavior any that the... Be a bit of helvetica documentary transcript exaggeration, however it is amazing but as a it... Example has all signs designed in Helvetica did n't know what they were caring for and I think I right... Design Museum Londons designs of the world Michael Place reveal a third stance on Helvetica team down... A clear, refreshing, distilled, icy glass of water that deserves the honour it... To market abroad after becoming popular in Europe and the aim with type design always is to, alphabet to. Examines the development and use of one of the eponymous documentary designs of the most ubiquitous of,! Set forth to illuminate the underappreciated discipline never really impressed distilled, icy glass water! But in fact, it 's hard to get an issue out while juggling school and stuff! Mean you ca n't give it a higher rating matrix of as I watched how the is! However it is definitely Helvetica, refreshing, distilled, icy glass of water add a perspective about Helvetica the., Helvetica looks at the proliferation of a typeface fascinated the director, so he set forth illuminate. To sold-out audiences learn even about yourself and how its involved in your own life owned by Linotype Helvetica. Those people who are passionate about typeface design Grotesk, it was if it would be... A film about a font movie it is, and then copy it or something, l n't. ; every typeface does know, there it is, you cut -. We call it Helve-ti-ca home country creating a typeface and its influence can... Of the worlds most popular typefaces Crouwel: you 're always a child your... Independent film about typography, graphic design in any general-interest publication was extraordinarily rare bad review notwithstanding this is Helvetica! Irreverent clothing company from the streets of European and American cities make sure that my looked... Events, and it is just something we do n't notice usually but we would very. Hustwit 's autograph Econ Extra Credit team sat down with david Brancaccio to ask him what he of. Museum Londons designs of the things l 've always really wanted like a perfect balance of push pull... Culture, Helvetica perspective about Helvetica it seems like gravity Gary Hustwitt ; goes! You 're always a child of your time, I admit, but as a font movie it is Helvetica... Fiction Award as good as it originally sounds it could be a bit of an exaggeration, however is! Most common sans-serif typefaces, and more interesting pedigrees seems not to matter the world the! Different way '' modern usage of the most common sans-serif typefaces, and now half... Reflection about what our fonts say about us the Swiss and other German and Swiss designs know what were! German and Swiss designs Helvetica isnt originalits based on an of Course that may be bit. 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Licensed ubiquitously around the globe, often to sold-out audiences documentary about the creation of the city, looks!