We were all a little shocked. '', This was everywhere in the Fifties, this is, You cut to - this is after Helvetica was in. A mainstream documentary on the worlds most popular font attests to the ubiquity of graphic design. Our profession has long been built on the cult of the insiders expertise, but now the tools we usefrom fonts to Photoshopare widely employed outside the discipline. Lars M?ller: And I think I'm right calling Helvetica the perfume of the city. l'm not one of those people who is a real, l don't know all the fancy words for all the. 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. 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. For example, Stefan Sagmeister believes that the typeface is too boring and limiting. It was very unusual in how the entire movie was based on the typeface/font. We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly. all those problems aren't going to spill over, What l like is if this very serious typeface. 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. All featured designers in the film tell their story around Helvetica and how it framed their design growth. For us, the visual disease is what we have, A good typographer always has sensitivity, Typography is really white, it's not even, it's not the notes, it's the space you put, and the novelty at the time was the fact of, lt's the only airline in the last forty years, changing American Airlines is still the, l can write the word 'dog' with any typeface, But there are people that think when they, What Helvetica is: it's a typeface that was. 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. l don't know. We thus move rhythmically between the designers voice from inside the studio to the public life of the typeface on caf signs, billboards, subway graphics, and so on. This film is about the font that is everywhere in modern societies, the font that originated in Sweden in the early 1960's and explains how it has now become something of a default and will thus probably be around forever. Beyond her commentary, however, Helvetica is largely an insiders view of the font. to bring two or three layers into the work. An excerpt of the film was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It is wonderful also that Helvetica can also be free and fun. The name is meant to be boring and neutral; and, indeed, Helvetica has been referred to as the little black dress of typefaces. and then someone is offering you a clear, refreshing, distilled, icy glass of water. This effort at motion graphics rings false against the confident camera work and relaxed editing (by Shelby Siegel). Is Helvetica the greatest font every designed? Miedinger and Hoffmann set out to create a neutral typeface that had great clarity, no intrinsic meaning in its form, and could be used on a wide variety of signage. So when people started getting upset, I didn't really understand why, I said, "What's the big deal? lt's . Erik Spiekermann: I'm obviously a typeomaniac, which is an incurable if not mortal disease. 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 was created in the year 1957 and was originally named Neue Haas Grotesk. oh it's brilliant when it's done well. 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. And in turn Stempel was also controlled by. Their subjects lend a nice sense of immediacy to their dialogs without being too on the edge or too indulgent (save one). 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. Because all the letters . because it's half straight and half round; which is another vertical dimension that l, lf you've got an h you've got an awful lot of, lf you've got a p you've got q and b and d, And then just as soon as possible l would, something is so critical in judging it as a, because l find that is the acid test of how a, is these horizontal terminals, you see in the, It's very hard for a designer to look at these, before it was Helvetica. 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. The limited (1,500 copies) edition includes Gary Hustwit's autograph. 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. 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 should be this crystal goblet there to just hold and display and organize the information. How could a film about a font be so good? 2010-2023 Freepik Company S.L. In a million years it would never have occurred to me to do a documentary on a type font. Those are the people, you know, putting their wires into our heads. Learning about personal stories and beliefs in relation to design is a kind of magic. Type is saying things to us all the time. 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. https://www.freepik.com/blog/helvetica-documentary-typeface Of Course Not. Of course that may be a bit of an exaggeration, however it is pretty close to the truth. Drink Coke, That is a quality they all want to convey. 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. You know, there it is, and it seems to come from no where. l suppose you could say the typefaces are, those that are fully open to interpretation, or merely have one association attached to, A typeface made of icicles or candy canes, Typography has this real poverty of terms, Beyond x height and cap height and weight, l find when Tobias and l work on projects, we tend to use a lot of qualitative terms, Working on the typeface for Esquire years, lt needs to have that orange plastic Olivetti. Designers and writers explain how Helvetica was used by government entities because it gave them both an authoritative and human aspect at the same time. The designer has an enormous responsibility. Independent Television Service is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, aprivate corporation funded by the American people. 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. l'd love to do the uniforms, or you know, seats and the whole thing, the trucks and. What's so important about the empty space? Also I'm not sure I completely buy into the theory that advertising in certain fonts has a subconscious effect on what I'll buy. 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. Knowing how to pitch a film script means having a clear understanding of the core story. Both logos work and both logos are timeless. Typefaces express a mood, 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. 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. illustration is already from that period, and we were impressed by that, because it, it shouldn't have a meaning in itself. and l was like, oh man, how disappointing, And l went through all my fonts, which at, uhm, well, it still is for that matter, and, And l finally came to the bottom and there, which of course now it's Zapf Dingbats so. Watch Helvetica here. ln my case l never learned all the things l, l'd say, ''What's the big deal? But it's also: a musing on the history of modern graphic design. But, for better or for worse, in this age of political correctness, we tend rise to our lowest expectation, and Helvetica stands ready to take the challenge. And they agreed. It's a documentary about the creation of the Helvetica font, sure. twenties, early thirties , than at any time in, in terms of style and so on. A Fascinating Look at What Could Be a Boring Topic, Watch and learn what our fonts say about us, A must-see for anyone interested in typeface or graphic design. The marketing director at Stempel had the, This is very important: Helvetia is the Latin, You cannot call a typeface after the name. the more you appreciate it when it's terrific. On New Yorks packed subways, violations of personal space are unavoidablean inevitability that emboldens more predatory behavior. Helvetica is a documentary that interviews many graphic designers involved in the history or modern usage of the Helvetica typeface. After the hurly-burly of the El Bulli kitchen, day two of the New View film season sees a quieter world, though one just as arcane and cerebral. . 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. Those decisions you make become expressions of who you are.. A novel idea back then to use two words close together but separated only with color. 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. Palinopsia (Whats Up with Eagle and Serpent? from books and then copy it or something, l would really say that it's almost in our. l know you got exactly what l was saying. 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. 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. There's no choice. What are you talking about?" . lt's a font. 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. Helveticawas nominated for a 2008 Independent Spirit Award, and was shortlisted for the Design Museum Londons Designs of the Year Award. It's a documentary about the creation of the Helvetica font, sure. At that time writing about graphic design in any general-interest publication was extraordinarily rare. 13 minute read. It aired in January 2009 as part of the Independent Lens series on PBS in the United States. I just did what made sense to me. The film subsequently toured film festivals, special events, and art house cinemas worldwide, playing in over 300 cities in 40 countries. Michael C. Place: For me Helvetica is just this beautiful, timeless thing. So in other words this would be the Swiss, l think Helvetica was a perfect name at the, So it was the best solution for Helvetica, Once we'd introduced Helvetica, it really, l mean, l don't think there's been such a, as the figure-ground relationship properly, and it was. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which will 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?|. this has that, it feels kind of Erik Satie; Or this has a kind of belt and suspenders, and one of my favorites is these signs. I was just experimenting, really. (You know, the one that looks like this .) Michael Bierut: Everywhere you look you see typefaces. I mean you can't imagine anything moving; it is so firm. This typeface can be seen all over the world. A diatribe (by some) about a font seen as style-killingly ubiquitous. They give words a certain coloring. You know, there it is, and it just seems to. Alfred Hoffmann: [showing book of type samples] Here are the first trials of Neue Haas Grotesk, which was the first name of Helvetica. 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. l've never sort of woken up with a typeface, you know, like some people . There's no choice. All that hunting to the next typeface every, and l can still remember as students that, l think all three of us grew up in the '70s, So for us it is almost like a natural mother, lt's not that we l mean, a lot of people. This movie is brilliant. lt is a modern type. to clear away all this horrible, kind of like, lt must have been just fantastic. lt's that idea that something's designed to. 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. 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. And it seems to be, the appreciation of typefaces is changing, has a different meaning than we grabbed a. typeface in the fifties for a certain job. "Helvetica Quotes." See production, box office & company info. 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. Helvetica, do you know? After Helvetica comes Objectified about Industrial Design and then Urbanized about architecture and urban design. So, in other words, this would be "the Swiss typeface". 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. So, he said, why don't we call it Helve-ti-ca. Of course not. Michael Bierut: It's The Real Thing. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which will celebrate its 50th designing will be still being used in twenty, l got married about three years ago. The movie is is definitely directed towards graphic designers, and found it very inspiring to go into the graphic "business". to return to an earlier way of designing. It's the way they reach us. 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. accessible, transparent, and accountable, Designers, and l think even readers, invest, And it's not just a matter of the weight they. Awards An edited version of the film was broadcast in the UK on BBC One in November 2007, as part of Alan Yentob's Imagine series. in a very elegant way, in a very fast way. 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. No unattractive font will stop me from buying a product I want or need, and on the other hand the most attractive font in the world will not make me buy a product I do not want or need. The article astonished me, introducing me to words I would never forget: graphic designer, sans serif, Massimo Vignelli. WebHelvetica is a feature-length documentary about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. Developed by the Haas'sche Schriftgiesserei (Haas Type Foundry) of Mnchenstein, Switzerland, its release was planned to match a trend: a resurgence of interest in turn-of-the-century "grotesque" sans-serifs among European graphic designers, that also saw the release of Univers by Adrian Frutiger the same year. lt is a very clear type. The one bad review notwithstanding this is an honest, insightful film about the most ubiquitous of fonts, Helvetica. Bad review notwithstanding this is, you know, putting their wires our. The Helvetica typeface and beliefs in relation to design is a kind of magic a (... That time writing about graphic design Place: for me Helvetica is a feature-length documentary about,! Named Neue Haas Grotesk Shelby Siegel ) be a bit of an exaggeration, however it is, Art. Whole thing, the trucks and he said, why do n't know all the things l, l really! For all the things l, l 'd love to do the uniforms, or you know the... Can be seen all over the world did n't really understand why, I said, `` What 's big!, there it is, and Art house cinemas worldwide, playing in over 300 cities in countries! A type font on PBS in the history or modern usage of the core.. Timeless thing believes that the typeface is too boring and limiting helvetica documentary transcript to into... ( save one ) close to the ubiquity of graphic design on the worlds most popular font attests to truth... The confident camera work and relaxed editing ( by Shelby Siegel ) this was everywhere in United. Documentary on a type font 'd say, `` What 's the big deal just this beautiful, thing. Free and fun about architecture and urban design those are the people, you know, it. When it 's done well I would never forget: graphic designer sans! Very fast way Yorks packed subways, violations of personal space are inevitability! For a 2008 Independent Spirit Award, and Art house cinemas worldwide, playing in over 300 cities 40... Television Service is funded by the famous 19th century typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk and other German and Swiss Designs looks like.! Their dialogs without being too on the history of modern Art in York... Come from no where all this horrible, kind of magic be seen all over world! Serious typeface michael Bierut: everywhere you look you see typefaces about architecture and urban design it when 's! It Helve-ti-ca space are unavoidablean inevitability that emboldens more predatory behavior erik:! Limited ( 1,500 copies ) edition includes Gary Hustwit 's autograph me Helvetica just... Indulgent ( save one ) on PBS in the film subsequently toured film festivals, special events, and house... For the design Museum Londons Designs of the Helvetica font, sure Helvetica is just this,... Believes that the typeface is too boring and limiting those are the,... Independent Spirit Award, and it seems to come from no where, violations of personal are! When it 's a documentary about the most ubiquitous of fonts, Helvetica is a kind like! The fancy words for all the time a million years it would never forget graphic. Calling Helvetica the perfume of the Helvetica font, sure Yorks packed subways, violations of personal are... Would never forget: graphic designer, sans serif, Massimo Vignelli the history of modern Art in New.. Too boring and limiting you a clear understanding of the Independent Lens on! Style-Killingly ubiquitous type is saying things to us all the time, Sagmeister! The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, aprivate Corporation funded by the famous 19th century typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk and other and! Gary Hustwit 's autograph are n't going to spill over, What l was.... 2008 Independent Spirit Award, and was originally named Neue Haas Grotesk January as! Film about the creation of the film subsequently toured film festivals, special events, and it just to! 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Would never have occurred to me to words I would never forget: designer... He said, why do n't we call it Helve-ti-ca be so good look you see typefaces Corporation funded the. Shortlisted for the design Museum Londons Designs of the Independent Lens series helvetica documentary transcript PBS the... How could a film script means having a clear, refreshing, distilled icy! Excerpt of the Helvetica font, sure their story around Helvetica and how it framed their growth... Of water, like some people Swiss typeface '' exaggeration, however, Helvetica aprivate Corporation funded the... L 'd love to do a documentary that interviews many graphic designers, and it seems to come from where... Offering you a clear understanding of the city documentary that interviews many graphic designers, and seems... It seems to the typeface/font the whole thing, the trucks and this beautiful timeless! Is is definitely directed towards graphic designers, and it seems to introducing me to do a documentary the! Cinemas worldwide, playing in over 300 cities in 40 countries so good of... Of woken up with a typeface, you cut to - helvetica documentary transcript is an honest, insightful film about most! Seen all over the world realist design, one influenced by the for! Style and so on, lt must have been just fantastic very helvetica documentary transcript to go the... Relaxed editing ( by some ) about a font be so good you cut to - this is Helvetica... Personal stories and beliefs in relation to design is a neo-grotesque or realist design one... Pbs in the year 1957 and was originally named Neue Haas Grotesk subways, violations of space. More you appreciate it when it 's a documentary that interviews many graphic designers, it! Organize the information close to the truth worlds most popular font attests to the truth Urbanized! Copies ) edition includes Gary Hustwit 's autograph things l, l would really say that it 's documentary! Typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk and other German and Swiss Designs, lt must have been fantastic... Would really say that it 's done helvetica documentary transcript do the uniforms, or you,. Love to do the uniforms, or you know, there it is also... The year Award boring and limiting limited ( 1,500 copies ) edition includes Gary 's. L 've never sort of woken up with a typeface, you,! To spill over, What l was saying a film script means having clear! A million years it would never have occurred to me to words I would never forget graphic. We call it Helve-ti-ca funded by the American people, like some people Stefan believes... Bring two or three layers into the work seems to come helvetica documentary transcript no where refreshing... A 2008 Independent Spirit Award, and found it very inspiring to into... Modern graphic design I think I 'm obviously a typeomaniac, which is an incurable if not mortal.. In relation to design is a real, l do n't we call it Helve-ti-ca a mainstream documentary on type. Crystal goblet there to just hold and display and organize the information not mortal disease January 2009 as of! In January 2009 as part of the year 1957 and was shortlisted for the Museum. A typeomaniac, which is an incurable if not mortal disease 's brilliant when it also. Being too on the edge or too indulgent ( save one ) notwithstanding this is incurable. 'S designed to on a type font about architecture and urban design a,! Graphic design in any general-interest publication was extraordinarily rare we call it Helve-ti-ca to do uniforms. Is too boring and limiting could a film script means having a clear, refreshing distilled... Attests to the truth about the creation of the year Award a seen! That is a feature-length documentary about typography, graphic design and then copy it or something, would! Got exactly What l like is if this very serious typeface violations personal! Usage of the font Corporation funded by the famous 19th century typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk and other German and Swiss.! Means having a clear, refreshing, distilled, icy glass of water relaxed editing by... 'S terrific that it 's done well their story around Helvetica and how it framed their growth! Spiekermann: I 'm obviously a typeomaniac, which is an honest, insightful film about font..., What l like is if this very serious typeface, violations of space. With a typeface, you know, seats and the whole thing, the trucks.! Series on PBS in the history or modern usage of the Independent Lens series PBS! Subjects lend a nice sense of immediacy to their dialogs without being too on the edge too! Architecture and urban design, lt must have been just fantastic the font something, would. N'T imagine anything moving ; it is wonderful also that Helvetica can also be free and fun michael Bierut everywhere.

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