Documentary of a Typeface and Font
Typeface: Created by Max Miedinger and Eduard Hoffmann at the Hass foundry in Switzerland in 1957. Became the face of Modernism and the modern corporation and is perhaps the most ubiquitous typeface today. Currently owned by Linotype.
Three designers featured on this page are Massimo Vignelli, David Carson, and Stefan Stagmeister.
Massimo Vignelli
The life of a designer is a life of fight, fight against ugliness. Just like a doctor fights against disease.
Movie Review
Synopsis and Opinion
Helvetica
Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 11/10/2009)
Typography is everywhere, and one of the most prevalent typefaces today is Helvetica. This movie introduces the viewer to graphic design and the global visual culture that surrounds us on a daily basis, but one that perhaps we never notice.
Director Gary Hustwit leads us through the birth of the typeface in Switzerland and through interviews with graphic designers and typographers, shows us the dramatic rise of Helvetica as the front face of Modernism. However, in the 50 years since its birth, a split in the design world has developed. The overuse of the font led the Post-Modernists to reject the rigidity of Helvetica and criticize its uniformity and association with government, bureaucracy, capitalism, and war. Even still, for many designers today, the font has been heralded as "perfect" and "the ultimate typeface."
"Helvetica" is an attentively and elegantly filmed documentary whose candid interviews with designers tell not just the story of the typeface, but also the story of the industry and the cultural shift occuring right now with the rise of technology. By the end of the film, you'll start searching for instances of Helvetica everywhere in your daily life, and you'll start to wonder how typefaces influence your opinion of familiar brands or mundane street signs or even the people around you. This is a brilliant and must-see film.
Also available in Blu-Ray.
Movie still from Helvetica's official site.
Get the Movie
Watch the movie!
El Ten Eleven
Primary music featured in the movie. Debut album that helped inspire director Gary Hustwit to see the type around him and film the documentary.
Amazon Price: $15.98 (as of 11/10/2009)
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Helvetica Trailer
Helvetica "IFC" trailer
A 90-second trailer for the documentary Helvetica. This trailer was made to run before other films during Helvetica's run at the IFC Center theater in New York. The music in the trailer is by El Ten Eleven. DVD out now = http://www.helveticafilm.com
Runtime: 1:39
43092 views
10 Comments:
curated content from YouTube
History of the Typeface
Excerpt from Wikipedia
In 1960, the typeface's name was changed by Haas' German parent company Stempel to Helvetica - derived from Confoederatio Helvetica, the Latin name for Switzerland - in order to make it more marketable internationally.
Read the rest of the article.
Get the Book
Read the book!
Helvetica: Homage to a Typeface
Filled with pages of color images of Helvetica in use, from album covers and road signs to advertisements and product packaging. The result is an exciting collection of this icon of modern design.
Amazon Price: $15.00 (as of 11/10/2009)
Michael C. Place
It's just this beautiful, timeless thing, and certain things shouldn't be messed with, you know?
Director Gary Hustwit Talks About Helvetica
Featuring Massimo Vignelli
Excerpt from Wikipedia
Vignelli works firmly within the Modernist tradition, and focuses on simplicity through the use of basic geometric forms in all of his work.
Read the rest of the article.
Movie still from Helvetica's official site.
Learn More About Massimo Vignelli
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Massimo Vignelli
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Massimo Vignelli is one half of the Modernist Design power-couple. Lella Vignelli and Massimo Vignelli may be the ultimate designers of all time. They have designed virtually everything from maps and logos to furniture and tableware. Their artistic s...
Massimo Vignelli
His newest book
Vignelli From A to Z
Beginning with the intriguing 'A for Ambiguity', it continues through the alphabet, describing Vignelli's approach to subjects as diverse as book design, discipline, furniture, garment design, interior design and lighting, newspapers, packaging and typography.
Amazon Price: $31.50 (as of 11/10/2009)
1972 New York Subway Map
One of Vignelli's iconic pieces
Men's Vogue recently asked Vignelli to update his classic 1972 New York Subway Map. All 500 limited edition copies of the new map were sold out on May 1, 2008. See the updated map.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Featuring David Carson
Excerpt from Wikipedia
Carson became interested in a new school of typography and photography-based graphic design and is largely responsible for popularizing the style; he inspired many young designers of the 1990's. His work does not follow "traditional" graphic design standards. Carson is emotionally attached to his creations. Carson's work is considered explorative of thoughts and ideas that become "lost" in the subconscious. Every piece is saturated, but Carson still manages to communicate both the idea and the feeling behind his design. His extensive use of combinations of typographic elements and photography led many designers to completely change their work methods and graphic designers from all around the world base their style on the new "standards" that have distinguished Carson's work.
Read the rest of the article.
Movie still from Helvetica's official site.
David Carson
His newest book
Trek: David Carson, Recent Werk
The latest volume featuring the graphic work of David Carson is full to bursting-nearly 500 pages' worth-of the color, splashy text and eye-catching design for which he's been termed "the most famous graphic designer in the world."
Amazon Price: $29.70 (as of 11/10/2009)
Eric Spiekermann
It's like going to McDonald's instead of thinking about food. Because it's there on every street corner, so let's eat crap because it's there.
Featuring Stefan Sagmeister
Excerpt from Wikipedia
Solo shows on Sagmeister Inc's work have been mounted in Zurich, Vienna, New York, Berlin, Tokyo, Osaka, Prague, Cologne, and Seoul. He teaches in the graduate department of the School of Visual Art in New York and has been appointed as the Frank Stanton Chair at the Cooper Union School of Art, New York.
Read the rest of the article.
Movie still from Helvetica's official site.
Stefan Sagmeister
His newest book
Things I have learned in my life so far
This book began as a list designer Stefan Sagmeister made in his diary under the title Things I have learned in my life so far, which includes statements such as "Worrying solves nothing" and "Trying to look good limits my life."
Amazon Price: $26.40 (as of 11/10/2009)
Other Featured People
Typographers, designers, writers
Danny van den Dungen
Why do some people find it so strange that a typeface should be used for over 50 years? When something is constructed as well as Helvetica, it should last for a couple of hundred years, just like great architecture.
Links Related to Helvetica
Movie and typeface
- Official Site of the Movie, Helvetica
- Includes a description, blog, screening schedule, stills and more. Be sure to check out all the cool things in the shop.
- Helvetica Font Family
- If you have a Mac, likely you already have Helvetica. For everyone else, this is where you can buy the font. If you have Windows, you have Arial as your Helvetica replacement. Many designers consider Arial a cheap rip-off. Get the real thing.
- Helvetica on IMDb
- Information on the film from IMDb.
- Rather Difficult Font Game
- How many fonts can you identify? Do you know the difference between the typefaces?
- Helvetica vs. Arial
- Use the letters of Helvetica to beat up those Arial imposters.
What Bloggers are Saying
- The Silence of the Lambs Helvetica Movie Poster | Freelance Logo ...
- A self initiated poster design based on an actual illustration of Hannibal Lectar that I drew some years ago. The drawing was done in pencil and charcoal only. It's sat in my archives for years, so felt I could add some more life to it ...
- PicoCool - The Silence of the Lambs Helvetica Movie Poster
- A self initiated poster design based on an actual illustration of Hannibal Lecter that I drew some years ago. ...
- The Silence of the Lambs Helvetica Movie Poster on yay!everyday
- The Silence of the Lambs Helvetica Movie Poster. A self initiated poster design based on an actual illustration of Hannibal Lecter that I drew some years ago. The drawing was done in pencil and charcoal only. It's sat in my archives for ...
- Existing Visual » The Silence of the Lambs Helvetica Movie Poster
- The Silence of the Lambs Helvetica Movie Poster. yay!everyday @ 3:06 pm. A self initiated poster design based on an actual illustration of Hannibal Lecter that I drew some years ago. The drawing was done in pencil and charcoal only. ...
Did you like the movie Helvetica?
Drop an opinion here and let the world know! If you're a fontophile/typophile, typographer, graphic designer, or movie geek, we want to hear from you. Thanks in advance.
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Mickie_G wrote...
I have just begun my voyage into learning about typeface. I really like your lens.
Posted December 29, 2008
aquariann wrote...
I'm a graphic artist at a newspaper, and a few months ago, my department took a very long lunch break to watch this movie. It was very interesting. How AWESOME that you have a lens about it!
Posted September 04, 2008
beeobrien wrote...
Fascinating lens. Haven't seen the movie, but sounds like something my husband and I should check. Thanks.
Posted June 21, 2008
by mosaic
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