Helvetica the movie - screening in Kansas City

May 1, 2007

My friend Matt and I are both design geeks. So it was fitting that I ditch my wife on our 3rd anniversary and go see a documentary about fonts with him. Matt is a member of the Kansas City local chapter of the AIGA and a much better designer than me. Tonight was an event put on by the AIGA and the Tivoli theater. The screening of Helvetica the Movie was completely sold out, luckily Matt got us seats online ahead of time. It’s also showing tomorrow, but the director won’t be there.

Helvetica, the movie is about the birth of a post WWII typeface. Strange isn’t it? For most people, fonts are just there. You have a lot of choice in fonts, choosing the appropriate one for your party invitation or newsletter, but no one really puts them in some sort of historical context for you. I care about type, but I felt like this movie made me realize. Realize what? Just realize overall. I think Helvetica the movie exemplifies classy documentary filmmaking. It’s a movie I care about now, I’m glad it was made. Designers have all kinds of opinions about things. Helvetica is one of those topics that has enough energy and even controversy that a movie had to be made. Some people love it, it was for them, an answered prayer in the form of a usable font and a change in culture. Others see Helvetica as the stoic establishment hindering free thought.

Whatever you might feel or not feel about Helvetica or design, it was an awesome film and a lot more funny than I thought it could ever be. During the Q and A with the director Gary Hustwit, I had my hand up. I was going to tell him all these feelings I had about the movie and how great it was that he made it, run up and give him a hug maybe, I wasn’t sure. But I started thinking that it would be calling too much attention to me, rather than him. So I discreetly put my hand down. Afterwards, Matt and I had a drink across the street from the theater and who walks in the door? The movie director himself! So like a couple high-society mojito drinking, designer-types, we chatted up the big time movie director at a fancy Westport bar. I got to tell Gary all the things I wanted to about his movie after all. And now Helvetica actually means something to me.

Later additions:

Helvetica is 50 years old this year and I think due to the movie, there has been a lot more interest generated than this anniversary would have normally received.  Here’s a BBC article on Helvetica.  It’s quite educational.  Also a Digg Article on Helvetica.  Digg always provokes a lot of different opinions, so the Helvetica controversy lives on.

Posted in design