The film, Helvetica, explores the history of the typeface and the numerous changes that it has undergone over the years. The director of the film, Gary Hustwit, takes an exhaustive and extensive look at the aesthetics behind certain use of fonts, with an emphasis of course on Helvetica.
The documentary delves into the development of the font by Eduard Hoffmann and Max Miedinger in 1957. The font is considered to be extremely clean in its presentation, and because of this it is stated to be a preferred font for advertising campaigns, and graphic designers. The smooth lines are also said to have provided a modernity to countries that were recovering after the Second World War. Moreover, the font is very expressive in terms of its versatility. Much of the presentation surrounding the font is done through an assortment of interviews from individuals like Massimo Vignelli, a well-known figure in product and graphic design (Helvetica); Michael Bierut, who is a "luminary in the area of design, [and] has crafted some of the most recognizable pieces of graphic design in recent memory" (Stinson 1), and Lars Müller, who is an internationally recognized graphic designer.
A substantial part of the film conveys the expressions on why the use of Helvetica has often been criticized because of its experimental qualities. Many of the interviews within the film consider why it is thought to be both an innovative font that defies the conventions and traditional uses in graphic design. Simply put, the documentary presents a hefty dialogue on why Helvetica is favored among many graphic designers worldwide, for its ability to push the boundaries associated with communication both inside and outside of the world of graphic design.
Works Cited
Helvetica. Dir. Gary Hustwit. 2007. Film.
Stinson, Liz. "Famed Designer Michael Bierut Doesn’t Believe in Creativity." Wired. 15 Oct. 2015. Web. 12 May 2016. <http://www.wired.com/2015/10/famed-designer-michael-bierut-doesnt-believe-in-creativity/>.
