How one typeface took over movie posters

Summary

In this insightful exploration, graphic designer Yves Peters delves into the rise and fall of the Trajan font, one of the most iconic typefaces used in movie posters. Initially associated with epic, war-themed films, its widespread use eventually led to overuse in B-movies and straight-to-video releases. The video reflects on the evolution of movie poster design, contrasting the modern reliance on digital fonts like Trajan with the hand-crafted, unique lettering of the past. While some long for the old days, Peters argues that there's still excellent poster design happening today, just in different forms.

Takeaways

• 😀 Typeface design plays a significant role in setting expectations for movie genres, with specific fonts signaling comedy, action, sci-fi, and other genres.
• 😀 Trajan, a font derived from the Roman emperor Trajan's column, is one of the most popular typefaces used on movie posters.
• 😀 The rise of Trajan in movie posters began in the late 1980s, when it was digitized by Carol Twombly for Adobe, becoming widely accessible for graphic designers.
• 😀 Trajan made its movie poster debut in 1991 and gained popularity after being used in several high-profile films like 'The Bodyguard' and 'Scent of a Woman.'
• 😀 In the early 1990s, Trajan became ubiquitous, especially in epic films and stories of personal triumph, eventually becoming the go-to font for movie posters.
• 😀 Overuse of Trajan led to a shift, with it eventually being associated with horror films, B-movies, and straight-to-video releases, indicating a decline in its original prestige.
• 😀 The ease of using digital fonts like Trajan has led to a more standardized and quick design process for movie posters, compared to the unique hand-painted lettering of earlier eras.
• 😀 The standardization of fonts for movie posters reflects broader trends in digital design, where convenience often supersedes the craft of unique, hand-crafted lettering.
• 😀 Despite the rise of digital typefaces, there is still value in understanding and appreciating older, hand-painted movie poster designs, which were more tailored to each film.
• 😀 The evolution of movie poster design, from unique hand-drawn typefaces to digital fonts, parallels debates in other creative fields, such as music, where some lament the loss of the 'golden age' of artistry.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video script?

The main focus of the video script is on the evolution and impact of the Trajan typeface in movie poster design, as well as the broader role of typography in communicating genre and tone to audiences.

How did Yves Peters become interested in movie poster typography?

Yves Peters became interested in movie poster typography after he started noticing trends in poster design. His interest deepened as he researched and reviewed around 16,000 posters over the years.

What role does typography play in movie poster design?

Typography plays a crucial role in signaling the genre and tone of a film, allowing audiences to immediately recognize whether a movie is a comedy, action, sci-fi, or other genres, even before seeing the trailer or watching the film.

Why did Trajan become so widely used in movie posters?

Trajan became widely used because it was a digital adaptation of ancient Roman inscriptions and was made available through Adobe software. It became popular for its classical and timeless appearance, making it a default choice for movie posters.

How did the use of Trajan change over time in the film industry?

Initially used for epic and grand films, Trajan became overused across all types of movies, leading to its association with lesser-budget or B-movies and horror films by the late 1990s and 2000s, as it became a default font for quick poster production.

What does Yves Peters mean by saying Trajan became the 'Arial of movie posters'?

By saying Trajan became the 'Arial of movie posters,' Yves Peters means that Trajan became an easily accessible, generic font that filmmakers used for convenience, much like Arial is widely used in everyday documents.

How does the overuse of digital fonts like Trajan affect movie poster design?

The overuse of digital fonts like Trajan has led to a lack of individuality in movie poster design. While it makes production faster and more efficient, it also means many posters look similar and fail to convey the unique identity of a film.

What is the significance of hand-painted typography in the history of movie posters?

Hand-painted typography in earlier movie posters was unique to each film, allowing for more creativity and individuality in design. It was a more labor-intensive but artistically driven approach, making each poster feel distinct.

What does Yves Peters suggest about the current state of movie poster design?

Yves Peters suggests that while movie poster design today may feature more standardized fonts, there is still a wealth of creative and innovative design happening. The key is knowing where to look for exceptional work.

How does the rise of digital fonts like Trajan compare to changes in music?

Yves Peters compares the rise of digital fonts like Trajan to the evolution of music, noting that some people nostalgically claim nothing good has been produced since past eras (e.g., the Beatles or Mozart), but there is still much creative work happening today in both fields.