Monday 4 April 2011

What Is Graphic Design For?: Type- Woody Allen Typeface.




Being a particular strong breed of Woody Allen film fanatic, (as well as a keen typography lover) I have always found myself reliabely assured and pleased whenever I sit down to watch an Allen film- not only for the scriptwriting, directing, and acting merit but also because of the "Woody Allen typeface" a consistent style used throughout the entirety of his feature films- linking his work, almost as if a volume and bringing the viewer a sense of classiness, a Hollywood glamour sophistication- Allen fan or not.


Fascinated by the typeface used, I researched a little more into it it's history and why it became such a prominent feature in Allen's work...

The type used is Windsor-EF Elongated, white on black- a stylalised elegant serif typeface, using bold monochrome reversted-out shades and tones for a dramatic, cinematic effect.


It is said to be that Allen decided upon this typeface after a discussion with a typographer named Ed Benguiat, known to Allen as a 'printer' as they met in  a New Jersey diner one morning around 1976. Allen asked him what typeface would be good, and most appropriate for it's useage, and Benguiat suggested Windsor, as he had a current affinity with it at the time- and Allen grew to also- now using it in even film ever since.


As previously mentioned, this consistent use of the typeface of his films gives the audience a security and knowledge, visually representative and communicating that the next hour and a half to two hours is going to be sophisticated, classy, educated and bold- and, in my opinion, reflected this wonderfully throughout his films also.

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