Comments on: Trajan: the Fallback Font for Lazy Movie Marketers http://typographica.org/2007/on-typography/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/ A journal of typography with a focus on typeface reviews. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:23:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Pete http://typographica.org/2007/on-typography/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37639 Pete Fri, 22 Feb 2008 04:30:39 +0000 http://new.typographica.org/archives/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37639 Seb, do you work for a movie house by chance? What do you suggest they spend that money they saved on font procurement? Multi-millions on distilled water for J-Lo to sip in her trailer? Seb, do you work for a movie house by chance?

What do you suggest they spend that money they saved on font procurement?

Multi-millions on distilled water for J-Lo to sip in her trailer?

]]> By: bostjan http://typographica.org/2007/on-typography/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37638 bostjan Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:25:24 +0000 http://new.typographica.org/archives/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37638 Great comment! But please, America, learn some latin. This Marcus figure would never have known you are reffering to him (or the typeface bearing his name for that matter) if he saw your movie. Check the web. Its something like tray-juhn. b Great comment! But please, America, learn some latin. This Marcus figure would never have known you are reffering to him (or the typeface bearing his name for that matter) if he saw your movie. Check the web. Its something like tray-juhn.
b

]]> By: Gary Irving http://typographica.org/2007/on-typography/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37637 Gary Irving Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:40:08 +0000 http://new.typographica.org/archives/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37637 I love Trajan. But agree it is overused. Now Helvetica, gosh I hate that font. They should rename it "Stepford"! Nice and polite with no apparent personality. My all time favorite is <a href="http://www.fontshop.com/search/?q=Venetian" rel="nofollow">Venetian</a> (<a href="http://www.fontshop.com/search/?q=Centaur" rel="nofollow">Centaur</a>) — elegant with crisp serifs. Articulate. Black Tie. Anti Suburban. Anti Grunge. I love Trajan. But agree it is overused. Now Helvetica, gosh I hate that font. They should rename it “Stepford”! Nice and polite with no apparent personality.

My all time favorite is Venetian (Centaur) — elegant with crisp serifs. Articulate. Black Tie. Anti Suburban. Anti Grunge.

]]> By: Andrew A. Gill http://typographica.org/2007/on-typography/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37636 Andrew A. Gill Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:49:53 +0000 http://new.typographica.org/archives/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37636 I never said I particularly liked Optima, just that it would have been a better choice for the titles than Trajan. I never said I particularly liked Optima, just that it would have been a better choice for the titles than Trajan.

]]> By: Darren Scott http://typographica.org/2007/on-typography/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37635 Darren Scott Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:06:19 +0000 http://new.typographica.org/archives/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37635 Did someone say Optima!!! Most awful typeface ever, has no redeeming qualities what so ever!! And Comic Sans is the Devil!!!!!! Trajan is a masterpiece, as is Helvetica, sadly both are over used, and usually badly used too. Did someone say Optima!!!
Most awful typeface ever, has no redeeming qualities what so ever!! And Comic Sans is the Devil!!!!!!

Trajan is a masterpiece, as is Helvetica, sadly both are over used, and usually badly used too.

]]> By: Seb http://typographica.org/2007/on-typography/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37634 Seb Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:36:36 +0000 http://new.typographica.org/archives/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37634 As much as I agree with the ubiquity and overuse of this font, it's not really up to the designers. The people that do these posters are contracted by the various studios, and are forced into use fonts that the studios own FULL licenses too. So, for example, if Universal Studio wanted me to do a poster, I would need to use a font from their library that is already licensed for the MILLIONS of things it will be printed on. ie. Posters, mugs, t-shirts, DVDs, soundtrack art, flyers for passes, subway posters, newspapers ads, ETC. The studio can probably AFFORD to re-license a brand new font, but i'm sure they are just cheap and would like to save the hundreds of thousands of dollars it would cost them to do so. That's a big budget-eater even if your film's budget is 4 million dollars. Spending a significant fraction of your budget on FONT LICENSING seems ridiculous when you already have a font that you already own the license for. (ie. Trajan) We just licensed a font for a brand new newspaper that will use it as its main headline font, and it is costing the newspaper 110,000USD for a 2 year license to use it wherever they want. That's just one newspaper! Now imagine Universal Studios, releasing a NUMBER OF FILMS every year, and needing a font license for open printable access, for EVERY merchadizable item?? It'll cost millions. The bottom line is, no one is really at fault here, and it just sucks that this is how it has to be. As much as I agree with the ubiquity and overuse of this font, it’s not really up to the designers. The people that do these posters are contracted by the various studios, and are forced into use fonts that the studios own FULL licenses too. So, for example, if Universal Studio wanted me to do a poster, I would need to use a font from their library that is already licensed for the MILLIONS of things it will be printed on. ie. Posters, mugs, t-shirts, DVDs, soundtrack art, flyers for passes, subway posters, newspapers ads, ETC. The studio can probably AFFORD to re-license a brand new font, but i’m sure they are just cheap and would like to save the hundreds of thousands of dollars it would cost them to do so. That’s a big budget-eater even if your film’s budget is 4 million dollars. Spending a significant fraction of your budget on FONT LICENSING seems ridiculous when you already have a font that you already own the license for. (ie. Trajan)

We just licensed a font for a brand new newspaper that will use it as its main headline font, and it is costing the newspaper 110,000USD for a 2 year license to use it wherever they want. That’s just one newspaper! Now imagine Universal Studios, releasing a NUMBER OF FILMS every year, and needing a font license for open printable access, for EVERY merchadizable item?? It’ll cost millions.

The bottom line is, no one is really at fault here, and it just sucks that this is how it has to be.

]]> By: Chris http://typographica.org/2007/on-typography/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37633 Chris Mon, 07 Jan 2008 21:32:55 +0000 http://new.typographica.org/archives/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37633 I would rather see Trajan being overused than Comic Sans :P I would rather see Trajan being overused than Comic Sans :P

]]> By: Kamron Rudisill http://typographica.org/2007/on-typography/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37632 Kamron Rudisill Thu, 03 Jan 2008 22:28:36 +0000 http://new.typographica.org/archives/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37632 This video was absolutely great. Thanks for posting it. Gill: I totally agree with your suggestion for Optima - it's far more appropriate and smarter. I wonder though why there is so much uninspired design in film. I think most of the stuff coming out though is from one place, <a href="http://www.bltomato.com/" rel="nofollow">BLT</a>. Strangely though they did do some of the direction for 'Grindhouse' which I absolutely loved. I wish all movies could have such exciting design. This video was absolutely great. Thanks for posting it.

Gill: I totally agree with your suggestion for Optima – it’s far more appropriate and smarter.

I wonder though why there is so much uninspired design in film. I think most of the stuff coming out though is from one place, BLT. Strangely though they did do some of the direction for ‘Grindhouse’ which I absolutely loved. I wish all movies could have such exciting design.

]]> By: Mordy Golding http://typographica.org/2007/on-typography/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37631 Mordy Golding Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:56:59 +0000 http://new.typographica.org/archives/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37631 Interesting to note is the fact that The Matrix uses Times Roman of all fonts. Yet another proof that the movie was a significant departure from the norm. Interesting to note is the fact that The Matrix uses Times Roman of all fonts. Yet another proof that the movie was a significant departure from the norm.

]]> By: Andrew A. Gill http://typographica.org/2007/on-typography/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37630 Andrew A. Gill Sat, 22 Dec 2007 16:32:20 +0000 http://new.typographica.org/archives/trajan-the-fallback-font-for-lazy-movie-marketers/#comment-37630 Gee, Nick Shinn bashing Helvetica. What are the odds? Actually probably about as good as the odds on me bashing Helvetica. Yeah, I was digging the clip until he used Helvetica for the credits. The most horrendously overused typeface ever. That said, Trajan is actually really, really nice. Which makes it painful to see it overused and used improperly. "I Am Legend" should have used Optima, another inscription letter which looks better for graves. Gee, Nick Shinn bashing Helvetica.

What are the odds?

Actually probably about as good as the odds on me bashing Helvetica.

Yeah, I was digging the clip until he used Helvetica for the credits. The most horrendously overused typeface ever.

That said, Trajan is actually really, really nice. Which makes it painful to see it overused and used improperly.

“I Am Legend” should have used Optima, another inscription letter which looks better for graves.

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