Watch: ‘Why Movie Fonts Matter’ Video Essay feat. Marie Boulanger
by Alex Billington
June 25, 2024
Source: YouTube
“In most films, the title screen is the first character you see. Those letters are literally the first characters you see.” Almost everyone can identify a movie by its font. From Back to the Future to The Terminator to Gone with the Wind to The Godfather, these fonts and logos are an important part of the movie’s identity. This entrancing video essay titled Why Movie Fonts Matter is a fascinating dive into the world of fonts, design, and branding. Does the font really matter? Yes it does. Absolutely. It may seem irrelevant, but it’s an important choice that filmmakers make. This video essay is edited by Leigh Singer, featuring designer Marie Boulanger narrating her thoughts about movie fonts – created for the Little White Lies movie magazine. We all know the hilarious SNL sketch with Ryan Gosling choosing the Papyrus font for Avatar (watch here + the sequel), but this goes beyond the comedy into the reality of why fonts really matter. It’s worth a quick watch.
“Could it be that these texts and fonts are these movies’ REAL selling point?” This was commissioned by movie magazine Little White Lies – created and edited by movie lover Leigh Singer. Their original intro via YouTube: “Type designer Marie Boulanger explains how fonts can help to shape film narratives, and even impact our viewing experience.” This is made for the LWL YouTube channel by Singer – he’s a film journalist / essayist / programmer based in London, UK. You can view more of his work on his Vimeo page or visit his official website or follow him on Twitter @Leigh_Singer. This video also features the voice of the acclaimed designer & brand advisor Marie Boulanger – you can check out her official website for more info about her experience & her font creations. She now works as lead designer at the font company called Monotype. For more info, visit YouTube. To watch + discover more video essays on cinema, click here. Your thoughts?