Typography in film

A make or break for any film is the style of font used for the titles. It can be a big factor for the audience in the mood and themes for the film and was to expect from the film.The opening credits are often the first clue you have to a film's theme and tone, and typography is integral to that. Over the years the way in which we use typography has greatly altered in order to create an authentically cinematic effect.

Someone who is particularly notable for his stylised font is Wes Anderson, Anderson loves splashing yellow typography over his movies. His palette interestingly revolves around purples and yellows, giving very royal undertones. He tends to steer clear from greens creating this cartoonish feel in his films.

Other noteworthy film makers include the title sequence for the original King Kong was created by Pacific Title & Art Studio. Designers in the '30s ranged from self-taught sign painters to advertising art department staff who knew a great deal about typography - the development of film typography accelerated. The title sequence for King Kong became very trendy in its era, rather than have simply text it pushed the limits of what was possible, going on to influence many other designers.

Looking at different eras we can see the iconic opening credits for Star Wars is possibly one of the most iconic sequences. It had such an impact on George Lucas he used it on every Star Wars movie. Switching the perspective of the text becomes really engaging - especially with the amount of copy displayed. Two typefaces are used in the opening sequence, News Gothic for the episode number and main body of the text, and Universe for the title of the film.