Ask ten people what Helvetica is and you will most likely get this response: 7 will tell you they have no idea, 2 will say that it is a font, and 1 will tell you it is a typeface.  Although “font” is technically correct, “typeface” is probably more accurate, and if you know this, you might be a snob. 

So why watch a documentary about a typeface?  Strangely enough, though few recognize or admit it, typefaces (fonts) have a significant effect on us everyday.  Every printed letter exists in some typeface (what your reading right now is Times New Roman), and that typeface effects not only the read-ability of a text, but the emotion that it conveys as well.  Wait a minute…

Did he just say fonts effect my emotions?!  No, I said typeface effects your emotions (cause I just might be a bit of a snob on this topic).  If you strongly agree or disagree with this statement, you should watch this documentary.  I was fortunate to grow up with a close friend who became a graphic artist and industrial designer, who opened my eyes to the power that something as simple as a “font” can have on a viewer.  Helvetica, the documentary, does just this; it tells not only the history of the Helvetica typeface, but also conveys the power of typography, graphic design and global visual culture.  It is a very concise and visually beautiful film that just might make you think twice the next time you pick a font and start typing a report for work.

 Here is a link to the film’s website: http://www.helveticafilm.com/

Check it out – watch it – and next time we meet we can have a few beers and debate once and for all whether “serifs” or “sans serifs” rule!

If you haven’t visited http://www.ted.com/ yet, then you need to right now!  Who is TED, you ask?  Turns out, TED is no-one; TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design.  What started out as an attempt to combine these three fields into one harmonious meeting of the minds has grown into something truly wonderful.  TED conferences, currently held yearly in Monterey California and other global locations, bring together many speakers from very diverse backgrounds from all around the world.  In the true spirit of sharing knowledge, TED makes these talks available by streaming and download for FREE on their website!

 Talks are generally 20 minutes or less, and therefore, very to the point.  Topic range wildly, from science, economics and design, to art, literature and mathematics.  You can search for talks using common queries like subject matter or speaker, or in more interesting ways, like “most inspiring” or “most ingenious.”  You would be hard pressed to not find something that turns your crank.  One feature I particularly like is TED’s built in video viewer.  You have all the common features like play, stop, pause, forward/reverse and volume, but you also get an interesting overlay when you place the mouse over the video.  An overlay pop-up appears at the bottom of the video and shows the content of the talk in a time-line fashion.  This time-line allows you to skip to a particular part of the talk that may be of more interest to you, and definitely helps if you want to show someone else just one part of a talk in particular. 

There are so many good speakers and topics its hard to know where to start; my personal two favorites are:

#1: Ron Eglash: African fractals, in buildings and braids - this one is awesome!

#2: Vusi Mahlasela: “Thula Mama” – my favorite new artist, this guy is amazing (I reviewed his latest CD here)!

 There is a wealth of free knowledge available on the web, but rarely is it presented in such a fun, clean, and creative manner.