Typo Video

I would like to answer these following questions regarding typography:

1) What is type’s role in design?
Type is used in design to facilitate effective visual rhetoric communication method to “convey an idea or to convince/persuade” (Ref: Podcast by Prof. Ronkowitz). It is used to lend expression to a design and when type is used in a specific way it’s meaning goes well beyond the text’s message( Ref: Podcast by Prof. Ronkowitz).By using the right typeface it is possible to establish a instant connection with the audience( Ref: Podcast by Prof. Ronkowitz).
2) How can type used as a “compositional element”?
· Type can be used as a linear element to help guide the reader through the composition
· Type can be configured to a shape, texture or a line in a composition
· Type assumes a supporting role when a compelling image deserves centre stage as seen in the ad for McDonald.
· The use of typeface family to create variation and theme in a composition
· Combine typefaces that requires effective mixing of opposites that have different but complimentary characterisitcs
Designing and choosing a type carefully to convey a particular persona and assure a “content unity and form” (zapf 1970 & White 1988 as quoted by Eva Brumberger in rhetoric of Typography.
3) What value does “expressive” typography to a design’s message?
In SIGN LANGUAGE: Typography is an art form of its own - and it's all around us by Richard Nilsen - Dec. 24, 2006( http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/ae/articles/1224signage1224main.html) he speaks of John Risseeuw, who teaches at Arizona State University and runs the ASU art press, Pyracantha “And typeface has a voice," Risseeuw said. "Just as a writer has a voice and the typeface should somehow compliment that or make the writer's voice apparent on the page”. By choosing a specific typeface for a piece of text one can decide what kind of voice that text is "spoken" in. The voice might be loud or soft, friendly or formal, authoritative, hip or old-fashioned. Depending on the project design and communication goals type can be used as a design element to convey a message examples are NYT mastheads and logotypes that projects an attitude, mood and uses gothic (period) font.
Type can be configured to suggest a shape
Build hierarchy
Type can be altered in other ways to support a mood or attitude
All the above suggest that “visual rhetoric of a text can radically change the message”(Kostelnick 1994 p.112), visual elements of a document affect the readers attitude towards the document shape the way in which they receive information from the document and will make them assign a value to the information. Therefore typography should enhance the value of the product.(ref Avoiding typeface errors by Kathleen Burke Yoshida)
4) When is it acceptable to use decorative and hard to read typefaces?
Decorative and hard-to-read fonts are used for display or to create a special effect and when expression is given more importance than reading legibility.
5) When you should use highly legible typefaces?
When designing a lengthy document which contains instructions such as user/technical manual and importance is given to user readability.
6) How can type serve as a unifying element in a composition?
Using the right typeface harmoniously integrated with other elements such as length of the lines, line spacing, intervals between words that are consistent with the purpose of the document will enhance the meaning of the message whereas not doing so will alter the composition.
7) What makes the video effective in typography?
Video by nature is dynamic and fast moving every two seconds the image is changing. Due to the time limitation the reader needs a typography that is bold and the length of the lines short …they have to make a statement and make an impression on the reader within a short span of time.
Typography: Sky:
This video uses typography to render expression to the message, the text is bold with a legible and clean sans serif typeface and in web or video sans serif works better than serif (unlike in print). The mood or attitude is enhanced by the audio that accompanies the video. The typography is used to create special effects using text as images to create a linear effect. Throughout the video clip a consistent typeface is used.
Typography: Web 2.0 The machine is Us/ing us
Unlike the Sky video clip this one is very fast moving, distracting and conveys the message using visual rhetoric. The typography used here is inconsistent and ever changing expressing the attitude of the message and it carries the meaning beyond the message- it conveys the intent of the message effectively with the right mix of imagery (mostly screen shots, hypertexts, links of websites) and fonts. High importance and prominence is given to the text that appears in the message, the font that is used is bold and clean sans serif type face to differentiate it from the other fonts that come and go. Other than the theme of the video clip I read only these few words Google, flickr,Savage minds, anthropology club, blogger.
8) Can video techniques be used in other mediums such as web, print and merchandizing?
Video techniques can be used in web and advertising. Since print is a static medium video technique cannot be used unless it is to be printed online/web.
When video is used in Web and advertising due to its time limitation it is made with clean, legible fonts and the line length is very concise. The content on each page is very short. The video usually comes with an audio track. Images are used with text and it looks like a presentation in power point. The same thing goes for videos used for education too.
When video is used in advertising special effects are used to attract the attention of the audience and typography is used as an “expressive and composition element and can be configured to shape, line and texture or to build hierarchy.