Paul Shaw is an award-winning designer, typographer, and design historian based in New York City. He teaches at Parsons School of Design and the School of Visual Arts, and is the designer or co-designer of eighteen typefaces.Here Shaw shares his thinking on a movie inspired by his new book, Revival Type: Digital Typefaces Inspired by the Past, which was written in collaboration with Abby Goldstein:
This is concept that seems ill-suited to a non-fiction book, especially one about typefaces. Although there are plenty of individuals in the book, it is their creations (the typefaces) that take precedence over their lives. So, instead of a role for Gutenberg, there would be one for B-42 in the movie. But which typeface would be the lead? Is it the first one in the book, the last one, or one in between? I don’t know how to decide. In terms of general fame it would probably be Helvetica, but it is not the most important typeface historically. That nod might go to Nicolaus Jenson’s roman or Garamont’s roman. If so then the lead typeface would be Adobe Jenson or Adobe Garamond Premier Pro. I think Gregory Peck could play Adobe Jenson. And perhaps Paul Newman could play Adobe Garamond Premier Pro. (Helvetica or Neue Haas Grotesk can be played by John Wayne—sometimes a great actor, often not.)Visit Paul Shaw's website and Abby Goldstein's website.
--Marshal Zeringue
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