TT2020: an old-timey typewriter typeface that doesn't look fake

[beschizza]

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/01/03/tt2020-an-old-timey-typewrite.html

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[cannibalpeas]

@beschizza

Doesn’t anyone in Hollywood own a real typewriter?

Tom Hanks does.

Tom Hanks Is Obsessed With Typewriters (So He Wrote A Book About Them)

[Ryan_Leonard]

From someone in the film post production field, I’ll let you in on a few not so secret secrets. We’re already behind schedule and over budget. Goal number one is, “does it tell the story?” And if a typeface looks like a typewriter, and the general audience sees it and thinks typewriter, or old document; mission accomplished. Move on to the next shot you needed to get out yesterday. I wish we were allowed the attention to detail that would lead to individual letters being scrutinized like this but the reality is that movies are hard to make and it take a LOT of people and money to do it. Things like this just get left behind in the wider view of things.

[strathmeyer]

Some productions are able to spend time and effort on making sure their paper products are realistic: https://boingboing.net/2018/10/22/this-prop-making-master-has-de.html

[CarlMud]

So he’s literally Greg Kinnear’s character in You’ve Got Mail with the obsession over the Olympia Report deLuxe electric.

[nixiebunny]

When people care about producing typewritten text that looks realistic, they can just type it on a typewriter. It’s not like typewriters no longer exist.

[anon47741163]

When I saw Star Wars the other day, the question kept coming up, where did Kylo Wren’s scar go? It was there until it wasn’t, and then there it was again.

So yeah, a little problem like imperfect typewriter font… seems like pretty small potatoes.

[anon32019413]

@Ryan_Leonard

Goal number one is, “does it tell the story?” And if a typeface looks like a typewriter, and the general audience sees it and thinks typewriter, or old document; mission accomplished.

I demand realism. Which is why I insist live theater use real weapons. And Laertes’ sword better have real poison on it!

[hecep]

@nixiebunny

When people care about producing typewritten text that looks realistic, they can just type it on a typewriter. It’s not like typewriters no longer exist.

And there’s nothing like the unique ASMR produced by typing on ‘old’ typewriters — especially when filmed in exquisitely tight close-up, as in (for example) George Roy Hill’s Slaughterhouse-Five. Billy Pilgrim’s typed log of his time-traveling hit all the right notes for me. And don’t get me started on his having to re-type over a couple letters that didn’t look right!

[GagHalfrunt]

@nixiebunny

When people care about producing typewritten text that looks realistic, they can just type it on a typewriter. It’s not like typewriters no longer exist.

Sure, but depending on how many pages you need to crank out you might not have enough time. And if you make a mistake you have to start again. And you probably ought to make a few identical copies, in case the original gets lost or damaged.

[d_r]

No, it’s simple. Just get 9 monkeys, give them typewriters, and eventually one of them will produce the text you need. If you need it twice as fast, start with 18 monkeys.

[TheGreatParis]

@nixiebunny

It’s not like typewriters no longer exist.

Or, if you must use a computer, many of the typefaces still exist. For example:

Courier (typeface)

[capnjimbo]

@anon32019413

Which is why I insist live theater use real weapons. And Laertes’ sword better have real poison on it!

“If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one the local police should be halting the play to arrest at least one actor for murder”
-A. Chekov

[Skeptic]

I want a typing simulator that includes proper flying capitals, and key jams if you type too fast.

And, no, I don’t just want to use a real manual typewriter…I want to simulate typing manual typing artifacts without the manual misspellings I’m prone to… Plus, centering and other formatting tricks are a pain to do on a real typewriter, and I’m just not that into them that I want to do that again for real.

[nixiebunny]

The solution to making a computer display typing from a typewriter is not a font, it’s a program that applies the various forms of mechanical distress to the font as it’s transmitted by varying force and timing through a used cloth ribbon onto a textured piece of paper.

[Stripes]

@TheGreatParis

Or, if you must use a computer, many of the typefaces still exist.

I think the whole point of this font is to produce a distressed text look that looks like a typewriter (most produced imperfect prints), and not to have the same flaws as most of the distressed typewriter (and other) fonts where each upper case N (for example) has an identical distressed look.

You are 100% correct about just using an existing font if you are happy with a perfect typewriter. IBM even has an open source(ish?) Plex font family which is pretty awesome. It also looks a lot like the Selectric of my youth.

[kmoser]

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

[cjankelson]

Type it again. [what?] I said, Type It Again, motherfucker!

[VoxInSpatium]

@d_r

If you need it twice as fast, start with 18 monkeys

Any reason not to mention the option of 8 monkeys + meth? It’s always worked for me.

[roomwithaview]

@Ryan_Leonard

Things like this just get left behind in the wider view of things.

Thanks, was just thinking, “who cares?”