Trajan: The Typeface for Movie Posters

SurfPark · 10-26-2009, 07:47 PM

Found this photoset on Flickr. Its almost 150 movie posters that use the same exact font, Trajan. http://www.flickr.com/groups/trajanfilmposter/

Its kind of amazing that its so over-used, yet, we don't complain much about it. I guess most designers are not working on film posters. FontShop came up with a list of alternatives to Trajan... which you can just happen to purchase on their site :P

**Virgo Nightingale** · 10-26-2009, 08:15 PM

It's a shame it's so overused, it is a very nice elegant, stately font (too bad there's no lowercase).

I find it funny that it's pretty much just the movie industry that's abusing it. It might as well be named Movie Poster Font.

**Yossarian** · 10-26-2009, 08:19 PM

Universities love to put their names in Trajan too.

**Typically** · 10-26-2009, 08:22 PM

i think they are doing it on purpose now. something like that doesn't go unnoticed for so long.

**Virgo Nightingale** · 10-26-2009, 08:25 PM

Oo, yes, universities are guilty too.

I've pretty much only used it for pieces that are supposed to evoke a 'movie' feel. One client was hosting some sort of real estate agent awards luncheon with a Hollywood theme, so I used Trajan on the posters & tickets. Not the most original concept, sure, but I was busy and they had a tight deadline. *shrug*

**budafist** · 10-26-2009, 08:28 PM

I've noticed it and complained but I'm a font geek.

BJMRGTIVR6 · 10-26-2009, 08:45 PM

I think we all notice it.

but normally it is just titling that gets it...not a whole slew of words.

**Yossarian** · 10-26-2009, 08:49 PM

Trajan's overuse doesn't bother me the way some of the other offenders do. It's distinctive to those of us that care to notice that kind of thing, but doesn't draw attention to itself like a FTSNBN, Papyrus or Zapfino. I'll admit, the first time I saw Zapfino I went "Oooh, I have to find an excuse to use this!" But even then a part of me knew that it was going to be the new Papyrus.

Even though it's overused, Trajan doesn't seem to suffer the same indignities of unnatural stretching and deformities inflicted on some of its lesser brethren.

I think its final saving gracing is this: Trajan isn't the go to font for every Joe Fontpack that wants to jazz something up.

**Virgo Nightingale** · 10-26-2009, 08:51 PM

Maybe the fact that it doesn't provide lowercase is what's saving it from complete and thorough overuse?

**Silence04** · 10-26-2009, 11:01 PM

Is it really a bad thing that it's overused?

For me, font selection can become a time consuming task. And time can be a very important thing when you don't have any.

I've finally come to terms with the fact the end consumer and/or customer will probably never realize how often I, as a graphic designer, have used a specific typeface (or for that matter, if an entire industry has used and abused it). Recently I've been pulling from a font pool of about 12 that I like and know are designed well (Trajan being one of them). Sure, I may feel just as much of a whore as the font that is being using, but will showing off ones diversified font ability make the end result better? After all communication is essentially key, right? Not to lessen the importance of using a unique or specific font on a piece or brand when the time calls. But at the end of the day is it our personal satisfaction that matters or whether the font works well with the message and imagery aesthetically?