Does anyone else get annoyed at non authentic signs in "period" movies. For instance, just finished "Truman" with Gary Sinise. All of the computer generated signage didn't impress me at all.
Posted by bill riedel (Member # 607) on :
Look for Turner Classic Movies (TCM). They play many movies that were made before the vinyl plague.
There are many hand lettered titles.
Posted by Rick Janzen (Member # 7227) on :
Unfortunately, that's the way things are going. I started painting signs for the film industry back in 1987. Now it's rare that they want any hand lettering at all. Most of the time, the sign layouts are generated by the art dept, by people that have no real sign experience (not always the case), and then sent out to be printed, cut in vinyl, or someone paints the layout as provided. With all the CGI in film now, they just drop it in, no physical signs at all. The reality is, only people in the sign biz. notice that they're not period correct, or hand done. Unfortunately we make up a very small percentage of the movie going public.
Posted by Rick Janzen (Member # 7227) on :
Good call Bill, I just watched a classic Humphrey Bogart show called " The Wagons Roll at Night" lots of really nice looking carnival signs.
Posted by Terry Colley (Member # 1245) on :
I just finished a major period drama for the BBC TV here in the UK it was set in 1914 and featured a lot of hand painted signs. We did a lot of research on the type of sign and I lettered all of them by hand. I have to say it was one of the most interesting jobs I have worked on in years. It is due to go out over six episodes in April. The art department of the production co called the shots on stuff like the colours etc but I did get to put a lot of my own ideas in there too. On a couple I did use Letterhead fonts but as they are of the period I thought it OK plus I hand drew them from the originals instead of doing a computer sketch
Posted by David Wright (Member # 111) on :
I despair this also. Try going to Greenfield Village in Dearborn Mi. If you are not familiar: The Henry Ford (also known as the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, and more formally as the Edison Institute) is a large indoor and outdoor history museum complex and a National Historic Landmark in the Metro Detroit suburb of Dearborn,Mi
So many period homes , Wright bros. workshop, etc., and they use vinyl signs on some of the recreations and original structures.
Posted by Curt Stenz (Member # 82) on :
Also some antique auto restorers. They travel across the country to locate the proper bolts for the front bumper, and stripe the car with vinyl!!!
Posted by Kevin Mann (Member # 7161) on :
Yes, the classic movies have some beautiful work in them. Very interesting background Rick on the production side. Terry: I know someone who likes BBC productions,what is the name of the series? Will stop by Greenfield Village next time I'm up that way.
Posted by Terry Colley (Member # 1245) on :
Kevin, the bbc drama is called The Village it is the story of one mans life in a village over 100 years. I will get some pictures to Sonny to post here.
Posted by Sonny Franks (Member # 588) on :
Terry, looking forward to seeing the pics. I know you had to be rather hush-hush on the project until it wrapped. I hope we'll be able to see the series on Netflix or an internet stream.....
Posted by jack wills (Member # 521) on :
I and others have hand lettered signs for movies in and around Sacramento. Mostly Old Town, by the river...
Posted by Dave Draper (Member # 102) on :
I saw a movie on Netflix last week, I can't remember the name of it, but they had a building on the main street in which the business name was lettered by hand on the building, and it was really very well done. Actually too modern for that time period.
The problem I saw right away, is the movie is set in the 1800's and there are only two stores in the whole town which is a couple of hundred of miles from anywhere....
Where do you get a sign painter to travel a couple hundred miles to letter one building who is that skilled in that time period? It didn't fit. It was even better than period signs seen in New York, Chicago, or St. Louis saloons where you could find skilled craftsmanship.
Thumbs up for the hand painted sign; thumbs down for unrealistic production considering location, and layout choice for the time period.
Posted by Rick Janzen (Member # 7227) on :
Things aren't always what it seems. Here's an example of what I was talking about. http://vimeo.com/18275127 Although they do actual signs on this series (and some nice ones), it's mostly to support the background. Dave, one of problems you run into, is the art department going over the top with the design. Usually includes outlines, drop shadows and such. Can be a real pain when you have a number of signs to paint, especially if they're in the deep background. And as you mention, they don't fit the surroundings. But hey, that's show biz. Have you ever noticed that the towns in a western look like they've been there for 100 years. It really depends on the Production Designer on which way the signs go, and the way they're done. Terry, glad to hear your project, I'll have to check it out.
Posted by Sonny Franks (Member # 588) on :
Here are some of Terry's photos from "The Village":
[ February 10, 2013, 03:14 PM: Message edited by: Sonny Franks ]
Posted by Dave Draper (Member # 102) on :
Sonny, I had to right click on those little hyphens to... never mind, the links are working now.
Very cool. One can see a distinct difference between the Brit's style and color choices compared to American.
Terry, thanks for sharing. I like the British, despite the fact they can't pronounce ALUMINUM correctly. "a lu MEN e um" or "a lu MEN yum" just drives me crazy!!!!!
Then again Americans can't pronounce JAGUAR correctly either. "JAG u are" is correct I think. Where we say "JAG wire"
"Maybe at that we're even, then again, maybe we are not!" (Top Gear Presenters) I've been watching every BBC Top Gear show from 2002-2010 on Netflix over the winter and loving it. I've even caught my self calling people "STUPID IDIOTS" to imitate Jerry Clarkson's tone of speech. I really got to stop that!
I hope we get to see this movie. We'll be impressed, I'm sure!
[ February 10, 2013, 04:21 PM: Message edited by: Dave Draper ]
Posted by Brent Logan (Member # 6587) on :
Jack, I have to take a closer look at some of those signs in Old Sac. Some are nice - some are crap. Your's must be the nice ones :]
Posted by bill riedel (Member # 607) on :
Nice work Terry, it looks just like the pubs you took me on a tour back in 2000.
Posted by Kevin Mann (Member # 7161) on :
Thanks Terry, I'll check out The Village when it comes out.
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
I saw looked at a scene where Cary Grant was up on a ladder re-painting a store front sign for his ol' Ma.
Posted by Bobbie Rochow (Member # 3341) on :
I saw Burt Reynolds on Gunsmoke up on a ladder painting a sign!
Posted by Pierre Tardif (Member # 3229) on :
Great work Terry!! here's a topic I can go and on and on Kevin! Totally right Curt!!| happy birthday Alicia!!
Posted by Dennis Kiernan (Member # 12202) on :
"Jaguar" is from the Portuguese, so "Jagwar" is the more correct way to pronounce it. The Brits have always mucked up foreign words.
Posted by Terry Colley (Member # 1245) on :
Thanks for the comments. Dave, the colours were all chosen by the art dept i think to fit the atmosphere of the story, as to the style we tried to keep that as close to the period, a lot of time was spent on research. As to the the English we speak it is always in a state of constant evolution. Given this is a sign foruum all I will say is that I was in Greece at a letterheads meet with people from the USA, Canada, Australia, Scotland and Germany. We all seemed to get on.
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
I'm fluent in bad English.
Posted by Dave Draper (Member # 102) on :
Okay Dennis,
Jaguar Parts is Canadian.
Brown’s Lane is Canada’s premier national full service parts distributor specializing in Jaguar models from 1948 to 1988 providing full parts and restoration support for E-type, Mark I and II, XK -120/140/150, S-type, 420, XJ and XJS. They also provide many parts for XJ-40 and later models.
So maybe the Canadians know how to pronouce Jaguar correctly?
![[Smile]](smile.gif)