ATypI Conference 2009 · Mexico City
TYP09 | The Heart Of The Letter

The previous type conference – TypeCon2009 “Rhythm” in Atlanta – is barely over, and already the type world is preparing for the next one. And it looks like the ATypI organisation has learned some lessons from 33pt. It advertises the upcoming ATypI Mexico – TYP09 “The Heart Of The Letter” – which will be held in the School of Design of Anáhuac University from October 26 to 30, 2009 – with a wonderful motion graphics video.

Promotional video for ATypI’09 Mexico “The heart of the letter”
The promotional video is a presentation by Ricardo Salas Moreno, with concept, screenplay, and motion graphics by Isaías Loaiza Ramírez, Gabriel Martínez Meave, and Alfredo Lezama Osorio. It features an almost exclusively Mexican typeface cast

• Barricada by Elí Castellanos Chávez
• Fábrica by Oscar Váñez
• Enrico by Gonzalo García Barcka & José Luis Acosta
• Lucheta Payol & Pólvora by Quique Ollervides
• El Chamuco & Santanera by José Luiz Cóyotl Mixcóatl
• Proteo by Leonardo Vázquez
• Espinosa by Cristóbal Henestrosa
• Kukulkan by Raúl García Plancarte
• Galia by Nadia Méndez Garcia
• Mexinbat Tiypo by various designers
• Neocodex, Darka, Lagarto, Aztlán, Arcana & TYP09 logo by Gabriel Martínez Meave.

with cameos by

• Azteca & Dotic by Miguel Hernández
• Pátzcuaro by František Štorm

Some of the typefaces in the promotional video are stunning, and the animation is quite nice, although the text whizzes by a touch too fast in some parts. The video effortlessly blends vintage imagery with contemporary motion typography, transitioning to futuristic bitmap graphics that shift back to traditional fabrics and antique engravings. All this using a splendid colour palette, and against a backdrop of joyous Mexican music – El Sinaloense by Severino Briceño, in a delightful performance by The Kronos Quartet. The sound production is exquisite, with the slightly distorted, vintage sound quality suddenly becoming smooth and clean in the “modern” section (with the fluid motion typography, from 1:55 to 2:10), and some subtle chatter and sound effects at the very end. I love it. It makes me doubly regret I am not attending this edition.

Also on YouTube, this registration of the Caligrafia Gótica e Inglesa workshop by Gabriel Martínez Meave at the Centro Cultural São Paulo, at the Bienal Tipos Latinos 2008. It’s fascinating and humbling to witness the apparent ease with which Gabriel draws gorgeous freehand calligraphy. A true master at work.

Tags: ATypI, conference, lettering, motion graphics, promotional piece, Typ09, typographic animation