Filmotype Zanzibar
New! Filmotype Zanzibar (2008). Initially designed and released in the 1950s, this classic semi-script has been remastered and expanded in OpenType format. It includes an extended international character set, automatic fractions, and context sensitive characters for to automatically fix certain awkward letter combinations.
Filmotype Zanzibar is a quirky as it is elegant, combining outlandishly ornate caps with a condensed, Bodoni-like italic lowercase. The overall impression is that of a script, but it’s really a highly stylized italic. The capitals are a riot of spirals and abrupt turns, seemingly inspired by musical notation. I kept these characteristics in mind as I expanded the character set beyond the basic set provided in the original film font.
Filmotype was the earliest of the desktop headline setting machines, introduced in the mid-1950s, and popular in art studios throughout the U.S. for over a decade. A large library of faces was developed for the machine, and many of them have never been digitized. Filmotype Zanzibar is one of many classic Filmotype fonts planned for revival, in cooperation with Filmotype’s founders. I’m excited to be helping to bring back some of these great faces.
Read more about the development of Filmotype Zanzibar in my Notebook.