VIDEO PORTRAITS
Carl Brett
Video clips © CCCA &
Erin Hayes 2006
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Arrival in Canada
Carl discusses his move from Ireland to Canada in 1954
during Hurricane Hazel, the wonderful fall weather
that followed, and getting his first job in Toronto
at Vickers and Benson.
running time: 02:5
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No Times Roman?
Carl expresses the amazement he felt when he started
working in Toronto in the 1950's and learned that
Canada didn't have Times Roman. A mainstay in Europe
for years, Canada didn't get Times Roman until
1959.
running time: 01:44
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1950's Design
Carl shows an early piece of his work and explains why it was
pleasing to the client. Unlike the vast
majority of the work
produced at the time, which Carl found essentially random
and illogical, his work
was more "restrained and classical".
running time: 01:57
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Ford Motor Company work
Carl explains how, in the 1950's, a pamphlet for Ford was
produced. "It was the work of
many people and much
agonizing", he says. He also offers a critique of the work,
suggesting how it could
have been designed better.
running time: 02:26
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Fighting the writer
In Carl's experience appealing to the art director was never
a problem, it was the writers who gave
him the hardest time.
The writers, he says, "offered that they knew better than
anybody how to design
stuff". It drove him crazy!
running time: 02:13
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Copyright ©1997, 2006, Centre for Contemporary Canadian Art. All rights reserved.
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