Purpose of a helmet
Not that long ago in a galaxy really very close, a film was announced to be released… the seventh episode of the ‘galacticaly’ epic Star Wars story.
Without throwing my whole weight into the discussion of ‘are we alone?,’ I must say I am somewhat intrigued by what is a rather interesting pursuit of humanity. It seems to be a primary context where the imagination isn’t hindered by the limitations of ‘our physical’ world. And yet some how (most likely as it’s created by a human) we can empathise and relate to the wild imaginings of some extraterrestrial being! weird, but intriguing.
However there is one interesting element in the visualising of this genre that as I was wondering through some woods recently I found myself thinking about… The variety and sheer madness of some of the helmets that some of these ‘characters’ wear. Other than the attempt to make some unsuspecting extra on a movie set look like a bit of a muppet, what is the purpose? Functionally they are obviously for protection and a tool to aid living in the environment they are in, but why the creative diversity?
Could it be for identification? for belonging? to state ‘I’m part of this culture,’ part of these people. that the function of this helmet enables me to be recognised as having these particular set of values…?
Could it be that the purpose of a helmet, often dramatically emphasised in science fiction, is a fantastic comment on the purpose of a logo? It’s not the entire being (the brand) but a specific part to which people primarily search for and identify through (the head). That actually the dramatic and creative diversity clearly celebrated in this genre, is given freedom and bounds to play, to explore, to go where no man has gone before… to infinity and beyond! Ok I’m done, but you get the idea, to create cultures and worlds that we can somehow empathise with, but go “that’s different”, rather than the classic regurgitated visuals often produced when the creative process doesn’t ask the questions of ‘what if?’ Just a thought.
Should every logo designer appreciate the need for science fiction? probably not, but could they benefit from thinking beyond what the expected could be? Absolutely.
