Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 10 January 2002 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 minidisc, 2 cds, 1 file, 2 AIFF files (1.21 GB)
Context area
Archival history
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Interview with David Hillman, designer for the Guardian. Conducted by Mark Porter on 10 January 2002. Also includes a data sheet containing biographical details about the subject and information about the recording and notes and track guide by Mark Porter.
Summary contents of interview (with rough timings):
Disc 1:
Track 1
00:40 Getting started with the Guardian. Design of newspapers both in Great Britain and on the Continent
02:40 Differing views about how much redesign was needed
04:10 Members of the design team
05:00 Technology of redesign - new processes and innovation
05:50 Reading the Guardian as a student, the only paper that allowed 'white space' on its pages
06:00 Differences and similarities between the 'metal' and 'film' processes. Easier process for drop-caps
06:50 No one could say how much re-design was needed
08:10 Working between Farringdon Road and the design studio. Differences between a daily paper and a weekly
10:50 Changing position of newspapers. News versus comment/analysis
12:30 Reaction to Guardian redesign - 'do you feel guilty for killing off a famous newspaper?'
14:10 Coverage of launch in tv media
14:45 Work outside of newspapers
16:50 Readers letters about the redesign - Spike Milligan and quote, 'got the comic, where's the newspaper'
17:50 New ideas about the order of sections in the paper
18:25 Making a presentation of the new style to the staff - everyone accepted it
20:00 First issue of new style was a day with no news, 'couldn't have had a worse day'
22:20 Continual work to make the design work
25:00 Working closely with Mike McNay and Jonathan Fenby
26:40 Working from brief to completion, Lee Brownsword taking the training sessions
28:15 Watching the guys doing layout, trying to cope with the new grid system
30:10 Writing stories to a length that would fit the new grid system
33:20 Use of colour, only wanted it used when it was actually needed and when they could produce to quality
35:00 European review magazine - couldn't afford to do it
35:50 Growth of the sections within the Guardian. G2's birth out of market research
37:10 Quote about Simon Esterson - 'making G2 look as though it had been loved and thought about'
37:20 Computer technology and the paper. Use of Macs to get better quality
38:40 Producing mock headlines to style
39:20 Using a computer versus using a pencil
42:00 Eternally associated with the Guardian redesign
44:55 Respect for the Guardian outside of GB
47:45 Problems with the 'h' in 'The Guardian' - months of discussion about this one 'h'
49:10 Impressions of modern Guardian
51:00 Uniqueness of working for the Guardian as opposed to any other newspaper
53.00 *
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Restricted - access to edited copy via GNM Digital Repository.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright: Guardian News & Media Ltd and David Hillman
Language of material
Script of material
Access Status
Open(part)
Closed until
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Hillman; David; designer (Subject)
- Porter; Mark; newspaper designer (Subject)