Free Solo is a 2018 Oscar-winning documentary that follows climber Alex Honnold’s daring ropeless ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite. Directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, the film combines stunning visuals with an intimate look at Honnold’s mindset, relationships, and risk-taking. The main title, lower thirds, location IDs and archival sequences all draw inspiration from Alex’s journal entries and his life as a climber.
The stories of historic ascents and fallen climbers are conveyed through a layered, immersive approach. Typography plays a key role in this narrative technique - appearing as notes, annotations, and fragments that emerge dynamically as we move through each layer.
