By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.8 cats
Director: Gary Hustwit
Country: united_states
Year: 2009
Running time: 75
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1200060/
Jason says: “I forgot my toothbrush when packing for my trip to Texas, and since Austin doesn’t have the massive CVS density of the greater Boston area (where you can see the next from the doorway of the one you are standing in), I didn’t get around to picking one up until after I had seen OBJECTIFIED, Gary Hustwit’s new documentary on industrial design. As a result, I gave the process – and the object – a bit more thought than I might have otherwise.
“Toothbrushes don’t come up until the end of OBJECTIFIED – the first object considered in detail is the potato peeler. We’re told how the standard model hurt the arthritic hands of a designer’s mother, leading him to work on a better model. The lesson, we’re told, is to concentrate on the outliers; if you can please the 10% who are hardest to satisfy, then the rest will take care of themselves (and also benefit). We then see the same design group working on pruning shears, demonstrating how (and why) something simple like a notch in the handles can improve the long-used mechanical device immensely.
“We meet several designers each with lessons to impart. Dieter Rams, retired from Braun, lays out the basic principles; Naoto Fukasawa discusses how these principles relate to the Japanese aesthetic sense – where Western literature, for example, traditionally praises complex works, Japanese masters ‘write simply about what’s there.’ Apple’s Jonathan Ive discusses how his company’s seemingly simple designs often involve having to invent radically new manufacturing processes. IDEO’s Bill Meggridge makes several points, from how he prefers objects that “wear in” (that is, become better with use) rather than ‘wear out,’ to how his design work on the original GRiD laptop computer led him to realize that the next big thing in his field would be in software, or ‘interaction design.’
“That’s a lot of concepts to explain, but Hustwit and his subjects have the gift of making things clear. It helps a great deal that the principles of good industrial design are like the objects that result from it, in that they almost immediately seem obvious in retrospect. He’s chosen a mix of interesting personalities, from acknowledged masters to flamboyant youngsters, and most of the lessons in theory are followed up by an easily-grasped physical demonstration. If Hustwit ever chooses to leave filmmaking, he’d make a heck of a teacher, and what better compliment can one pay to a documentarian?
“Of course, part of what makes him such a good teacher is that he is a very good filmmaker. He peppers the film with close-up shots of objects against solid backgrounds, using unusual angles and holding shots for a few extra beats to encourage the audience to not just look closely, but examine the things before he breaks it down for us. He peppers the film with nifty information, such as tracing mass production not to Henry Ford but to ancient China. There’s also a very nifty soundtrack and spiffy HD photography.
“Hustwit concludes the film with a section on the social ramifications of industrial design, which may seem a little rushed in comparison to the rest, as those issues don’t have the clear physical/mechanical solutions seen in the rest of the movie. There are interesting questions raised, from how good design should ideally lower prices rather than mark products as luxury items, as well as the question of environmental impact and sustainability. That’s where we get to toothbrushes, an object whose design is often tweaked, but which remains utterly (and necessarily) disposable. We watch a team try to brainstorm ways to make the toothbrush better and more environmentally friendly, even if it means reinventing oral care from the ground up.
“My new toothbrush? A mechanized model with a thick, easily controlled handle which can be used forever while the heads are replaced. I wasn’t terribly fond of it on first use, to be frank, but now I at least have some ideas as to why. 5 cats
“Seen 14 March 2009 at the Austin Paramount Theater (SXSW Spotlight Premieres)”
Bruce says: “Industrial design is such a broad topic, it is little surprise that Gary Hustwit’s follow-up to the extraordinarily focused HELVETICA does not deliver the same punch. Interviewing designers around the world, Hustwit attempts to make some sense out of the process which determines what form the objects we use in our everyday life will take. As Henry Ford was fond of saying, ‘Every object tells a story if you know how to read it.’ Many don’t and Hustwit acknowledges the arbitrariness and thoughtlessness in the way a multitude of things are brought to market.
“Superior design is best appreciated when a good example is offered. Hustwit comes up with some adequate examples but too many are similar. Three examples – potato peeler, toothbrush, and pruning shears – all hinge on the design of the handle grip. That may not sound very exciting but these examples prove that function cannot follow form. The object must look good and excel functionally.
“In handing out kudos for good design companies that share the limelight include Apple, BMW and Target. OBJECTIFIED poses the question ‘Why do we hang on to the past?’ The poster child for this segment is the digital camera. Film cameras were designed as boxes because they had to house film that moved continually in a single direction. Why does a digital camera need to look the same as its predecessors? Cellphones answered that question.
“Hustwit discusses new trends and the influence of environmentalism in design. 90% of designed goods end up as landfill because of their obsolescence. Serious consideration is now being given to longevity. Objects are considered in new light. If a person uses about 154 toothbrushes in a lifetime, does anyone need 154 toothbrush handles? No, they don’t wear out.
“Design is such an abstraction for most of us and OBJECTIFIED only scratches the surface of making it more understandable. With Computer Assisted Design (CAD) software becoming more integrated into many fields, it won’t be long before design tools are available to everyone. Hopefully OBJECTIFIED will have a sequel when that day comes. 3 1/2 cats”
Diane says: “Gary Hustwit, the director of HELVETICA, talks to designers of manufactured objects (Macs, garden shears, chairs, etc.) in this docu. I was disheartened by the amount of consumption represented in this movie, and by the level of purchasing power it assumes. How about adding a segment about a designer of cheap stuff from China?
“Touching on the major problem of waste, Hustwit includes two bright spots: Karim Rashid (who has a bobblehead of himself) proposes making cellphones out of cardboard or sugarcane, since they are replaced after 11 months. Rob Walker of the New York Times encourages us not to buy more, but to appreciate the design of things we already own. So, do the world a favor and take an admiring look at your drawer pulls, your coffee grinder, your umbrella….
“Hustwit’s aim is to have the viewer think about questions after the film, not have them answered by the film. Educational and yes, reflection-inducing, but it could have been improved by a narrative drive, or humor. Noms for cinematography (Luke Geissbuhler) and the man who beautifully edited 80 hours of film down to 90 minutes. 3 cats”