Designing Documentary Debuts on DVD

Why do certain things look timeless, others new and modern, and other hopelessly dated? How does the function of something correlate with its appearance? How does its design directly affect its use? Numerous professional designers share their thoughts on such topics in independent filmmaker Gary Hustwit’s latest movie, “Objectified.”

“Objectified” had its film festival premiere in March, followed by a limited theatrical release over the summer, and came out on home video last month, available on DVD as well as iTunes digital download, and a custom-recorded 16GB USB drive, with a BluRay coming soon. Next Tuesday, November 24, “Objectified” makes its U.S. television debut on the PBS “Independent Lens” series. Two weeks later, PBS is scheduled to rebroadcast Hustwit’s first film, “Helvetica.”

Hustwit burst into the critical spotlight with his 2007 documentary “Helvetica,” an unexpectedly engaging and often amusing examination of the ubiquitous sans-serif typeface that’s now been around for a half-century. He followed up that exploration of type font design and usage earlier this year with “Objectified,” which takes the same approach to the design of common, everyday products. Hustwit found that the process of making each film led to more questions and ideas, and he is currently planning a third film dealing with the role of design in today’s world.

In “Objectified,” we see things from chairs to cell phones to computers to cars, from tennis shoes to toothbrushes, all of which we use with rarely a thought about the fact that someone had to design them. We see teams of designers brainstorming ideas and testing designs, as well as individual designers reflecting on subjects like designing for comfort, exploiting visual appeal, corporate identity, and the ultimate fate of throwaway objects they’ve designed.

Hustwit finds that many people tend to buy things that reflect their own view of themselves to some extent. He says that looking at people’s belongings, “how they interact with objects as part of their daily routine, can sometimes be a much richer, more honest representation of their life than what they might say about it.”

He obtained advice and cooperation from designers, design writers, educators, museum curators, and companies about what should be in his film. Those interviewed on camera express a variety of opinions, and while certain ideas often dominate, Hustwit intends for viewers to come up with their own questions and conclusions after seeing the film, rather than looking for concrete answers from the film.

“Objectified,” like “Helvetica,” is both entertaining and accessible to a general audience while at the same time a must-see for anyone interested in design or modern culture.

The DVD includes a bright and clear 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer of the 75-minute movie, as well as an hour of additional interviews that didn’t make it into the final cut and printed liner notes by the director inserted into the box. A special limited edition DVD (and the USB drive version) comes with five mini-posters, an autographed still and a tote bag. If you can’t find “Objectified” or “Helvetica” in stores, you can order them directly from http://www.objectifiedfilm.com.

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