Objectified. The Traveling Road Show.

By Mark Kaufman

I saw Objectified last week, the new film from Helvetica director Gary Hustwit at the Cinerama Theatre in Seattle. The huge theatre was packed with graphic, industrial, information and product designers whose hearts did a collective flutter when design icons like Dieter Rams or Jonathan Ivie make their big screen appearances. The director was in attendance and a non cringe inducing Q+A followed. There were only a couple of questions from the audience that made me roll my eyes, so that is a very good ratio for this sort of thing. I enjoyed the film, I thought it was an interesting look into industrial design, creating products, sustainability issues and the people that create the products and everyday experiences we take for granted. It is a well crafted, smartly edited and good looking film.

The most interesting thing about this film and Helvetica, is the director’s marketing and distribution chops. His method of presenting his films is reminiscent of the traveling roadshow promoters of the 1950s and 60s, that crisscrossed the country presenting low budget horror, “sex” and exploitation films in small theatres in the south and midwest, drumming up stunts and controversy to sell tickets to a double-feature before high tailing it out of town to find the next group of suckers. Mr. Hustwit has found himself a willing audience of designers and creatives in cities around the world who are willing to shell out extra dough to see documentaries about what they do. While I do not think that the crowds that flock to these screenings in Seattle, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, London or Barcelona are suckers, and  Mr. Hustwit’s films are by no means low rent exploitation films, one thing that designers love is a little navel gazing about our industry and that is being exploited to good effect. Mr. Hustwit has simply tapped into the desire of communities everywhere to see themselves and their passions up on the big screen. Like I said he is a gifted filmmaker and a brilliant marketer. So when Objectified rolls into your community, it is well worth a look.