Objectified

Hearing Jonathan Ive muse about Apple's design and manufacturing process was alone worth the price of the movie, but overall was disappointed in the choice of interviews, lack of continuity, or lack of story arc. It's not a movie about the history of product design, the future of product design, or this past year's most compelling examples. It's not even about how products are conceived for a purpose, marketed, and consumed. (with a few exceptions including the Smart Design piece)Product design fills a vital need in everyday life. On a good day, product design saves lives. Unfortunately on this day product design stared at it's navel, waxed philosophically, and wore white nail polish. This movie focuses a lot of time on egomaniacs that design things that only 5% of the population can afford. Yawn. And the one "critic" was exhumed from early 20-century Soviet Union -- and smugly towed the party line all too predictably.The last 1/3 of the movie was especially disappointing in that it dragged out trying to answer philosophical questions that no one was asking. I was especially perplexed by the couple that designed "products" for a museum and defended their contributing to society because so many people visit museums...I'm still scratching my head.IDEO was well represented, but missing was their case studies about redesigning Emergency Rooms and other vital and relevant challenges... just more well formed philosophy and an ancient laptop no one ever used.And if I feel like there was point to me made, it not only dragged it out, but then didn't actually make it - just a "designers are responsible for the stuff that ends up in a land fill." But is that what product design is about? I hardly think so, and feel its irresponsible to leave us thinking that's the last known trajectory for product design - more crap people "get duped" into buying, then throw it out. Give me a break.Dieter Rams, the Smart Design team, and other bits and pieces, like Ive's intro voice over, are highlights, but I'd estimate half the movie was filled with dead end or esoteric vignettes or egomaniacs that seem to thrive on perpetuating unproductive and self-service cliches about designers.In the end, this movie is not about the past, present or future of product design. It mashes together tiny bits from all over and unfortunately their "mixed tape" approach falls flat and is only partially inspiring.This movie perpetuates the tired fact that Design, in general, has an enormous chip on it's shoulder, and is still struggling with their identity in the "real world."I wasn't left inspired that product design can help create countermeasures to great challenges. Instead I was left thinking design just a means to charge more for new things that ultimately end up in landfills, including this movie.

I saw this documental three times. I also played it in my user centered design class. It's great material for educative purposes, but for first or second semester design students, and particularly the design process at Smart Design and IDEO. I do personally empatize with the way design is done at those two firms. Dieter Rams interview is great. Although it shows the state of affairs and different points of view, it's scope is too narrow, mostly focusing in well known designers, curators, critics and studios from the US, Europe and only one from Asia (N. Fukasawa) Design book publishers (Phaidon) started to realize that there is a lot of good design activity beyond the U.S. , Europe and Japan. I't would be great to see a second part showing the work of Filipino, Brazilian, Kenian or Mexican designers or small design consultancies in emerging countries who have to apply a lot of creativity, obtaining great designs in cultures with less corporation oriented design philosopies, and more technology limited environments. I do agree partially with "JW's" review, Most of this people are involved with a small fraction of the produced goods in the world but it does generally sample the way many design professionals do their work.Overall its a good introductory film, but I hope more deep filmed material on I.D. will show up in the future.

Objectified is an odd beast. It's too niche for the average person, yet it's not informative enough for experienced designers. Objectified falls into that category of "introductions to a subject that only people already in it will care about." Also, being about designers, it has moments of intense navel gazing. One designer makes a particularly floaty claim about how government policy makers will turn to designers for truth.There is also a section in the middle about the "greening" of design, which feels forced and out of place. It is wedged in there to hit a particular demographic checkbox. And there is a *lot* of shots of people on the street using their cellphones in slow motion. By the end, this technique has long since degraded into cornball.That is not to say that Objectified is without value. If you know who Dieter Rams is, you might get a kick out of seeing him trim his bonzai. You might enjoy watching Jonathan Ives wipe shmutz off of his iPhone screen, or hear people talk about the birth of User Interface design. Don't expect any actual information about User Interface design, or design in general. The enthusiasm that some of these designers bring to the table is infectious. And their perspectives on design, while classic archetypes, have been useful reviews to stay on message with.But what Objectified brings to the table is not rocket science. It is a basic, but solid 1st-year introduction to the world of industrial design.

I'm taking an online course on Web Design, and this movie was recommended for us by the instructor. I'll just copy what I wrote to my fellow students.There is a lot, of course, that's not directly relevant to us - they're talking primarily about physical things: the personality of the chair you sit in, the comfort of the gardening shears in your hand, the aesthetics of cars - but there's so much that really is very relevant. Personality and aesthetic of anything even if it's strictly visual/digital, function, user emotional reaction and even attachment, the subconscious message embedded in the shape or color or texture of a thing. There's a lot more I could talk about, but it's best to just be watched for yourself. I really enjoyed this film and will likely watch it again.

Even though I didn't recognize all the personalities interviewed in the DVD their work and words stood on their own. From taking a behind the scenes look at the inspiration and process at Ideo to conversations about what design is, I enjoyed watching this DVD over and over again.

It is a more predictable documentary but it's a nice follow-up to Helvetica anyway. This discusses design (rather than objects) through the voice of many proeminent designers.

This is the documentary I show people when they ask me what I do for a living.It gives a accurate and exciting view on what goes on in industial design, and why it is so important. I bet that you wont look at common products the same way when you are done with this.

Lacking the focus of the classic Helvetica, but still good.

If you are studying or interested in products and or product design then this is a must watch! Brilliant designers included and companies such as apple. It really shows how design is basically everything in the world. It is a great dvd!