.Objectified

 Objectified is a documentary film by Gary Hustwit. It is filled with designer’s names, images, and ideas. Not just names and ideas, but it also explores our relationship to the outcome of their ideas—products. Designers are documented during their quest to improve the world around them through design. Designers look at consumerism and sustainability as their motivation for inspiration. During the process of their work they add their own expression unique to them as a designer and individual. For example, if two designers were to be assigned the same project to create a sustainable hair brush then that product would have a similar function and focus, but it would look differently because two different designers with dissimilar backgrounds and experiences created it.

What we learn from this film is how and why a designer works. They work to improve the world through design because they are passionate about it. In addition, the impact they have on who we are as individual people and as a country. For instance, the products that we have available to us contribute to our functionality in this country. Is this what we want or do we want to strive to be different? Jonathan Ive, a Senior VP Industrial Designer for Apple recounts his first impact with design. He speaks about the first time he laid eyes on a computer. He said he got an idea of the people who built it and the world around us. This computer is available to us because it contributes to something we need as a society and a designer saw that a white, square shaped mechanism will serve the purpose well. All these are concepts explored throughout the film.