Exploring design behind consumer products

Almost everything you use on a daily basis has been designed by someone else — your toothbrush, alarm clock, coffeepot, chair — you name it and it’s been created by another individual. Technology is intended to make our lives easier, better and more convenient. But, how far do these products permeate our lives?

Independent filmmaker and former San Diego State student, Gary Hustwit, explores the inner workings of objects that have been created by industrial designers and the impact they have on the consumers who purchase them with his new film, “Objectified.”

“It’s about the designers who re-examine, re-evaluate, and re-invent our manufactured environment on a daily basis,” according to the film’s Web site.

“Objectified” forces us to examine the products we use and question why we value them. By reflecting on our consumption habits and delving into the minds of designers who have created these objects, Hustwit forces us to wonder if we have become so dependent on products that we have, in turn,  let them objectify us.

The film had its world release this past March at the renowned South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas and has been on a steady screening tour with sellouts in San Francisco, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. 

The film’s recent showing at the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla had a packed house of devoted fans, many of whom have been following Hustwit since his breakout directorial debut with the critically acclaimed “Helvetica” in 2007.

Hustwit’s natural curiosity and fascination with design and products translates into “Objectified” with an in-depth look at manufactured goods and the impact of good versus bad design. Through interviews with well-known designers such as design legend Dieter Rams, Jonathan Ive of Apple, Chris Bangle of the BMW Group and famed industrial designer Marc Newson, Hustwit captures the creativity that goes into designing objects. By offering an inside look into the minds that have created household products such as the iPhone and Braun electronics, the audience is able to gain an understanding of why objects are created and designed the way they are.

The film professes that behind every object lies a story, written with the creativity of the designer’s mind. “Objectified” forces us to question the products we purchase and the significance role they play in our lives. Most of the designers in the film agreed on the importance of minimalist and innovative traits as the key to good design, pointing out that objects are well-designed when consumers don’t notice the design at all.

The film also investigates technological products and how they influence the average consumer. The pervasiveness of technology today has established a sense of dependency between consumers and gadgets. But where do we draw the line between necessity and luxury when it comes to the newest laptop or cell phone?

Hustwit claims that after making the film his perspective changed on his own consumption of products.

“I think more about my role as a consumer, some things should be made to last as opposed to technological things that are built to break,” Hustwit said during the Q & A session after the screening.

With the importance of sustainability rising, “Objectified” also questions the lack of environmentally friendly products when it comes to technology and the surprising fact that many consumers still purchase them. According to Hustwit, by continuing to buy products that are not sustainable consumers are actually acting as enablers and contributing to the cycle of unsustainable products.

“Objectified,” offers an intriguing and thought-provoking look into manufactured products, our longing for them and the design that goes into creating them.

Hustwit has produced six documentaries including the award-winning “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” about the rock band Wilco.

“Helvetica” and “Objectified” are the first two films in a design trilogy Hustwit plans to release through his independent DVD label and film production company, Plexifilm. To find out more information about the film and upcoming screenings check out www.objectifiedfilm.com.

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