Movie Reflection: Objectified

I really connected with the movie Objectified. I felt that the basic message of the movie, how to be innovative in today’s marketplace while also being environmentally-friendly, is of utmost importance. One designer in the movie pointed out the common goal among major companies today: mass production. Personally, I’m not a big fan of the phrase. It makes me a bit nervous, the idea of producing items at such a fast rate. It was interesting to learn about the first recorded instance of mass production, with the systematized development of the bow and arrow. Obviously this rapid process had to start some where, I just never really gave much thought to it. I suppose that shows how familiar the idea of mass production is on a subconscious level. 

Objectified really makes me wonder how necessary constant mass production really is. It would seem to me that we already have an excess of goods lying about, waiting for a new owner and a second life. I’m a big proponent of thrift stores, Craigslist, and flea markets. Anything old or second-hand I love, sometimes they have the best history and most character. However that is just my aesthetic. There are other individuals who are more attracted to the new gadgets and modern designs. 

Objectified makes me wonder about the nature of items and how they develop culturally. Another designer made a point about a new item lasting less than a year until the next model comes along. The idea that many objects these days have such a short life expectancy is a bit crazy. I liked the idea mentioned about starting a campaign to promote items we already have. I think that is extremely cool. There are plenty of things people already own that aren’t even being appreciated! I think if people dug around a bit in their homes they would be surprised at what they would discover.

I learned a few important things about design from this movie. Especially important was the idea of “knowing your extremes”. When designing an object it is a good idea to realize possible outliers. If you can cater to their personal needs than the “middle will take care of itself.” I think this idea is really smart. You can design an object for the average person, but to design a really great object you must understand the not so average customer. 

Another interesting point in the movie was Henry Ford’s quote, “Every object tells a story”. Through this class I have a better idea of how much work has gone into the items I use daily. It is pretty amazing, and a bit exhausting to think about all the brainstorming, preliminary ideas, and prototypes created before the final design was chosen. I agree with Ford, every object does seem to tell a story, some just more interesting than others.