Design:Watch
The Must-See Documentaries for Designers & Artists. http://designers.watch
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- DirectorKathy BrewRoberto GuerraStarsPaola AntonelliBarry BergdollMichael BierutA documentary on two of the world's most influential designers -- Lella and Massimo Vignelli.
- DirectorJason CohnBill JerseyStarsCharles EamesRay EamesJames FrancoThe relationship between Charles Eames and his wife Ray ignited a burst of design ingenuity whose impact on the world can still be felt over half a century later.
- DirectorEric BrickerStarsFrances AndertonWim de WitBeth Edwards HarrisNarrated by Dustin Hoffman, VISUAL ACOUSTICS celebrates the life and career of Julius Shulman, the worldÕs greatest architectural photographer, whose images brought modern architecture to the American mainstream.
- DirectorW.F. BanesJohn ThieleStarsHunter PhillipsA tribute to the American designer presented by Chevrolet. The fist half of this film is a collage of 1950's American design from appliances to architecture, the second half follows the design process of a new Chevrolet automobile from the early sketches to a full sized model and finally the finish product.
- DirectorKen BurnsLynn NovickStarsEdward HerrmannPhilip BoscoJulie HarrisA biography of the life and work of the American architect.
- DirectorMegumi SasakiStarsPaula AntebiWill BarnetRobert BarryHerb and Dorothy Vogel redefine what it means to be an art collector.
- DirectorGary HustwitStarsManfred SchulzMassimo VignelliRick PoynorA documentary about typography, graphic design, and global visual culture.
- DirectorRichard PressStarsBill CunninghamAnna WintourMichael KorsA profile of the noted and extraordinarily cheerful veteran New York City fashion photographer.
- DirectorWendy KeysProfiles Milton Glaser (1929- ), America's foremost graphic designer: designer of the iconic "I [heart] N.Y." logo, teacher, and humanitarian. Interviews with Glaser are arranged to take him through a rough chronology of his life: study at New York High School of Music and Art and at Cooper Union, a seminal stay in Italy, his marriage, and his various partnerships - founding Push Pin Studios and "New York" magazine, designing Grand Union supermarkets, and working with "The Nation." Interspersed are examples of his work. Glaser is, throughout, charming in manner, memorable in his observations, and generous of spirit.
- DirectorCraig TeperStarsBeverly AdamsElgin CharlesGrace CoddingtonVidal Sassoon is more than just a hairdresser-he's a rock star, an artist, a craftsman who "changed the world with a pair of scissors." With the geometric, Bauhaus-inspired hairdos he pioneered in the 1960s and his "wash and wear" philosophy that liberated generations of women from the tyranny of the salon, Sassoon revolutionized the art of hairstyling and left an indelible mark on popular culture. This documentary traces with visual gusto the life of a self-made man whose passion and perseverance took him from a Jewish orphanage in London to the absolute pinnacle of his craft.
- DirectorGary HustwitStarsPaola AntonelliChris BangleAndrew BlauveltA feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them.
- DirectorJustine NaganCharting the intersection between rural America and contemporary graphic design.
- DirectorZach HeinzerlingStarsUshio ShinoharaNoriko ShinoharaAlex ShinoharaThis candid New York love story explores the chaotic 40-year marriage of famed boxing painter Ushio Shinohara and his wife, Noriko. Anxious to shed her role as her overbearing husband's assistant, Noriko finds an identity of her own.
- DirectorGary HustwitStarsAmanda M. BurdenRem KoolhaasNorman FosterA documentary about the design of cities, which looks at the issues and strategies behind urban design and features some of the world's foremost architects, planners, policymakers, builders, and thinkers.
- DirectorSherman De JesusStarsPiet ZwartKees BroosWim CrouwelEverything Must Change - Piet Zwart is a documentary about the influential Dutch designer Piet Zwart.
- DirectorTamra DavisStarsJean Michel BasquiatJulian SchnabelLarry GagosianDirector Tamra Davis pays homage to her friend in this definitive documentary but also delves into Basquiat as an iconoclast. His dense, bebop-influenced neoexpressionist work emerged while minimalist, conceptual art was the fad; as a successful black artist, he was constantly confronted by racism and misconceptions. Much can be gleaned from insider interviews and archival footage, but it is Basquiat's own words and work that powerfully convey the mystique and allure of both the artist and the man.
- DirectorJörg AdolphGereon WetzelStarsRobert AdamsRobert FrankGünter GrassIn this age of digital media, Gerhard Steidl stands as one of the few remaining publishers to maintain an unwavering commitment to the quality and craftsmanship of the printed book.
- DirectorBanksyStarsBanksyMr. BrainwashSpace InvaderFollowing the style of some of the world's most prolific street artists, an amateur filmmaker makes a foray into the art world.
- DirectorDouglas WilsonStarsMatthew CarterRay DesChampsElln HagneyCalled the "Eighth Wonder of the World" by Thomas Edison, the Linotype revolutionized printing and society. The film tells the surprisingly emotional story of the people connected to the Linotype and how it impacted the world.
- DirectorAlison KlaymanStarsAi WeiweiDan AiLao AiA documentary that chronicles artist and activist Ai Weiwei as he prepares for a series of exhibitions and gets into an increasing number of clashes with the Chinese government.
- DirectorVanessa GouldStarsErik D. DemaineMartin L. DemaineVincent FlodererDepicts a cast of fine artists and eccentric scientists (from MIT and NASA) who have devoted their lives to the unlikely medium of modern origami. Through their determination to reinterpret the world in paper, they arouse a fascinating mix of sensibilities towards art, form, expressiveness, creativity and meaning.
- DirectorScout ShannonStarsDaniel DangerGermain LussierJay RyanIn the gig poster community, creating artwork is more than just a career - it is a way of life. These artists are at the forefront of an expansion of the gig poster genre. In a community with strong roots, dating back to the 1960s, this expansion is controversial - refreshing to some, sacrilegious to others.
- DirectorDoug PrayStarsMary WellsDan WiedenHal RineyART & COPY is a powerful new film about advertising and inspiration. Directed by Doug Pray (SURFWISE, SCRATCH, HYPE!), it reveals the work and wisdom of some of the most influential advertising creatives of our time -- people who've profoundly impacted our culture, yet are virtually unknown outside their industry. Exploding forth from advertising's "creative revolution" of the 1960s, these artists and writers all brought a surprisingly rebellious spirit to their work in a business more often associated with mediocrity or manipulation: George Lois, Mary Wells, Dan Wieden, Lee Clow, Hal Riney and others featured in ART & COPY were responsible for "Just Do It," "I Love NY," "Where's the Beef?," "Got Milk," "Think Different," and brilliant campaigns for everything from cars to presidents. They managed to grab the attention of millions and truly move them. Visually interwoven with their stories, TV satellites are launched, billboards are erected, and the social and cultural impact of their ads are brought to light in this dynamic exploration of art, commerce, and human emotion.
- DirectorFaythe LevineSam MaconAt a time when most American cityscapes are dominated by computer created signage, Sign Painters takes a close look at the past, present, and hopeful future of the hand paint sign industry in the USA.
- DirectorTony SilverStarsDemonKase 2Eric HazeA documentary that exposes the rich growing subculture of hip-hop that was developing in New York City in the late '70s and early '80s, specifically focusing on graffiti art and breakdancing.
- DirectorReto CaduffStarsRobert FrankMassimo VignelliJohn CohenFeature length documentary film about graphic designer, photographer and visual artist Herbert Matter.
- DirectorCorinna BelzStarsGerhard RichterNorbert ArnsHubert BeckerA documentary on the German artist that includes glimpses at his studio, which has not been seen in decades.
- 1985– 1h 23mPG-137.1 (1.6K)TV Episode71MetascoreDirectorSydney PollackStarsFrank GehrySydney PollackJulian SchnabelA look at the life and work of the renown architect.
- DirectorAaron RoseJoshua LeonardStarsJulian Bennett HolmesThomas CampbellShepard FaireyThis documentary follows the lives and careers of a collective group of Do-it-yourself artists and designers who inadvertently affected the art world.
- DirectorSusan Warms DryfoosStarsJulie AndrewsLauren BacallCarol ChanningThe childhood, adolescence, and incredible adult years of Al Hirshfeld, celebrated creator of thousands of line drawings of famous people - many in the entertainment industry - over a span of more than sixty years.
- DirectorCarlos CarcasNorberto López AmadoStarsNorman FosterDeyan SudjicThe film traces the rise of one of the world's premier architects, Norman Foster, and his unending quest to improve the quality of life through design.
- DirectorMorgan NevilleStarsEve BabitzJohn BaldessariLarry BellHow LA Learned to Love Modern Art. A lesson in how a few renegade artists built an art scene from scratch.
- DirectorRichard BrightStarsAlan YentobLewis MacleodGlenda Bailey
- DirectorNeil BerkeleyStarsWayne WhiteMimi PondPaul ReubensA documentary on the life and current times of artist Wayne White.
- DirectorWilliam GazeckiStarsWilliam GazeckiJacque FrescoLarry KingFuture by Design shares the life and far-reaching vision of Jacque Fresco, considered by many to be a modern day Da Vinci. Peer to Einstein and Buckminster Fuller, Jacque is a self-taught futurist who describes himself most often as a "generalist" or multi-disciplinarian -- a student of many inter-related fields. He is a prolific inventor, having spent his entire life (he recently celebrated his 100th birthday) conceiving of and devising inventions on various scales which entail the use of innovative technology. As a futurist, Jacque is not only a conceptualist and a theoretician, but he is also an engineer and a designer.
- DirectorAndrei SevernyStarsKen CarboneInge DruckreyKris Holmes
- DirectorMark Wilcken"Clean Lines, Open Spaces" looks at mid-century modern architecture in Arkansas and how the post war building boom brought modern design to the state. Talking to home owners, architects and others this documentary looks at the best examples of these buildings throughout Arkansas.
- DirectorSuzanne RaesHanding down the craft and beliefs from generation to generation for over 400 years can be a heavy weight. This unique story follows a modern-day Japanese family that has transformed everyday pottery into the world famous mythical Kakiemon porcelain and preserves its traditions, now passes on the leadership to their only son. Is the act of creation the craft of a single man, or is it the sum of his ancestors asserting their immortality?
- DirectorDavid DworskyVictor KöhlerStarsApparatÓlafur ArnaldsScott BelskyA documentary that explores how the digital revolution of the last decade has unleashed creativity and talent of people in an unprecedented way.
- DirectorLuis LopezClay TweelStarsChris AndersonBruce BradshawCraig BroadyFollows the people racing to bring the hot new 3D printing technology to your home, documenting the "Macintosh Moment" of this revolution and exploring what it takes to live the American Dream.
- DirectorTellerStarsTim JenisonPenn JilletteMartin MullInventor Tim Jenison seeks to understand the painting techniques used by Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer.
- DirectorAmy StechlerStarsHeinz BerggruenEstela de BassagodaLila DownsA documentary feature about the life of the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.
- DirectorMike BernardGavin FroomeA core group of architects embraced the West Coast from Vancouver to LA with its particular geography and values and left behind a legacy of inspired dwellings. Today, architects celebrate the influence established by their predecessors.
- DirectorErik Roscam AbbingStarsErik Roscam AbbingDeniz ArikRalf BeukerThe evolving relationship between design and business is illustrated and discussed in insightful interviews and inspiring case studies.
- DirectorJohn MaloofCharlie SiskelStarsVivian MaierJohn MaloofDaniel ArnaudA documentary on the late Vivian Maier, a nanny whose previously unknown cache of 100,000 photographs earned her a posthumous reputation as one of the most accomplished street photographers.
- StarsRoger ScrutonContemporary philosopher Roger Scruton presents a fascinating argument for the importance of beauty in our art and in our lives, and explores what truly is and is not beautiful, regardless of its beholder.
- DirectorBen LoetermanThe film captures John Portman's approach in an intimate portrait that, by turn, assesses and appreciates Portman's work.
- DirectorMatthew AkersJeff DupreStarsMarina AbramovicUlayKlaus BiesenbachA documentary that follows the Serbian performance artist as she prepares for a retrospective of her work at The Museum of Modern Art in New York.