THE PLOT THUS FAR
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Craft in America” keeps moving through its fifth season with Industry. The look at how hand making objects creates economies was neat. Artisans and jewelers talk to the crew and we get to see their process. There’s no greater artistic understanding, so much as an appreciation for aesthetic on display. I appreciate that approach, however something is missing. There’s a lot of talk about the consumer vs. the maker; but, we never see that onscreen. There’s a lot of theory and no focus.
Handmade goods take on a life of their own. But, how much of that is in the artisan crafting and how much of that is in the value that obsessive types put onto the materials? The show gives us a great look at how the products are made, but there is no attention paid to the psychology of preference for those goods. The idea of the creative economy is great, but why did it take off and who keeps it going? The hipsters keep ETSY going, but I feel there was a bigger issue to be addressed and we didn’t get that.
The DVD comes with no special features. The A/V Quality is on par for a PBS Documentary. Still, I wish we would get more of these releases in HD. But, I guess physical media is dying. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to the curious.
RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!