I recently got a chance to preview Briefly, a new documentary about the creative brief and its role in shaping innovation. Directed by Tom Bassett of Bassett & Partners, the 26-minute-long movie features exclusive interviews with architect David Rockwell, architect Frank Gehry, industrial designer Yves Béhar, illustrator Maira Kalman, and advertising creative directors John C. Jay and John Boiler.
Filmed in a talking-head format, the movie is just the right length to keep your interest. I found it fascinating to hear Gehry, for instance, emotionally discuss the painful process he’s had dealing with the negative reaction to his design for the Eisenhower Memorial in Washington, D.C., despite the fact that he delivered everything that was asked for in the brief. There are great sound bites throughout the piece, including when Béhar explains “I don’t believe in briefs, I believe in relationships.”
While Briefly is a good watch for anyone who has worked on a brief in school or in the studio and wants to learn what some of the nation’s leading creative visionaries frankly think, it’s also something every client should watch before they sit down to prepare one. Briefly will be free to watch online on September 30th, but here’s a teaser trailer you can check out now.
architectstoybox.com 