Lexus Releasing Film on ‘Takumi’ Master Craftsmen
Lexus to distribute new documentary on Amazon Prime Video about the most devoted craftsmen and women, Takumi, surviving in an ‘AI powered’ world.
In the West it’s often considered that it takes 10,000 hours of study for the average person to become an expert in their subject. But in Japan you’re not considered a master of your craft until you’ve spent 60,000 hours refining your skills. That’s the equivalent of working eight hours a day, 250 days a year for 30 years.
A fascinating documentary unveils the world of the Takumi, the highest level of artisan in Japan. The visually stunning, character-driven portrait, made by Chef’s Table Director, Clay Jeter, for luxury automotive brand Lexus, is due for release on Prime Video, through the Prime Video Direct self-publishing service, on March 19, 2019 globally.
Takumi: A 60,000-hour story on the survival of human craft follows four Japanese artisans who are dedicating their lives to their crafts, including a double Michelin-starred chef, a traditional paper-cutting artist, an automotive master craftsman and a carpenter for one of the oldest construction companies in the world.
The documentary, which premiered at the DOC NYC film festival in New York, is unique in that the medium is also the message. There will be a feature length version plus a ‘60,000’ hour cut, which loops scenes of each Takumi’s essential skills of their craft repeated over and over again to highlight the hours, days and years of practice involved.
Narrated by Former British Museum Director Neil Macgregor and including interviews from world experts in craft and AI, the film asks how we will honor and preserve human craft as we simultaneously design machines to act more precisely and quickly than humans ever can.
Will human craft disappear as artificial intelligence reaches beyond our limits? Or will this cornerstone of our culture survive and become more valuable than ever? This documentary looks at how to take the long road to excellence in a world that’s constantly striving for shortcuts.
Viewers can enjoy the 54-minute version or see the full 60,000-hour version on www.takumi-craft.com, allowing them to soak up the level of dedication and commitment it takes to achieve a special kind of mastery.
The documentary, created by The&Partnership London, will be available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Instant, Google Play and iTunes.