The&Partnership: Lexus launches a 60,000 hour doco

The&Partnership and Lexus have created an epic documentary about craft. Clearly, to Lexus craft matters. The film, Takumi: a 60,000 hour story on the survival of human craft’ was directed by Chef’s Table director, Clay Jeter, and narrated by former British Museum Director, Neil Macgregor. It presents the stories of four Japanese artisans who have dedicated 60,000 hours, or 30 years working 8 hours a day to become Takumi – master craftsmen.

The film asks the question, “In an age where technology can replicate or better anything man can do, what is the value and purpose of such endeavour? Will these crafts die out or could they become even more prized?”

A 54 minute edit will show on Amazon. The 60,000 hour version sits on a bespoke player and, like any other streaming service, allows you to fast forward (up to warp speed) to any point within the 60,000 hours.

Will anyone ever watch the full 60.000 hours? To Lexus and The&Partnership, that’s missing the point.

“Watching the looped footage of the Takumi at work is a strangely calming experience,” they explained. “Their immense focus, skill and exquisite craft is palpable. The medium is the message here. There are no shortcuts. This is evolution. Innovation, achievement and progress in its purest form. It is what humans are good at. The journey matters as much as the end product, which, imbibed by a lifetime of dedication, cannot and will not ever be matched by machine.