Famous Makers: J.J. Abrams

by Joseph Flaherty on July 2, 2009

J.J. Abrams introduced the world to the Dharma Initiative, the Cloverfield monster, and Jennifer Garner, but underneath the movie mogul is a “maker” who would be equally at home at the Rhode Island School of Design as in the Hollywood hills. In his interviews and public appearances he spends nearly as much time talking about his hobbies (painting and laser cutting!), manufactured goods, and the process of creation as the hit TV shows he produces.

In this video Abrams talks about how far video production technology has progressed in the past 15 years and comments that there are almost no barriers for a passionate auteur to create professional grade films, independently.

He discusses his handiwork in an interview with Edward Lewine:

Hobbies: I have this laser cutter, and I can take sketches my kids made, scan them and use the cutter to make two-dimensional renderings.

Obsession: I think boxes are an amazing art form that no one really considers. It’s fascinating the way they are made. I have a bunch of books that I love on packaging and templates for boxes. Sometimes I use the laser cutter to make my own boxes.

Favorite item of clothing: I designed and made a T-shirt based on the distinctive 1940’s-style “Do Not Disturb” signs at the Chateau Marmont hotel in Hollywood. The hotel should really make those shirts themselves.

Best thing about robots: I love the idea of anthropomorphizing machines. I love the idea of taking technology and giving it a personality.

Best recent gift: My wife got me a certificate to get a suit custom made. That sounds beyond extravagant to me. I can’t wait to do that.

Procrastination technique: Because I love doing so much stuff — design, music, sculpting and painting — there’s always something I can do instead of work. Basically, I don’t write unless I’m on deadline.

How many Hollywood power brokers could drop such an impressive list of handy hobbies in such a short span?

Abrams further solidified his Maker cred in a slideshow of his favorite things on Wired’s website. Letterpress, fonts, and computer graphics training were a few of the things he held up as areas of interest, again unusual among titans of tinsel town.

M&H Type: The first time my pal Helen Bartlett showed me her beautiful turn-of-the-century letterpress, I was hooked. Choosing a font can require a lot more than a single click in a pulldown menu. Letterpress printing, a dying art, is kept on life support in part by the good people at San Francisco’s M&H. Cool stuff for font nerds.

Video Copilot and The Gnomon Workshop: In the category of Things I Wish I Had Access To as a Child, these spectacular Web sites (VideoCopilot.net, TheGnomonWorkshop.com) offer tutorials, advice, hints, and software for creating visual effects that are on a par with the pros’. Andrew Kramer’s Video Copilot work is so impressive we hired him to create the title animations for Fringe and Star Trek.

House Industries: If there were any place I wish I worked that I don’t, it’s House. These folks have an unparalleled aesthetic, brilliant font-design skills, killer musical acumen, and a kick-ass sense of humor. Look at their gorgeous and amusing book, which reveals the passion behind their process. Or even better, buy their beautifully packaged fonts.

J.J Abrams recently reimagined the Star Trek movie series to great reviews. Hopefully he will combine his producing power and passion for personal fabrication to make a sequel featuring the true hero of the series, the Replicator.