Welcome to Chance Operations, a new multi-disciplinary, multi-channel exploration of design and creativity.

Hi friends, Gary Hustwit here. For almost 20 years now, I've been interviewing some of the most creative minds on the planet for my documentary films Helvetica, Objectified, Urbanized, Workplace, and Rams. I'm sort of obsessed with exploring their inspirations, their processes, and their creative strategies. I’ve been lucky to be able to learn about creativity by observing what they do, and then share those observations with the rest of the world through my films. Chance Operations is the next evolution of that idea.

So what is Chance Operations?

1. It’s a newsletter about creativity, where I’ll be publishing new interviews with designers, musicians, architects, painters, writers, and artists from all disciplines. These new profiles will take the form of text interviews, podcasts, photo essays, or whatever medium is best for the message. We’ll go deep into topics ranging from how AI is affecting creativity, to how to sustain yourself as a creative creature in this crazy world. I want these interviews to inspire you, and I also want your input into who I should profile next.

2. It’s a streaming channel where I’ll be making original short films just for paid subscribers. There are so many people and subjects I’d like to make films about, but that I can’t necessarily spend years making a feature-length documentary on. Subscribing to Chance Operations will enable my team and I to make new original short films about creativity and design especially for you.

3. It’s an archive for all my past design documentaries, and for unreleased interview footage. I've got hundreds of hours of unreleased footage from my films, and I’ve always imagined having an online channel or archive of the best of that footage. So get ready to watch new interviews in the Design On Film section. Plus all my full-length design films are posted here and available for subscribers to watch from anywhere in the world, anytime.

4. Updates on my new film about legendary artist, musician, and creative powerhouse Brian Eno. In 2024 we broke new cinematic ground with Eno, the world’s first generative feature film that’s different every time it’s shown. Screenings of the film continue worldwide, along with livestream events and other new developments.

Become a Paid Subscriber now (the button’s at the bottom of this page) and you’ll get weekly interviews and updates delivered right to your inbox, or you can just dig into them here on the site. As a subscriber, you’ll be supporting the preservation of design history and independent filmmaking in a media landscape dominated by multi-billion dollar streaming conglomerates. Throughout my filmmaking career I've remained independent; I'm making these films because I want them to exist, and hopefully you do too!

Yeah, I know you've got a lot of subscriptions already... we all do. But I’m hoping we can form a unique community here, and maybe give us all a little break from the endless scrolling-and-liking of social media and its warped algorithms...

Thanks for the support, this is going to be fun!

Cheers,
Gary