As of late, several respected media outlets have jumped headfirst into making short documentary online content. ESPN’s 30 for 30 series is a great representative example, as is some of the stellar work being done by the team over at the New York Times.

The Most Quoted Man in the News, directed and photographed by Andrew David Watson and originally produced for the New Yorker’s video channel, is yet another entry into this new media movement—a short, smart doc about an interesting guy who has the curious ability to get quoted in the news.

Admittedly, this film isn’t new—it made it’s official online premiere last October (and has already been Vimeo staffpicked). But, as we believe at Short of the Week, good content knows no release date! So, we’re finally getting around to cover it…

Suffice it to say, this one is a real charmer—a snappy profile documentary about a guy who gets his name in the papers…a lot. Quirky people often make make excellent fodder for profile pieces, and as you would expect, our protagonist, George Packer, delivers the goods. He’s a funny, congenial everyman—a mustachioed average Joe who beelines towards headline-making events to be a part of the hoopla (and to get quoted).

Although the film is ostensibly breezy in both content and tone, if you look below the surface, it does raise a lot of interesting and relevant subjects. Yes, there is an inherent narcissism in Mr. Packer’s desire to see his name in print. But, who amongst us hasn’t wanted to feel special? I mean, let’s be honest, you didn’t post that selfie of you on the beach in order to make others feel better. Packer’s unusual hobby comes from that same impulsive desire to be noticed, to be remembered. He finds immortality in print.

You might try and argue that Mr. Packer is attempting to skew the news in his favor, but really, that’s not true either. His quotes, in general, are pretty innocuous and the events he attends are more about popularity than political divisiveness. And, above all, Packer seems to genuinely be having a good time—his joy is infectious.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, it’s doubtful that we’ll be seeing Mr. Packer’s name in print much anymore. But, at the very least, I am so glad that filmmaker Andrew David Watson was able to take us along for the gleeful ride.