Witness the Man Behind Pantone at Work in New ‘The King of Color’ Image [Exclusive]

For anyone who’s ever consulted a color chart for painting, printing, or something else entirely, there’s Larry Herbert to thank. Herbert is the founder of Pantone and the mastermind behind the Pantone Matching System, the numerical method that helped standardize color and single-handedly revolutionized the use and understanding of color throughout the world. He’s now also the subject of a new documentary titled The King of Color, recounting his journey and bringing attention to the oft-uncredited figure. As part of Collider’s Exclusive Preview week for winter television and film titles, we’re excited to share a new image highlighting the man himself at work on his life-changing invention that many take for granted.

The King of Color begins where Herbert’s life begins — in Depression-era Brooklyn, where he grew up. Entering the print and manufacturing trade at a young age, he had first-hand experience working at a time when the organization of color was chaotic and subjective, leading to plenty of headaches in just about any industry where it was employed. It was out of the chaos that he formulated the Pantone Matching System, giving color a universal language that would easily apply across all industries, from graphic design to printing, manufacturing, product design, and more. For such a widely used system that is immensely helpful to so many, though, Herbert has largely remained behind the scenes. The documentary brings him out of the shadows and dives into his mind to show the human side of a man with a simple idea that changed the world.

At the heart of the film is an exclusive interview with Herbert, now 96 years old, to give his insight on his invention, having lived a full life and seen the fruits of his labor. He delves into the thought process behind Pantone and its signature organization system, and comes to grips with how the industry has forever changed thanks to his guiding hand. It seeks to give the man a biographical documentary to cement his legacy in a year full of acclaimed films of that kind, like John Candy: I Like Me, Mr. Scorsese, and Sly Lives!.

Who Is Behind ‘The King of Color’?

Patrick Creadon directed The King of Color, bringing a varied resume behind the camera. He’s no stranger to putting the spotlight on relatively underappreciated figures in the world, making his directorial debut in 2006 with Wordplay about beloved New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz. From there, Creadon has tackled a wide range of subjects, from the sports documentary The Loyola Project, an episode of ESPN’s 30 for 30, the tenth anniversary celebration documentary Square Roots: The Story of SpongeBob SquarePants, and Hesburgh, highlighting renowned clergyman, longtime civil rights activist, and University of Notre Dame president Theodore Hesburgh. The film was picked up for release ahead of AFI Fest by Picturehouse, the banner behind the Academy Award-winning La Vie en Rose.

The King of Color premieres in theaters in December. Check out our exclusive image above and stay tuned here at Collider for more from our winter preview series throughout the week.