Today’s episode is about the documentary film The Book Makers. If you haven’t already seen the film, I recommend watching it before listening to this podcast. I speak with filmmaker James Kennard, and book maker Mark Sarigianis, and although we do some talking about books in general, I think this podcast episode would be more enjoyable as an accompaniment to film.

The Book Makers can be viewed streaming on PBS, or visit TheBookMakersFilm.com

The Book Makers was released in 2020 by InCa films. The documentary profiles several letterpress printers, bookbinders, historians, librarians, and artists who are working to keep books alive in the 21st century. The film profiles an eclectic group of people who have dedicated their lives to answering the question: what should books become in the digital age? From the esoteric world of book artists to the digital libraries of the Internet Archive, the film spins a tale of the enduring vitality of the book. This engaging documentary captures the painstaking but pleasurable process of creating hand-crafted books, in a diverse range of styles and mediums. The film travels from New York to Germany’s Black Forest, culminating at the Codex Book Fair in San Francisco, where the cast of characters congregates to sell their books to collectors from universities and the Library of Congress, and to curious buyers from around the world. Along the way, THE BOOK MAKERS highlights the talent, dedication and skill of these book artists, and reframes the concept and purpose of the book itself.

Mark Sarigianis the proprietor of Prototype Press and is featured heavily in The Book Makers producing a fine press edition of Charles Bukowski’s novel Ham on Rye. Mark apprenticed at Arion Press and M&H Type Foundry in San Francisco before starting an independent press with Davey Johnston who passed away in 2015 before their project was complete. Mark recently moved Prototype Press from West Oakland to Maryland where he now lives in and works.

James Kennard is a filmmaker from the Bay Area, and The Book Makers is his feature directorial debut following a 10-year career in documentary and film production. James is now based in Los Angeles working in the film industry.