Craft in Film

There are a large number of production houses currently focused on the craft movement. This is exciting on a number of levels, but mostly because video is more important than ever in getting these stories out there. Couple that with the incredible innovation and attention to detail found in these works, and you have another great window into the world of craft.

Here are just a few of our latest finds, as well as this video of our own, produced for MicroShiner by Auston Marek.


Montgomery Distillery from MicroShiner on Vimeo.


Gryphon Strings from Cinema Mercantile on Vimeo.


The Birth Of A Tool. Part I. Axe Making (by John Neeman Tools) from John Neeman Tools on Vimeo.

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American Hand - A Film Screening

American Hand is a new documentary series that highlights the work of the American craftsman, where self-reliant individuals, through vision and dedication, are keeping our manufacturing tradition alive using tools and skills from generations past. Through their own handcrafted storytelling, American Hand examines these examples of American craftsmanship, providing us the opportunity to see their stories unfold while we learn the intricacies of their craft.

A screening of the latest installment of American Hand will be held on Friday, December 6th at Make Shift Boston, located on 549 Columbus Avenue. The event runs from 7:30 pm until 10, beginning with parts 1-3 of the series and concluding with the debut of Part 4.

As always, the micro-distilling community has lent its support to this furtherance of craft culture, with complimentary hospitality being provided by Berkshire Mountain Distillers.

Here is a taste of what you can expect from American Hand.


American Hand Teaser from Jon Walley on Vimeo.

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Spirit Guides - a craft documentary

This past month, New Yorkers attending the New York City Independent Film Festival had the great fortune to partake in a screening of Spirit Guides: The Return of Craft Bartending in New York, a 34-minute documentary by first time filmmaker Jesse White. Equal parts history lesson and imbiber's training manual, the film illuminates NYC's cocktail renaissance through a series of interviews with the small, close-knit community of next gen mixologists currently reviving the bartender craft in the Big Apple.

Q&A panel with Jesse, Jen Marshall, and bartenders from the film

For more on Spirit Guides, check out this Q&A with director Jesse White via The Manual

  

Trailer - Spirit Guides from JTWhiteFilms on Vimeo.

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The Great ... Baz Luhrmann

Given the massive amount of money that goes into even the smallest Hollywood production, it is hard calling any of them craft. Most people would assign that label to the independent films made outside of the big studios. But if there is one person today whose personal mark is unmistakable, someone who embodies the craft of filmmaking, it is Baz Luhrmann.

Of course we’re referring here to the director’s latest work, The Great Gatsby, and whether you appreciate him or not, if you’re a fan of cocktail culture, this movie is a must see. In typical grandiose style, Luhrmann does reasonable justice to the original Fitzgerald masterpiece while painting a picture of the Roaring Twenties that, if not historically accurate, portrays them as they may well manifest here in another decade. It is undoubtedly a tragedy, as nearly all of Luhrmann’s subjects are, but regardless of the unfortunate and inevitable outcome, it provides, at the very least, wonderful inspiration for a Jazz Age summer gala of your own.

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