The book is dead,
long live the book.

The Book Makers is a 1-hour documentary that pulls back the curtain on the people who are keeping books alive in the 21st century.

THE BOOK MAKERS 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.

CREATORS

James Kennard — Director and Editor

The Book Makers marks James Kennard’s feature directorial debut, following a 10 year career in documentary and commercial film production. Hailing from the Bay Area, James is currently working in Los Angeles. His feature documentary credits include:

  • Land of Songs (2015) - Camera 

  • A Year in Burgundy (2013) - Post  

  • A Year in Champagne (2014) - Camera & Editor

  • A Year in Port (2016) -second-unit director, Camera, Editor

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Nion McEvoy & Leslie Berriman — Executive Producers

Joint supporters of the arts, Nion and Leslie have funded and produced numerous documentary films. Their credits include:

  • California Typewriter (2016)

  • Obit. (2016)

  • Chasing Coral (2017)

  • The House of Tomorrow (2017)

  • Won’t You Be My Neighbor (2018)

  • The Fourth Estate (2018)

  • The Seer and the Unseen (2019)

  • The Kingmaker (2019)

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David Kennard - Senior Producer

David Kennard has more than 50 years of international experience as a Producer, Writer, and Director. His credits include:

  • The ‘A Year in..’’ Wine Trilogy: A Year in Burgundy, A Year in Champagne, A Year in Port

  • Keeping Score with Michael Tilson Thomas

  • Cosmos with Carl Sagan

  • Connections with James Burke

  • The Ascent of Man with Jacob Bronowsli

  • We The People with Peter Jennings

  • Joseph Campbell: The Hero’s Journey

  • The Final Hours: Amelia Earhart’s Last Flight

  • The Promise of Play with Jane Goodall

  • 2001: HAL’s Legacy with Arthur C. Clarke

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Additional Credits

Jamie LeJeune, Cinematographer & Colorist

Mark Escott, (Phoenix Sound Design), Sound Mixer & Designer