Sunday, December 28, 2014

Getting a sneak peek

This is central San Anselmo, in Marin County, California, north of San Francisco.

 

I came here this morning to visit Doug Nichol, who is finishing a film about many dimensions of typewriters. As currently planned, it will culminate with the typewriter insurgency manifesto and the rise of the typewritten revolution.

I took my father's Smith-Corona Clipper to this coffeeshop where Doug filmed me doing some work on my book.


We also filmed some of the correspondence I've received from insurgents. On top is the latest communiqué, received just before I left Cincinnati. Thank you, Agent R.! Be steadfast!


In Doug Nichol's office, I was  impressed by this video-editing keyboard, as well as other great software and hardware ...


... especially this hardware.

 
Doug has become a true typewriter lover, user, and collector since he began the film. Here's a Standard Folding and a Lambert that he found in Paris.


The complexities of the film are laid out on this bulletin board. I got a peek at many scenes. There's a lot of good material, from the historical to the personal, from the hilarious to the sad to the mysterious. This is going to be one fantastic movie. 
 



11 comments:

  1. Well - it looks that in 2015 typewriter-related releases will be plentiful. Can't wait... :)

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  2. I've got to see his movie! Those typewriters are quite impressive too.

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  3. Luck boy, being in the midst of the "fray". If you get into San Francisco, drive by Market Street, at Polk St and Hayes, and throw "rose petals" on the site of the 4600 seat "San Francisco Fox" movie theatre. One of filmdom's finest picture palaces! Happy New Year Richard!!

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  4. Is the film being shot on film? Would be wonderful for a typewriter movie.

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    1. It's digital, but it looks like it's going to include some telling scenes that point out the madness of our all-consuming digital obsessions. We don't have to cast aside all our information-processing machines forever, but we need to find perspective on them, and I believe this motion picture will help us do so.

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    2. I'm looking forward to it. I thought of you the other day as I started reading "The People's Platform" by Astra Taylor. It's the most insightful reflection on digital culture that I've read.

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  5. I'm glad to see that despite all of the available digital productivity aids, like to do lists hovering over us in "the cloud", that there is still a use for the 3x5 card.

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  6. While you were in San Anselmo, did you visit the statues of Indy and Yoda? http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/38615

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