PrintingFilms.
Our take
Right, let's dive into this, shall we? Because "PrintingFilms.com" – the very name has a pleasing, slightly archaic weight to it, doesn't it? It evokes a time when film wasn’t pixels, when the physicality of the process *was* the process. This isn’t just about nostalgia, though. It's about a crucial, often-overlooked lineage. We've been so utterly consumed by the digital deluge that the foundational technologies, the *craft*, have begun to fade from conscious memory. Think about it: typography, journalism, printing – these aren’t just outputs; they’re built on layers of meticulous, mechanical artistry. We've written before about the importance of understanding the history of information design The Weight of Type and how that informs contemporary practice. PrintingFilms.com, in its quiet way, is a vital contribution to that ongoing conversation. It’s a digital archive of analog expertise. And, yes, the author's wistful question – "do such entities still exist?" – lands with a particularly poignant thud in the current landscape of automated design and outsourced production. It’s a question that deserves far more than a shrug.
The beauty of PrintingFilms.com lies in its unassuming nature. It’s not a flashy museum exhibit or a slick documentary. It’s a collection, a carefully curated assemblage of moving images that document the *doing* of printing. And that's the key: it’s not about the finished product, the beautiful book or the perfectly typeset newspaper. It's about the messy, intricate, often surprisingly dangerous work that went into creating it. Consider the etymology of "process" itself – from the Latin "processus," meaning "going forward." These films aren’t just records of a bygone era; they’re demonstrations of a continuous, iterative process, a chain of cause and effect that leads from concept to tangible form. We’ve explored similar notions of embodied knowledge in our piece on the disappearing art of letterpress The Ghosts of Ink – the tactile connection, the understanding that comes from *doing*, is something that’s incredibly difficult to replicate digitally. PrintingFilms.com provides a window into that lost world, a chance to witness the skill and ingenuity of the craftspeople who shaped our visual culture. It’s a reminder that design isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about understanding the material properties of the medium, the limitations and possibilities of the technology.
But beyond the preservation aspect, there’s a surprisingly relevant lesson here for contemporary designers and creatives. We’re so often obsessed with the latest software, the newest trends, the shiniest interfaces. But what happens when the technology changes again? What happens when the algorithms shift, the platforms disappear? The fundamental principles of typography, layout, and visual communication remain constant. Understanding the history of these principles, seeing them embodied in tangible form, can provide a grounding that’s missing from a purely digital education. Think about the razor clam again – that hidden, unexpected element. PrintingFilms.com is a razor clam; it surfaces unexpectedly, offering a glimpse of something vital that’s often overlooked in the relentless pursuit of the new. It’s a reminder that the best design solutions are often rooted in a deep understanding of the past.
And so, the question becomes: will this resource inspire a renewed appreciation for the physicality of the printed word? Will it encourage a generation of designers to look beyond the screen and engage with the material world? Or will it remain a niche curiosity, a digital relic for a handful of enthusiasts? Perhaps more importantly, will it spark a broader conversation about the value of craft, the importance of embodied knowledge, and the enduring power of analog processes in a digital age? The echo of those printing presses, captured on film, deserves to resonate far beyond the confines of PrintingFilms.com. We'll be watching to see if this sparks a broader movement toward reclaiming the tactile and material aspects of design, and whether the "old ways" can inform and enrich the "new."
As regular readers will know, I am a sucker for old-fashioned printing — one of the best parts of my job as a proofreader in a printing and design department in the 1980s (do such entities still exist?) was hanging out with printers and listening to them talk about the old days. PrintingFilms.com is a great resource; the About page says:
PrintingFilms.com is a collection of vintage films that showcase the technologies and processes of printing, journalism, and typography. It was established by Doug Wilson in 2012 after his work as director of Linotype: The Film.
The collection started when Doug was given a box of 16mm Linotype promotional films in 2011 by Dave Seat for digitization.
In 2013, Carl Schlesinger (a former Linotype operator at The New York Times) donated his extensive collection of films to the Museum of Printing, which assisted with preservation in 2015.
I recommend, as a starter, Type Speaks (1948, 25:27):
Created by the American Type Founders Company, this film features the appearance and narration of Ben Grauer, a famous NBC radio personality explaining his love of books and modern printing. The history of printing is briefly shown followed by showing the in-depth process of matrix and punch making.
The film shows the most in-depth and visually easy-to-understand process of making type. It follows the entire process of type making from original design (showcasing Lydian by Warren Chappell) to pattern making, punch cutting, matrix making, and the use of the Benton engraving machine.
I was struck by the pronunciation of vagaries as vuh-GARE-eez, which I don’t think I’d heard before — but then, how often do you hear the word at all?
Read on the original site
Open the publisher's page for the full experience