The film Making Faces: Metal Type in the 21st Century is coming to Berlin. Making Faces is a fascinating design documentary by Richard Kegler that captures the personality and work process of the late Canadian graphic artist and type designer Jim Rimmer (1931–2010). It focuses on one man’s dedication to his craft and relays the details of creating a metal typeface, while also conveying this passion to anyone who values the “hand-made” in today’s world of convenience. Jim Rimmer’s good humor and intelligent description of his process make it an enjoyable viewing experience for those who are even vaguely interested in how things are made.
The film was partially-funded by a successful Kickstarter campaign, and I was proud to be one of the backers. The DVD sits proudly on my bookshelf. Now, Making Faces is coming to Berlin, where anyone may take the opportunity to see it for themselves.
Here are the details
September 8, 2011
Three show times – 19:00, 20:30 & 22:00
In the downstairs cinema at Filmcafé
Schliemannstr. 15
10437 Berlin
Tickets cost just €5 (€4 for students). As its name implies, Filmcafé is not just a cinema, but also a real café. During the evening, they will be serving up food and drinks to order. In fact, a coupon for a free drink is included in the film ticket’s price. In the café, you can also take the opportunity to meet Richard Kegler before or after the film, and maybe even share a pint or two with him!
Savy Berliners may also note that Filmcafé is across the street from the Mota Italic Gallery.
More about the film
In 2008, P22 type foundry commissioned Jim Rimmer to create a new type design, RTF Stern, that became the first-ever simultaneous release of a digital font and hand-set metal font. Rimmer was one of only a few who possessed the skills needed to create a metal font. Shot in High Definition, this film documents the creation of a new typeface from the preliminary sketches through the cutting and casting of a single letter. The film offers a unique opportunity to share Jim’s knowledge with the world.
Clearly anyone interested in type design, letterpress printing and graphic processes would see Making Faces as something inspiring and essential, as there are few films focusing on these topics. Font Bureau’s Dyana Weissman has published a brilliant review of the film on the Font Bureau blog.
Richard Kegler is founder and lead designer of P22 type foundry. He is also currently director of the WNY Book Arts Center in Buffalo NY. Kegler has a Masters degree from the Department of Media Study and the University at Buffalo
The URL for the film is http://www.p22.com/products/makingfaces.html