Learn about the important cultural legacy of the book arts, specifically in Austin and Central Texas, by viewing these short films (12-15 minutes each). These films are the first two of a multi-part documentary series directed and produced by Austin filmmaker and ABAC founding Board Member Mark S. Hall.
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We Took Care of Our Texts: A Film About W. Thomas Taylor
In conjunction with FUTURE BOUND, the 2021 fall fundraising campaign, ABAC premiered We Took Care of Our Texts, a documentary short film, produced and directed by Austin filmmaker Mark S. Hall. The film chronicles the extraordinary career of fine press publisher W. Thomas Taylor.
We Took Care of Our Texts is the latest installment of the multi-part documentary series on the book arts in Central Texas, directed and produced by Mark S. Hall. In this film, Hall interviews W. Thomas Taylor and Bradley Hutchinson, two legendary figures in fine book production with luminous careers spanning over 40 years. Taylor and Hutchinson recount their dedication to excellence in book design and fine press publishing.
Though responsible for the production of many renowned editions, Tom Taylor is perhaps best known as the author of Texfake: An Account of Theft and Forgery of Early Texas Printed Documents (1991) and for the revival of The Book Club of Texas, originally founded in 1929 by Stanley Marcus. Bradley Hutchinson is the proprietor of Digital Letterpress, located in the east side of Austin. Housed in the original W. Thomas Taylor Editions printshop, Hutchinson continues to letterpress print many fine books and exquisite limited editions, using a combination of digital and analog equipment, keeping alive the centuries-old process.
We Took Care of Our Texts: A Film About W. Thomas Taylor
CREDITS
Producer and Director……..Mark S. Hall
Photography and Editor….Xander Clark
Original Music……….…Brian Satterwhite
Title Graphics…………………..Ben Sargent
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Good Book Action
On November 13, 2020, the Austin Book Arts Center held an online screening* of Good Book Action: Craig Jensen Master Bookbinder, a short film by documentary filmmaker Mark Hall. This premiere was held in conjunction with BLUE SKIES, a Charity GoFundMe campaign running October 30 – December 1, 2020, with the goal of recouping a portion of lost income due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Craig Jensen is one of the most accomplished and noted artists currently working in the field of fine art bookbinding. Good Book Action captures the magic of Jensen’s work as he shares examples of his masterful books that have elevated bookbinding to a high art form.
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Following the screening, Greg Ciotti moderated a Q&A with Craig Jensen and Mark Hall about the film, Craig’s career in book arts, and Craig’s association with ABAC.
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Mark Hall has been studying book arts and collecting design bindings since the 1980’s. He is a filmmaker, book artist, and attorney. Born in Panamá, his award-winning documentary films have often focused on international themes such as the environment, education, politics, and culture. We Took Care of Our Texts: A Film About W. Thomas Taylor is the second in a multi-part documentary series by Hall on book arts in Central Texas. The first was Good Book Action: Craig Jensen Master Bookbinder, a short film about fine art bookbinder Craig Jenson that was featured during Blue Skies, ABAC’s 2020 fall fundraising campaign.