About the Film

What if everyone is creative, and the tools to shape our world are within reach?

This is a central question of the Maker Movement, a title Dale Dougherty famously assigned the cultural shift sparked by new tools and communities that emphasize learning through the process of creation.

There’s no question new technologies like 3D printing, micro-computers and online social networks create a perfect storm for the movement. But beneath these platforms lies the human element—the one theme that emerged again and again in our conversations about the future of making.

We Are Makers visits the workshops, garages and studios that are bringing making into the realms of education, public policy, commerce and communities everywhere.

The film was produced by a four-person team from Abilene Christian University in West Texas. Campus conversations about the potential impact of the movement on education inspired a film we hope will spark broader discussion of the power of learning through making and the many contexts that have nurtured its growth.

The Filmmakers

Our team is made up of educators, media creators, and technologists in Abilene, Texas.

Kyle Dickson | Producer

Director of the AT&T Learning Studio and English professor at ACU, Kyle led production planning, interviews and structure of the film and content for the web.

Nathan Driskell | Director, Designer

Nathan led cinematography, editing, coloring and graphic design for the film and wearemakers.org. He is a media production specialist in the AT&T Learning Studio.

Mathew Bardwell | Director, Sound Engineer

Matt led sound engineering, as well as filming and editing for the film and additional interview content. He is a media production specialist in the AT&T Learning Studio.

James Langford | Associate Producer

Director of Educational Technology for the Adams Center for Teaching and Learning at ACU, James helped with research and planning throughout the project.

Elvis Sanchez | Composer

Elvis is a composer and musician. He wrote and performed the original score for the film.

Featuring

We were overwhelmed by the generosity of each person we interviewed, sharing their spaces and their expertise in ways that continued to enrich the film.

We Are Makers features, in order of appearance:

Allan Chochinov, School of Visual Arts, Core77  
Dale Dougherty, Make  
Raphael Abrams, NYC Resistor
Lizabeth Arum, MakerBot
David Carr, Supermechanical  
Leif Krinkle, School of Visual Arts
Eric Siegel, New York Hall of Science  
Sylvia Perez, New York Hall of Science
Randy Hunt, Etsy  

Special Thanks

The film was underwritten by the office of the Provost and the Dean of Library Services and Educational Technology at ACU.

The Learning Studio is made possible by a grant from AT&T.