A Shift: a documentary on FabLab in The Netherlands. from Elmine Wijnia on Vimeo.

Also available on the FabLab-channel.

Wednesday I’ve been filming the FabLab managers in Groningen for my documentary during the FabTafel held there. It is a 6-weekly gathering of the local FabLab-community to talk about all things related to FabLab. It was a perfect opportunity for me to interview the managers in one go.

FabLab Groningen is a new Lab, officially opening end of this month. It houses in an building called Het Paleis (The Palace). A wonderful building filled with beginning entrepreneurs and artists located in an area of the city that is still under construction. An inspiring and creative surrounding and a perfect location for a FabLab.

I have now loads of interview material that I have to go through. It will be a challenge to keep the documentary short

I collected six stories in total, enough to showcase stuff in the documentary. You can watch them all on the FabLabChannel @ 23video. Note that only one of them is in English, the rest in Dutch without subtitles (will follow!).

The one below is my favorite. It’s the story from a guy that came into the Lab for the very first time. He’s a college teacher (arts) and therefore works almost all the time when the Lab is open. Now, it was a school holiday and he arranged something for the kids so he could come here. He draws beautiful patterns by hand and this time he scanned the pattern into Corel Draw and printed it in plywood.

It came out almost perfect. How’s that for a first time visit!

(the video below is in Dutch and doesn’t have subtitles, yet)

FabLab Stories: drawing patterns (Dutch) from Elmine Wijnia on Vimeo.

The general idea:
3 or 4 stories on powerful examples of products created within the Labs, told by the labmanagers in NL, alternated with stories from ‘open day’ visitors at ProtoSpace explaining and showing what they’re working on.

Extra material I can use:
- I already wrote an introduction for the workshop Siert, Ton and I suggested for the pre-workshop day at SHiFT. I can use it as a storyline for the beginning of the documentary (voice-over);
- Some labs take pictures of the things created in the Labs, I can use those stills to show examples.

I’m wondering: would you be interested in watching this documentary? What would you like to discover about Fab Lab? What would you want to know from the Fab Lab users?

Would love to hear some feedback

issues of copyright in the information age, mashing up the media landscape of the 20th century and shattering the wall between users and producers.

Here’s the intro, as an appetizer.

Watch all the other chapters online. With a special request to all viewing: REMIX PLEASE!

(HT to Marco Derksen)