We have been sheep-dipped in the maker movement, from Maker Faires to kids maker centres like Assemble, to small scale operators in the maker movement. It has been a key theme of the last few years for us.

The recent opening of the Pittsburgh Tech Shop showed us how such a facility can change how people think about free time, projects, and learning outside of institutions. Some call it a pay as you go university, but without the academics. Meeting with Tech Shop CEO Mark Hatch, and ex Green Beret, and you get hooked into his dream of what these places have done, and what he believes they can be. Its an infectious dream. In the week of the opening, the place was buzzing, and two of our students Alexis Caldero became one of their consultants, and Zack Jacobson Weaver started teaching water jet cutting.

A membership fee, plus initial training in the equipment gets you access to top of the range laser cutters, CNC routers, wood, textile and metal working tools. As they say:

…more than 16,000 square feet of workshops equipped with world class tools and equipment, computers loaded with design software featuring the Autodesk Design Suite, hundreds of classes each month, and the support and camaraderie of a community of like-minded makers.

Its an approach we have taken deeply, and as a result make things rather than talk about them. Our films about makers are a part of that understanding of why people make, and what it gives them. Its undoubtedly a big part of how we get through this recession, and what we do next. More than that, its part of a bigger move away from mere consumption. Thank goodness for that.

We’re really interested in making something that brings making to people in new ways. We’ll be working on things like that.