Kartemquin Films

In the video below, Kartemquin co-founder and artistic director Gordon Quinn describes the history, technology and practice behind “Camera #1” — the very first Kartemquin camera. Used to film documentaries from our early years such as Home for Life, Inquiring Nuns, and Marco, the camera is unique due to its custom-modified crystal-sync sound set-up, created by Danny Auerbach in the early 1960’s at a fraction of the cost of other similar models in existence.

For more on how Camera #1 works, and some of the other historic technology we still keep at 1901 W Wellington, read Heather McIntosh’s article “A Visit to Kartemquin Films: Uncovering a Documentary Technology Trove.”

_{Direction/Cinematography: Morgan Johnson}