The Hackspace

Documentary about a community-powered workshop space

Hackspaces have become increasingly popular in recent years, as the “maker movement” has reacted against the increasing miniaturisation of electronic devices, and the fact they’re harder and harder for users to fix and customise.

We became aware of RLab, a community-driven maker space based in an industrial unit full of reclaimed and second-hand lasers, 3d printers, half-working old computer kit and other post-apocalyptic machinery, and decided to make a mini documentary about it.

Filming over five nights and interviewing everyone from the group’s founder and laser obsessive, Ryan, to various members and visitors – whoever happened to be there on a given night, really – we edited together this mini-documentary.

It was important for the viewer to be on the side of the hackers: electronics can be a bit of an impenetrable subject, but we were able to craft this five-minute piece which told the story in an engaging and interesting way.