“Keeper of Time,” a Documentary Film About Horology Now on Kickstarter

Back when I worked in documentary film, securing funding for a project was often the biggest hurdle. So when I heard that Keeper of Time, an upcoming film (currently in production) set to explore the history of mechanical watchmaking and the concept of time itself, was headed to Kickstarter for funding, I wasn’t all too surprised. After all, our collective adoration for horology is incredibly niche, so Kickstarter absolutely makes sense as the platform ideal for getting something like this off the ground.

Keeper of Time is produced and directed by Michael Culyba and co-produced by Emmy Award-winning editor Shelby Siegel (The Wire, Capturing the Friedmans). Culyuba explains his motivation for wanting to make the film:

“I’ve always worn a watch, whether it was the digital Casio I received on my seventh birthday or the Swatch I donned in high school. From there I always aspired to own a “nice” watch. Two years ago on my 43rd birthday I finally made that want a reality and became the proud owner of a nice mechanical wristwatch. I was instantly struck by the extraordinary engineering and craftsmanship that went into the making this mechanical timepiece. This initial curiosity soon led to an interest in the history of horology itself—the story of how and why mankind pursued (and continues to pursue) the measurement of time and the human ingenuity behind the amazing machines built to further that pursuit.”

The film will feature some industry mainstays, among them F.P. Journe, Ben Clymer, William Massena, Roland Murphy, and Nicholas Manousos, who is also a consultant on the film.

The smallest pledge ($15) gets you a digital copy of the film. Funds from the campaign will be used to expand production outside of New York.

To learn more about the project, click here.