Film

A documentary by Doug Nichol - 2016

California Typewriter

Martin and his collection are featured in Doug Nichol’s full length documentary ‘California Typewriter’ which had its premiere at the 2016 Telluride Film Festival.

The film explores the role of the typewriter in today’s popular culture, the creative relationships which people have with them and how the past is never far away. The film includes some well-known people who continue to use and admire manual typewriters. Among them are Sam Shepard, John Mayer, David McCullough, and Tom Hanks.

Conversation with Fred Minnick (video – 3:45 minutes) – Frontier Filmmakers

Review – Hollywood Reporter

Review – Deadline Hollywood

Review – Q CBC

Website – California Typewriter

Directed by Guillermo del Toro - 2015

Crimson Peak

The Props Master working on Guillermo del Toro’s film Crimson Peak, needed a portable typewriter from 1910 that would be a gift to Jessica Chastain, an author, from her husband Tom Hiddleston.

The typewriter that they used was the Standard Folding 1. An intriguing little machine with a carriage that folds over onto the keyboard, allowing it to fit into a very small box.

Renowned Canadian pianist Anton Kuerti stars in quirky short film for Bravo - 2012

Notes from the kuerti keyboard

This film aims to broaden the appeal of classical music by highlighting its more playful and unconventional sides. It was broadcast on Bravo! and featured at various film festivals.

Renowned Canadian pianist Anton Kuerti performs the Scherzo from Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 18 on both a piano and an 1896 Underwood Model 1 typewriter. The typewriter, from the Martin Howard Collection, adds a striking visual element – with its keyboard cleverly altered from QWERTY to KUERTI as a tribute to Anton.

Press Release

Notes From The Kuerti Keyboard (select ‘Trailer’ to view entire film, 5:30 minutes)