Fountain Pens in Movies and TV

[Chrissy]

I can't get the BBC TV iPlayer to come up as a video clip but for those who can watch it the TV show is called Clive Myrie's Italian Toad Trip. Series 1:10 is the Florence trip and the calligraphy writing part is from circa 11 minutes onwards.

I think the pen used is a Lamy LX but she may have also used a Lamy Joy dipped.

Lamy LX 1.jpgLamy LX.jpg

[catbert]

An artist sketching on a bus towards the end of this DW documentary.

OsmanKavala1.jpg

OsmanKavala2.jpg

[carlos.q]

We do not know why we are here.
We do not know who built the Silo.
We do not know why everything outside the Silo is as it is.
We do not know when it will be safe to go outside.
We only know that day is not this day.

Silo is an Apple+ sci-fi series about the future in which 10,000 people live in a 144 level underground silo with no elevator. People cannot go outside the silo as certain death befalls anyone who does. With this dreary background it is nice to note that fountain pens are still in use. In the first chapter the sheriff uses a fp to take some notes:

sheriff.jpg

In chapter 3 the mayor uses a fp to make an official appointment:

mayor.jpg

Yup, no matter what happens in the future may it be the zombie apocalypse, the earth freezing over or becoming a toxic wasteland, be assured that fountain pens will still be in use.

[Blue Note]

Fountain pens are like cockroaches; they will be here long after we are gone.

[fountainpenkid]

We do not know why we are here.
We do not know who built the Silo.
We do not know why everything outside the Silo is as it is.
We do not know when it will be safe to go outside.
We only know that day is not this day.

Silo is an Apple+ sci-fi series about the future in which 10,000 people live in a 144 level underground silo with no elevator. People cannot go outside the silo as certain death befalls anyone who does. With this dreary background it is nice to note that fountain pens are still in use. In the first chapter the sheriff uses a fp to take some notes:

sheriff.jpg

In chapter 3 the mayor uses a fp to make an official appointment:

mayor.jpg

Yup, no matter what happens in the future may it be the zombie apocalypse, the earth freezing over or becoming a toxic wasteland, be assured that fountain pens will still be in use.

Evidently the apocalypse also befell handwriting! Is there any reason they used a pen with a dried-out nib to film the scene? Was the terrible appearance of the writing supposed to signify something?

[carlos.q]

Evidently the apocalypse also befell handwriting! Is there any reason they used a pen with a dried-out nib to film the scene? Was the terrible appearance of the writing supposed to signify something?

I don't have a clue. The name of the new sheriff (spoiler alert) is supposed to be Juliette Nichols.

[Yazeh]

Evidently the apocalypse also befell handwriting! Is there any reason they used a pen with a dried-out nib to film the scene? Was the terrible appearance of the writing supposed to signify something?

Maybe, all they've got is a few dried up bottles of inks or they're using home made inks

[INeedAFinancialAdvisor]

Having watched the episodes in question, it is my opinion that no one on set has a clue how to use the pen. I suspect the dried out nib May have been due to the cap being left off between takes?… should have used a “51”… wouldn’t have had that problem.,,

[carlos.q]

"Keep breathing" is a Netflix production that showcases the perseverance and ingenuity of a pregnant city lawyer who suddenly finds herself lost in the Alaskan wilderness after her plane crash lands in a lake. In the second episode she examines the items she has at her disposal and comes upon this Lamy Studio in brushed steel:

Studio1.jpg

By the fourth episode she realizes a fountain pen is not much use for survival and decides to ditch the pen:

Studio2.jpg

[catbert]

But what if she needs to fight a bear or something? If movies have taught us anything, it's that fountain pens are excellent weapons.

[BlkWhiteFilmPix]

In Secrets of the Mona Lisa, Andrew Graham-Dixon writes with a Montblanc 149 at 1:30 into the film, and the 149 is on his car seat around 2:20.

[catbert]

In Secrets of the Mona Lisa, Andrew Graham-Dixon writes with a Montblanc 149 at 1:30 into the film, and the 149 is on his car seat around 2:20.

Found it on YouTube.

monalisa1.jpg

monalisa2.jpg

[Yazeh]

K-Drama - It's Ok not to be Ok..

The female author [who writes, children's (read scary/creepy) fairy tales , steals the fountain pen of a sleazy admirer
It's OK not to be OK - 1.jpgIt's OK not to be OK - 2.jpg
It's OK not to be OK - 3.jpg
It's OK not to be OK - 4.jpg

[SlowMovingTarget]

We do not know why we are here.
We do not know who built the Silo.
We do not know why everything outside the Silo is as it is.
We do not know when it will be safe to go outside.
We only know that day is not this day.

Silo is an Apple+ sci-fi series about the future in which 10,000 people live in a 144 level underground silo with no elevator. People cannot go outside the silo as certain death befalls anyone who does. With this dreary background it is nice to note that fountain pens are still in use. In the first chapter the sheriff uses a fp to take some notes:

sheriff.jpg

In chapter 3 the mayor uses a fp to make an official appointment:

mayor.jpg

Yup, no matter what happens in the future may it be the zombie apocalypse, the earth freezing over or becoming a toxic wasteland, be assured that fountain pens will still be in use.

Apple made Hugh Howie's Wool? Neat!

[INeedAFinancialAdvisor]

We do not know why we are here.
We do not know who built the Silo.
We do not know why everything outside the Silo is as it is.
We do not know when it will be safe to go outside.
We only know that day is not this day.

Silo is an Apple+ sci-fi series about the future in which 10,000 people live in a 144 level underground silo with no elevator. People cannot go outside the silo as certain death befalls anyone who does. With this dreary background it is nice to note that fountain pens are still in use. In the first chapter the sheriff uses a fp to take some notes:

sheriff.jpg

In chapter 3 the mayor uses a fp to make an official appointment:

mayor.jpg

Yup, no matter what happens in the future may it be the zombie apocalypse, the earth freezing over or becoming a toxic wasteland, be assured that fountain pens will still be in use.

Apple made Hugh Howie's Wool? Neat!

Yup. I have not read Wool. But spoilered myself by reading the synopsis on wiki. So far i have only detected one major deviation from the original story per the wiki.

It’s a good show.

[Doctox]

After just last week binge watching "1923", I was amazed to learn that, while back East everyone still had to use, at best, a hard rubber Duofold or Sheaffer (actually the first ever "plastic" i.e. celluloid pen was Sheaffer in 1923), out in Montana, everyone was already using ballpoint pens. So advanced!! Given the cavalier attitude of the set decorators, I am surprised Alexandra did not have an iPhone.

[Scrawler]

After just last week binge watching "1923", I was amazed to learn that, while back East everyone still had to use, at best, a hard rubber Duofold or Sheaffer (actually the first ever "plastic" i.e. celluloid pen was Sheaffer in 1923), out in Montana, everyone was already using ballpoint pens. So advanced!! Given the cavalier attitude of the set decorators, I am surprised Alexandra did not have an iPhone.

I collected 3 pens that could reasonably have been used to sign a charter in 1923 for a centennial celebration, and none of them were ballpoints.

[Yazeh]

After just last week binge watching "1923", I was amazed to learn that, while back East everyone still had to use, at best, a hard rubber Duofold or Sheaffer (actually the first ever "plastic" i.e. celluloid pen was Sheaffer in 1923), out in Montana, everyone was already using ballpoint pens. So advanced!! Given the cavalier attitude of the set decorators, I am surprised Alexandra did not have an iPhone.

I can understand that for low budget movies but for big budget production is a cop-out. Though knowing the film industry, I know it's often style above substance.

[catbert]

After just last week binge watching "1923", I was amazed to learn that, while back East everyone still had to use, at best, a hard rubber Duofold or Sheaffer (actually the first ever "plastic" i.e. celluloid pen was Sheaffer in 1923), out in Montana, everyone was already using ballpoint pens. So advanced!! Given the cavalier attitude of the set decorators, I am surprised Alexandra did not have an iPhone.

I can understand that for low budget movies but for big budget production is a cop-out. Though knowing the film industry, I know it's often style above substance.

Surely a fountain pen would bring more style to the proceedings? I'm almost tempted to skim the show for writing instruments.

I found a Reddit thread discussing a (disputed) ballpoint sighting in episode 1: https://www.reddit.com/r/Yellowstone..._into_my_head/

[Yazeh]

After just last week binge watching "1923", I was amazed to learn that, while back East everyone still had to use, at best, a hard rubber Duofold or Sheaffer (actually the first ever "plastic" i.e. celluloid pen was Sheaffer in 1923), out in Montana, everyone was already using ballpoint pens. So advanced!! Given the cavalier attitude of the set decorators, I am surprised Alexandra did not have an iPhone.

I can understand that for low budget movies but for big budget production is a cop-out. Though knowing the film industry, I know it's often style above substance.

Surely a fountain pen would bring more style to the proceedings? I'm almost tempted to skim the show for writing instruments.

I found a Reddit thread discussing a (disputed) ballpoint sighting in episode 1: https://www.reddit.com/r/Yellowstone..._into_my_head/

Movie industry is a collaborative. You're trying to tell a story visually. Sometimes you don't have the resources or because of time/budget constraints, the director/producer forgoes factual accuracy. What they most care about is that the story works and viewers binge watch If there's a bit of controversy, even better.
With historical movies it's almost impossible to be accurate. For ex, In the man who invented Christmas, Dickens is clearly using Sumi ink and his quill is not used correctly. True stories are even more difficult to film. You have to "dramatize" historical events, to give it meaning and cram it into the story structure and the producers demands.
I once tried my hand at helping to make a historical short, trying to recreate a silent movie. Trying to get costumes, props on a shoe string budget. We had to scour secondhand clothes stores, to find approximative costumes, and props, learn the art of inter titles. We used to blare 20s Charleston music on the set to get the actors in to mood. And even found a pianist, who accompanied silent movies at the cinematheque.
But we used a steadicam, and we probably made many other mistakes. In the end we had to make the movie, under enormous times constraints. It's the same with big production and ball points are the least of the problems of the director and producer. In the end it's just a movie
Finally a lot of movies/series follow trends. Look at Bridgerton, is extremely popular yet historically inaccurate. And the list goes on.... In the end it's all like your fantastic spam sketch. We can let it take over, or just let is by. That's life