Celebrating the lost generation of American craftsmen.

What is it like to work with your hands? To carry on the family trade for generations? We are telling the stories of American artisans whose lives are full of hard work, struggle, passion and reward.

With your help, on May 8, 2013 filmmakers Luke Raffety and Zach Lowry will begin a 20-day long project that will span over 4,500 miles, and will take place in over 20 states. We will be creating a series of documentaries about the hard work and determination of these artisans.

"The Timeless Artisans" is a tribute to the many companies and individuals that still handcraft beautiful products here in America. It is a celebration of what these artisans stand for--hard work, determination, and tradition.

The jobs we have chosen are not booming. These trades have definitely seen their prime, but the jobs remain because the products and craftsmanship are timeless. While they are not popular trades, they are necessary trades. These trades are arts.

We have scoured the country, and found the most engaging, inspiring, and unique artisans--the ones offering viewers fascinating insight into the tradecraft of hand-made products.

All of these companies need our support to thrive in America. That is why their stories need to be told.

All of these individuals and companies have rich histories and traditions that need to be shared.

Behind-the-scenes photos from the making of the Kickstarter video:

Zach Lowry interviews blacksmith Michael Fox in Hanover, PA.

Luke Rafferty captures slow-motion video at Michael Fox's forge in Hanover, PA.

Where can we find the videos?

In each location we will stop, meet the artisan, learn about his or her trade and then produce a short, documentary-style video, which will be uploaded to our Vimeo page, and the project's website (under construction) throughout our trip.

In March we traveled to central Pennsylvania and produced an example video of Michael Fox, a blacksmith. The videos produced on the trip will be very similar to this:

Where is the money going?

The fund breakdown is as follows:

Fuel/Car Expenses: $1500

Lodging: $1500

Food: $1000

Equipment Rentals: $1500

Miscellaneous: $500

Please make a pledge to The Timeless Artisans, and please stick with us beyond our Kickstarter campaign; your support, ideas, enthusiasm and criticism are integral to our success. We welcome your comments here, as well as your emails, which can be directed to thetimelessartisans@gmail.com. Also, please follow The Timeless Artisans on Facebook for future updates.

Your support is invaluable. Thank you for believing in us, but more importantly, thank you for believing in the Timeless Artisans.