The printing press was the world s first piece of mass-production technology. Its invention changed the world as dramatically as splitting the atom or sending men into space. It ignited a cultural revolution which shaped the modern age. It changed the way our brains work, replacing a spoken culture with a written one. It is the machine that made us who we are today. In this film, Stephen Fry goes on a journey to explore the story of the machine, and of the man who created it: Johann Gutenberg. He travels through the heartland of the printing revolution, exploring the political and religious turmoil which shaped Gutenberg s world: a world of visionary inventors, greedy investors, crafty bishops and inspired craftsmen. Combining historical enquiry with hands-on craft and technology, Stephen gathers a team to help him build a copy of the printing press. As he grapples with the same problems faced by his 15th Century predecessors, Stephen demonstrates the brilliance of Gutenberg s invention and brings the man and his machine to life. This is not a traditional history documentary. At its centre is the story of Stephen s modern-day journey of discovery a journey which derives its energy and momentum from his fascination for the subject and his infectious hunger for new information.