Printing, A Future Unlimited - 1957 promotional video

[Dave Hughes]

20-minute promotional video, aimed at recruiting people into the print industry.


https://youtu.be/ZYGb_U_zrPU

Here's Periscope Films description:

This film shows the printing industry circa 1957, with a look back at the history of printing. The earliest records of printing began in 3,500 BCE. Gutenberg's printing press was perfected and ready for commercial use in 1490. This film was made available by Crown Zellerbach Corporation (:19). Crown Zellerbach was an American pulp and paper conglomerate that was subjected to a hostile takeover in the 80's by the brutal financier, Sir James Goldsmith. The film opens with a series of items which require printing such as a ground pepper container (:41), cereal box (:51) and a US tax return (:57). A Johnson's Educator Cracker tin follows (1:40) as well as a flier for races in the fall at Willow Springs (1:44). Machinery churns out fresh printed pieces at a press (1:50). The film is presented by the Education Council of the Graphic Arts Industry Association based in LA (2:02). It was produced by Contemporary Films (2:44). A man and woman share ideas, or rather, communicate on a park bench (3:02). An IBM card sorting machine follows (3:23). Books are also pointed to as a method to communicate ideas with (3:29). A magazine advertisement pedals to female secretaries (3:44). A newspaper from 1957 dictates the Angels had signed Monte Irving that year (3:46). Most take the innovation of the printing press for granite as a man chooses which paper to read at a stand (4:05). A small printing press (4:37) is compared to a traditional type handset (4:49). Magazine pages are printed and folded over one another (4:55). The modern printer must be a specialist as they must also know how to bind, design, etc. (5:30). A wad of thick ink is spread (8:04). The various fonts of Gutenberg, Bodoni, Garamond and Gowdy are examined (8:12). Letters are hand selected for the hand type (9:09). Type can then be photographed and set onto lithographic plates (9:40). Reproduction proofs are pulled (10:03). Engravings are made of the prints (10:06). A small press can turn out about 10,000 business cards an hour (10:28). Larger presses can turn out about 20,000 page Metropolitan newspaper pages (10:28). In the printing press break room, the master printer (14:45), the plant's foreman (12:19) and an employee of the plant convene (12:35). The front office's duties are looked to (13:17). The head of a press whom has got his start as a pressman daydreams about an easier more lucrative future (15:08). Business cards are printed (16:45). The film turns to entice viewers to join the industry (17:04) stating a need for books and papers won't end which shows the lack of foresight into the internet boom and the introduction of online papers, magazines and E-books (17:16). Printing presses involved in the film are acknowledged (18:39).