American Engineer
Identifier
F.2005-01-0071
Date Of Production
1956
Abstract
Photographed in Superscope, this Chevrolet sponsored film is a tribute to engineers and their role in improving American life through technology. A Superscope digital transfer of the film is available for viewing on Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCm6FBLLj9Y).
Log
“01:01:49:00 LS Silhouette of radio telescope at sunset
01:02:00:00 LS Radio telescope pivots; various shots
01:02:36:00 MS Men look at precision scientific instruments; dials and
gauges
01:02:50:00 MS Woman pours chemicals in laboratory
01:02:54:00 MS African-American man studies monitor
01:02:59:00 MS Men work with scientific apparatus
01:03:07:00 MS Man writes scientific equations on blackboard
01:03:15:00 MS Man in suit looks up something in a book
01:03:18:15 MS Man uses drawing stencil
01:03:23:00 MS Man performs a solder
01:03:29:00 MS Man writes scientific equations on blackboard
01:03:49:00 LS Churning surf
01:04:00:00 LS Hydroelectric plant
01:04:28:00 LS Aerial view of Pittsburgh skyline "Golden Triangle";
Allegheny River and Monongahela River and the Ohio River
01:05:00:00 MS Camera pans sides of office buildings; looks up sides of
highrises in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
01:05:45:00 LS Aerial view of San Francisco skyline; fog over the Bay
01:06:10:00 LS Chicago
01:06:15:00 LS More city skylines
01:06:23:00 LS Los Angeles skyline
01:06:30:00 LS Aerial large spread of manufacturing facilities
01:07:07:00 Interior of oil drilling rig
01:07:10:00 LS Oil drilling rig
01:07:19:00 LS Oil rig in ocean mounted on "Texas Tower"
01:07:30:00 LS Aerial view oil rig in ocean
01:08:00:00 LS Aerial open pit mine
01:08:24:00 MS Heavy mining extraction equipment
01:08:32:00 MS Helicopter in mountains; man holds Geiger counter outside of copter
01:08:40:00 LS Helicopter in mountains
01:08:52:00 LS Explosion occurs on the side of mine; dust billows
01:09:00:00 LS Giant shovel fills up railroad cars with minerals
01:09:15:00 LS Railroad cars filled with rock move along tracks in mine
01:09:30:00 LS Aerial view chemical plant; camera zooms in
01:09:53:00 MS Camera pans an electron microscope
01:10:12:00 CU Male scientist gazes into microscope viewfinder
01:10:14:00 MS Electric currents travel visibly through the air
01:10:19:00 LS Man gazes down into array of pipes and machinery
01:10:32:00 CU Flashing stenciled sign "RADIATION HAZARD"
01:10:35:00 CU Flashing stenciled sign "DANGER MAGNET ON"
01:10:41:00 LS Cyclotron / atom smasher control area with several men
standing at banks of equipment
01:10:56:00 LS Men standing around working with cyclotron
01:11:29:00 LS Construction site; men in hard hats; crane; cement mixer
01:11:42:00 LS Modern sleek buildings; daytime
01:11:50:00 LS Modern sleek buildings; nighttime
01:12:00:00 LS Modern building with many glass windows; curves
01:12:25:00 LS Building with domed shape
01:12:27:00 MS High-tension wires
01:12:36:00 LS City buildings illuminated at night
01:12:40:00 LS Times Square at night; neon signs predominate
01:12:48:00 LS Professional baseball game; in stadium at night; man scores at home plate
01:12:58:00 CU Professional baseball game; in stadium shown on television screen
01:13:06:00 CU Dance performance shown on television screen
01:13:17:00 LS Woman in tutu is lifted up and spun by man in tuxedo
01:13:27:00 LS In studio setting; television camera comes into frame
where man and woman are dancing
01:13:33:00 CU Videophone (picturephone) showing face on screen
01:13:44:00 LS Early mainframe computers
01:14:10:00 CU Variety of home appliances are shown spinning around
01:14:13:00 CU Silhouette of propeller enters water and spins
01:14:27:00 LS Submarine periscope in ocean
01:14:31:00 LS Submarine surfaces in ocean
01:14:48:00 LS Jet takes off
01:14:58:00 LS Oceangoing steamship with twin red smokestacks
01:15:16:00 LS Aerial locomotive traveling on tracks
01:15:21:00 LS Engine of locomotive traveling on tracks
01:15:21:00 LS Greyhound-style passenger bus in the mountains
01:15:33:00 MS Earthmoving equipment building roads
01:16:17:00 LS Dirt road; POV driver
01:16:20:00 LS Highway: POV driver
01:16:34:00 LS Highway going under overpass: POV driver
01:16:42:00 LS POV driver peering through two consecutive tunnels
01:16:43:00 LS POV driver going over bridge
01:16:54:00 LS Aerial view various bridges
01:17:27:00 LS Aerial view cloverleaf
01:17:48:00 LS Camera pans full parking lot
01:18:00:00 MS Two engineers move around models of machines in large
scale model of plant
01:18:30:00 LS Truck loaded with new cars drives away from a Chevrolet
plant
01:18:42:00 MS Worker stamps metal parts
01:19:00:00 MS Various manufacturing processes whereby steel is
formed into car parts; welding, bending, rolling
01:19:59:00 CU Pistons go up and down
01:20:13:00 MS Engine swung into position
01:20:26:00 MS Beautifully-lit car parts swing by on a blue background
01:20:37:00 MS Silhouette of car engines swinging by on assembly line
01:20:50:00 MS Car parts move neatly on assembly line
01:21:00:00 LS Workers spray engines with liquid
01:21:31:00 LS Giant stamping machine spits out metal parts
01:21:34:00 CU Metal blocks move through flames
01:21:42:00 MS Many car parts spin as they are suspended in mid-air on
black background in a surreal fashion
01:21:56:00 MS Zoom in car engine on flashing colorful background
01:22:09:00 CU Blades of turbine
01:22:12:00 CU Movement of isolated car parts: ball bearings,
joints, springs; spinning wheels
01:22:20:00 CU Electrical generator (car) sparks
01:22:55:00 CU Car taillight flashes (studio shot)
01:22:57:00 CU Gloved hand switches on car radio
01:23:00:00 CU Headlights turn on
01:23:12:00 MS Man welds large curved piece of metal
01:23:16:00 CU Isolated car parts in motion:crankshafts, pistons
01:23:34:00 LS Silhouette of men sitting at drafting tables with grid of
shadows on the wall behind them.
01:23:50:00 LS Car chassis superimposed over array of parts
01:24:02:00 MS Camera pans array of car parts: springs hubs
01:24:06:00 CU Car's footpedals
01:24:09:00 ECU Indicator on gearshift lever dial goes from Neutral to Drive
01:24:10:00 ECU Interlocking gears spin
01:24:14:00 ECU Powerglide stator turning in a bath of oil
01:24:22:00 CU Car tire beginning to roll
01:24:25:00 LS POV driver; car accelerates
01:24:29:00 MS Camera is positioned out car window on driver's side; car
going in opposite direction passes by quickly
01:24:33:00 CU Oil drips down surface ("oil wipe" in picture)
01:24:38:00 CU Car wheel at rest
01:24:41:00 CU Side view car hood
01:24:45:00 CU Car engine
01:24:54:00 CU Camera pans undercarriage of car
01:25:04:00 CU Camera pans curves of car body
01:25:21:00 CU Gloved hand adjusts driver's sideview mirror
01:25:27:00 CU Gloved hand uses door latch
01:25:32:00 CU Gloved hands uses electric window opener
01:25:34:00 CU Car window goes up automatically
01:25:37:00 MS Rain on car side window
01:25:42:00 LS Snowy landscape seen through driver's side window
01:25:43:00 CU Gloved hand adjusts heating in car
01:25:47:00 LS Prairie landscape seen throught driver's side window
01:25:50:00 CU Gloved hand adjusts air conditioning in car
01:25:53:00 LS Car bounds through desert landscapes moving toward camera (torture test)
01:26:00:00 CU Sign "CAUTION TEST AREA"
01:26:05:00 CU Hands on steering wheel during torture test; landscapes spins by
01:26:09:00 LS Car bounces through desert landscape
01:26:11:00 CU POV under driver's foot: driver depresses floor pedal
01:26:14:00 CU Series of large animated check marks (orange, blue, yellow)
fill screen; then camera zooms out
01:26:22:00 LS Silhouette of Chevy against multicolored lights
01:26:35:00 LS Rear of car with built in spare tire visible driving on
highway away from camera
01:26:39:00 LS Skyline New York City day
01:26:48:00 LS Camera pans a variety of tall, modern buildings
01:27:06:00 LS Aerial view of beach and coastline
01:27:18:00 LS Car drives away from drive-in teller at bank
01:27:26:00 LS Shopping mall in California; "Pickin Chicken" sign visible
01:27:32:00 LS Nighttime drive-in movie theater; sign reads "Le Jeune Park AUTO THEATRE"
01:27:38:00 LS Building with sign "Neptune Motel", Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Fla.
01:27:46:00 LS Aerial curved bridge
01:27:51:00 LS Aerial section of elevated freeway
01:27:56:00 LS Aerial traffic circle
01:28:00:00 LS Aerial sections of highway; overpasses, cloverleafs
01:28:19:00 LS Mechanical agricultural harvesting
01:28:30:00 LS Driver's POV going under overpass
01:28:40:00 LS Parking lot
01:28:46:00 LS Aerial development [Levittown?]
01:28:49:00 LS Aerial high-rise buildings
01:28:54:00 LS Mount Rushmore, first seen as camera moves through trees then static shot
01:29:22:00 [END OF FILM]
(shot list provided by Internet Archive)
01:02:00:00 LS Radio telescope pivots; various shots
01:02:36:00 MS Men look at precision scientific instruments; dials and
gauges
01:02:50:00 MS Woman pours chemicals in laboratory
01:02:54:00 MS African-American man studies monitor
01:02:59:00 MS Men work with scientific apparatus
01:03:07:00 MS Man writes scientific equations on blackboard
01:03:15:00 MS Man in suit looks up something in a book
01:03:18:15 MS Man uses drawing stencil
01:03:23:00 MS Man performs a solder
01:03:29:00 MS Man writes scientific equations on blackboard
01:03:49:00 LS Churning surf
01:04:00:00 LS Hydroelectric plant
01:04:28:00 LS Aerial view of Pittsburgh skyline "Golden Triangle";
Allegheny River and Monongahela River and the Ohio River
01:05:00:00 MS Camera pans sides of office buildings; looks up sides of
highrises in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
01:05:45:00 LS Aerial view of San Francisco skyline; fog over the Bay
01:06:10:00 LS Chicago
01:06:15:00 LS More city skylines
01:06:23:00 LS Los Angeles skyline
01:06:30:00 LS Aerial large spread of manufacturing facilities
01:07:07:00 Interior of oil drilling rig
01:07:10:00 LS Oil drilling rig
01:07:19:00 LS Oil rig in ocean mounted on "Texas Tower"
01:07:30:00 LS Aerial view oil rig in ocean
01:08:00:00 LS Aerial open pit mine
01:08:24:00 MS Heavy mining extraction equipment
01:08:32:00 MS Helicopter in mountains; man holds Geiger counter outside of copter
01:08:40:00 LS Helicopter in mountains
01:08:52:00 LS Explosion occurs on the side of mine; dust billows
01:09:00:00 LS Giant shovel fills up railroad cars with minerals
01:09:15:00 LS Railroad cars filled with rock move along tracks in mine
01:09:30:00 LS Aerial view chemical plant; camera zooms in
01:09:53:00 MS Camera pans an electron microscope
01:10:12:00 CU Male scientist gazes into microscope viewfinder
01:10:14:00 MS Electric currents travel visibly through the air
01:10:19:00 LS Man gazes down into array of pipes and machinery
01:10:32:00 CU Flashing stenciled sign "RADIATION HAZARD"
01:10:35:00 CU Flashing stenciled sign "DANGER MAGNET ON"
01:10:41:00 LS Cyclotron / atom smasher control area with several men
standing at banks of equipment
01:10:56:00 LS Men standing around working with cyclotron
01:11:29:00 LS Construction site; men in hard hats; crane; cement mixer
01:11:42:00 LS Modern sleek buildings; daytime
01:11:50:00 LS Modern sleek buildings; nighttime
01:12:00:00 LS Modern building with many glass windows; curves
01:12:25:00 LS Building with domed shape
01:12:27:00 MS High-tension wires
01:12:36:00 LS City buildings illuminated at night
01:12:40:00 LS Times Square at night; neon signs predominate
01:12:48:00 LS Professional baseball game; in stadium at night; man scores at home plate
01:12:58:00 CU Professional baseball game; in stadium shown on television screen
01:13:06:00 CU Dance performance shown on television screen
01:13:17:00 LS Woman in tutu is lifted up and spun by man in tuxedo
01:13:27:00 LS In studio setting; television camera comes into frame
where man and woman are dancing
01:13:33:00 CU Videophone (picturephone) showing face on screen
01:13:44:00 LS Early mainframe computers
01:14:10:00 CU Variety of home appliances are shown spinning around
01:14:13:00 CU Silhouette of propeller enters water and spins
01:14:27:00 LS Submarine periscope in ocean
01:14:31:00 LS Submarine surfaces in ocean
01:14:48:00 LS Jet takes off
01:14:58:00 LS Oceangoing steamship with twin red smokestacks
01:15:16:00 LS Aerial locomotive traveling on tracks
01:15:21:00 LS Engine of locomotive traveling on tracks
01:15:21:00 LS Greyhound-style passenger bus in the mountains
01:15:33:00 MS Earthmoving equipment building roads
01:16:17:00 LS Dirt road; POV driver
01:16:20:00 LS Highway: POV driver
01:16:34:00 LS Highway going under overpass: POV driver
01:16:42:00 LS POV driver peering through two consecutive tunnels
01:16:43:00 LS POV driver going over bridge
01:16:54:00 LS Aerial view various bridges
01:17:27:00 LS Aerial view cloverleaf
01:17:48:00 LS Camera pans full parking lot
01:18:00:00 MS Two engineers move around models of machines in large
scale model of plant
01:18:30:00 LS Truck loaded with new cars drives away from a Chevrolet
plant
01:18:42:00 MS Worker stamps metal parts
01:19:00:00 MS Various manufacturing processes whereby steel is
formed into car parts; welding, bending, rolling
01:19:59:00 CU Pistons go up and down
01:20:13:00 MS Engine swung into position
01:20:26:00 MS Beautifully-lit car parts swing by on a blue background
01:20:37:00 MS Silhouette of car engines swinging by on assembly line
01:20:50:00 MS Car parts move neatly on assembly line
01:21:00:00 LS Workers spray engines with liquid
01:21:31:00 LS Giant stamping machine spits out metal parts
01:21:34:00 CU Metal blocks move through flames
01:21:42:00 MS Many car parts spin as they are suspended in mid-air on
black background in a surreal fashion
01:21:56:00 MS Zoom in car engine on flashing colorful background
01:22:09:00 CU Blades of turbine
01:22:12:00 CU Movement of isolated car parts: ball bearings,
joints, springs; spinning wheels
01:22:20:00 CU Electrical generator (car) sparks
01:22:55:00 CU Car taillight flashes (studio shot)
01:22:57:00 CU Gloved hand switches on car radio
01:23:00:00 CU Headlights turn on
01:23:12:00 MS Man welds large curved piece of metal
01:23:16:00 CU Isolated car parts in motion:crankshafts, pistons
01:23:34:00 LS Silhouette of men sitting at drafting tables with grid of
shadows on the wall behind them.
01:23:50:00 LS Car chassis superimposed over array of parts
01:24:02:00 MS Camera pans array of car parts: springs hubs
01:24:06:00 CU Car's footpedals
01:24:09:00 ECU Indicator on gearshift lever dial goes from Neutral to Drive
01:24:10:00 ECU Interlocking gears spin
01:24:14:00 ECU Powerglide stator turning in a bath of oil
01:24:22:00 CU Car tire beginning to roll
01:24:25:00 LS POV driver; car accelerates
01:24:29:00 MS Camera is positioned out car window on driver's side; car
going in opposite direction passes by quickly
01:24:33:00 CU Oil drips down surface ("oil wipe" in picture)
01:24:38:00 CU Car wheel at rest
01:24:41:00 CU Side view car hood
01:24:45:00 CU Car engine
01:24:54:00 CU Camera pans undercarriage of car
01:25:04:00 CU Camera pans curves of car body
01:25:21:00 CU Gloved hand adjusts driver's sideview mirror
01:25:27:00 CU Gloved hand uses door latch
01:25:32:00 CU Gloved hands uses electric window opener
01:25:34:00 CU Car window goes up automatically
01:25:37:00 MS Rain on car side window
01:25:42:00 LS Snowy landscape seen through driver's side window
01:25:43:00 CU Gloved hand adjusts heating in car
01:25:47:00 LS Prairie landscape seen throught driver's side window
01:25:50:00 CU Gloved hand adjusts air conditioning in car
01:25:53:00 LS Car bounds through desert landscapes moving toward camera (torture test)
01:26:00:00 CU Sign "CAUTION TEST AREA"
01:26:05:00 CU Hands on steering wheel during torture test; landscapes spins by
01:26:09:00 LS Car bounces through desert landscape
01:26:11:00 CU POV under driver's foot: driver depresses floor pedal
01:26:14:00 CU Series of large animated check marks (orange, blue, yellow)
fill screen; then camera zooms out
01:26:22:00 LS Silhouette of Chevy against multicolored lights
01:26:35:00 LS Rear of car with built in spare tire visible driving on
highway away from camera
01:26:39:00 LS Skyline New York City day
01:26:48:00 LS Camera pans a variety of tall, modern buildings
01:27:06:00 LS Aerial view of beach and coastline
01:27:18:00 LS Car drives away from drive-in teller at bank
01:27:26:00 LS Shopping mall in California; "Pickin Chicken" sign visible
01:27:32:00 LS Nighttime drive-in movie theater; sign reads "Le Jeune Park AUTO THEATRE"
01:27:38:00 LS Building with sign "Neptune Motel", Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Fla.
01:27:46:00 LS Aerial curved bridge
01:27:51:00 LS Aerial section of elevated freeway
01:27:56:00 LS Aerial traffic circle
01:28:00:00 LS Aerial sections of highway; overpasses, cloverleafs
01:28:19:00 LS Mechanical agricultural harvesting
01:28:30:00 LS Driver's POV going under overpass
01:28:40:00 LS Parking lot
01:28:46:00 LS Aerial development [Levittown?]
01:28:49:00 LS Aerial high-rise buildings
01:28:54:00 LS Mount Rushmore, first seen as camera moves through trees then static shot
01:29:22:00 [END OF FILM]
(shot list provided by Internet Archive)
Run Time
27 min 47 sec
Format
16mm
Extent
1,015 feet
Color
Color
Sound
Optical
Reel/Tape Number
1/1
Has Been Digitized?
Yes
Language Of Materials
English
Element
Print
Genre
Form
Subject
Related Collections
Related Places
Sponsor/client
Main Credits
Jam Handy Organization, inc. (is production company)
Banes, Ford (is director)
Senglaub, Robert (is director)
Additional Credits
General Motors Corporation. Chevrolet Motor Division (is contributor)
General Motors Corporation (is contributor)
Jam Handy Organization, inc. (is contributor)
Banes, Ford (is contributor)
Senglaub, Robert (is contributor)
Herman, Vincent (is editor)
Shriner, Harold (is editor)
Avil, Gordon (is cinematographer)
Leontough, George (is cinematographer)
Mols, Pierre (is cinematographer)
Tavernier, Robert (is cinematographer)
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