American Engineer

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).

Credits

inc. Jam Handy Organization (production company); Ford Banes (director); Robert Senglaub (director); General Motors Corporation. Chevrolet Motor Division (contributor); General Motors Corporation (contributor); inc. Jam Handy Organization (contributor); Ford Banes (contributor); Robert Senglaub (contributor); Vincent Herman (editor); Harold Shriner (editor); Gordon Avil (cinematographer); George Leontough (cinematographer); Pierre Mols (cinematographer); Robert Tavernier (cinematographer)

Complete catalog record
Cfa collection: Margaret Conneely Collection
Sponsor: General Motors Corporation. Chevrolet Motor Division; General Motors Corporation
Subjects: Automobiles; Design
Places: North America > United States
Language: English
Shot 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)
Cfa elements: Print, 1,015 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/2670

Sources

  1. Chicago Film Archives · record ↗ — title, year, creator, length, format, color, sound, genre, description, credits, catalog record