"Paperwork Explosion"

In 1967, Henson was contracted by IBM to make a film extolling the virtues of their new technology, the MT/ST, a primitive word processor. The film would explore how the MT/ST would help control the massive amount of documents generated by a typical business office. Paperwork Explosion, produced in October 1967, is a quick-cut montage of images and words illustrating the intensity and pace of modern business. Henson collaborated with Raymond Scott on the electronic sound track.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• jim henson
• paperwork explosion
• experimental film
• ibm
• jim henson company

[herzogzwo]

Machines should work. People should think.

[cwchrisweed]

Amazing. Could easily beat any of today's so-called "art" films.

[hawkemusic]

Now, there's too many people and not enough trees for paper.

[EcoRover]

Ah, never mind that IBM office machines and PCs INCREASED the amount of paperwork/busywork in offices (and academe) by an order of magnitude!

[gurkensexshop]

i came here because of DOM + ROLAND

[HCShannon]

A good companion to this film would be Charles and Ray Eames's "The Information Machine"

[HCShannon]

My sister brought a Raymond Scott CD that a friend loaned to her and I saved all the song to my Ipod!

[pvx]

Apparently, the Nazi government in the 1930s used IBM's Hollerith punch-card systems to tabulate and keep census on those "undesirables" of the Third Reich's constituency to more efficiently sort them off to concentration camps (or other nefarious situations), prior to WWII. Just Google "IBM and the Holocaust", it'll tell you the whole story.

[edgertor]

who did the music? is it another raymond scott piece?

[bridgetown1966]

there's a really obscure madlib sample at about 1:58

[xxxElegatorxxx]

Aaah, to be a woman and get to be a teacher or secretary back then.

[IntoTheLens827]

WOW, Frank Oz was in this. He was shown at time count 3:10. :-) COOL! :-) I at one point, I think I heard hensons voice for a line towards the end of the film. :-)