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“Microworld with William Shatner” (1976) is a color, educational and promotional film made by AT&T about the future of microprocessors. Canadian actor William Shatner, best known for his role in Star Trek, walks the viewer through solid state technology and the art of the integrated microcircuit. Additionally, he underscores the importance of silicon in this technology and how the invention of the transistor paved the way for modern technology.
The history of AT&T dates back to the invention of the telephone. The Bell Telephone Company was established in 1877 by Alexander Graham Bell, who obtained the first US patent for the telephone, and his father-in-law, Gardiner Greene Hubbard. Bell and Hubbard also established American Telephone and Telegraph Company in 1885, which acquired the Bell Telephone Company and became the primary telephone company in the United States. This company maintained an effective monopoly on local telephone service in the United States until anti-trust regulators agreed to allow AT&T to retain Western Electric and enter general trades computer manufacture and sales in return for its offer to split the Bell System by divesting itself of ownership of the Bell Operating Companies in 1982.
Camera pans over table cluttered with various electronic devices: keyboard, audio recorder, telephone, digital wristwatch, manual SLR film camera, LED calculator; Title appears across computer monitor screen (0:08). William Shatner appears across computer monitor screen and introduces subject of film: microelectronics (0:50). Close-up Shatner’s thumb as he holds up a tiny chip (1:08). Shatner walks in front of green screen displaying zoomed in image of chip made up of many small transistors (1:18). Camera zooms into open page of encyclopedia at the end of row of “World Book Encyclopedias” on book shelf (2:05). Shatner stands beside advanced machinery in processing plant, holds silicon crystal ingot (2:35). Microchips resting on sand underwater (2:48). Engineer suits up in white protective suit, face mask, and latex gloves before entering “clean room” lab, dramatic music plays alongside sequence of shots of engineers analyzing microchip under microscope (3:03). Shatner sits in front of advanced imaging machine, displays small speck of dust obstructing circuit board (3:37). Silicon wafers undergoing series of treatments at lab: Close-up shots of wafer as it is passed along various automated machines, narrator details how wafer is later turned into chips, another sequence of close-ups as chips are extrapolated from wafer (3:55). Interior of Bell Lab, discover of the microchip circuit in 1947 (5:04). 1930s Jackson Bell Cathedral-style radio on table, facade of radio removed to reveal “vacuum tubes/valves” operating in interior (5:24). Image of inventors of transistor John Bardeen, William Shockley, and Walter Brattain at Bell Labs (5:47). Close-up examples of transistors before image changes to complex circuit board (6:02). Production of transistor at a Western Electric plant, young woman sits at desk with advanced imaging technology while Shatner speaks to camera behind her (6:48). Microprocessor: View of microprocessor under microscope, appears to be undergoing wafer probe test (7:14). Microprocessor as the brain of modern electronic systems, electronic pulses flowing through various areas of circuit board (8:32). Shatner stands before enlarged blueprint of chip design, displays thousands of transistors locked and sealed in silicon (9:40). Woman works on design of chip in lab using what appears to be IBM Series 1 Computer (10:28). Since World War II amount of information produced by society doubles every seven years - necessity of the “microworld:” Shatner holds up copy of the New York Times, montage sequence of various electronic processing systems appears across screen (11:06). Bell System 1975 - Com Key 416 Telephone (11:54). Map of the United States highlighting Bell System’s electronic network (12:05). Young school children sit in front of 70s-era computer and do simple addition calculations, shot switches to high school classroom with students using computers to generate complex graphs (12:24). Shatner poses closing question, “What’s next?” (13:20). Closing credits roll over footage of table cluttered with various electronic devices used during opening sequence (14:05).
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFilm.com