“ WHAT IS A CORPORATION? “ 1949 B&W INSTRUCTIONAL FILM BUSINESS, COMMERCE & CAPITALISM XD81835

Join this channel to get access to perks: Want to learn more about Periscope Film and get access to exclusive swag? Join us on Patreon. Visit Visit our website “What Is A Corporation?” (1949) is a black-and-white short education film made as part of Coronet Films’ Coronet Instructional Films series. With the help of educational collaborator Dr. Raymond E. Glos of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio - the film helps to define the question that the title poses. The film begins by offering the viewer different examples of corporations big and small from a steel company to a drug store before highlighting what it means to make a business a corporation through the fictional story of clothing store owner Walter Brown. (Note: this film was used in the landmark 2003 documentary “The Corporation“, which examined the negative aspects of corporate operations and governance.) Opening credits - Coronet Films crown logo (0:06). Exterior Imperial Steel Co. Inc. processing plant in Ohio, close-up sign for employee entrance on chain link fence (0:17). Narrator poses question “what is a corporation” while footage shows different examples - silhouette of processing plant chimney stacks on the horizon, empty train cargo cars line tracks (0:23). Exterior Renneckar’s Drug Store on Glenview Road, Illinois (0:32). Close-up of sign with text “Fairview incorporated,” next scene reveals Fairview Incorporated is small town (0:37). Exterior of building on college campus, Gothic Revival style architecture (0:46). Church also in Gothic Revival style (0:51). Smoke billows from chimney stacks on large property of industrial plant, locomotive pulls cargo carts along train track on property grounds (1:02). Group of container gantry cranes on waters wedge unload crates from industrial ships (1:12). Interior of Imperial Steel Corporation plant, plant employee looks on at processing of smelted metal (1:44). Text to introduce next segment of film - scene featuring Imperial Steel stockholder Walter Brown of Fairview Clothing Store (1:57). Close-up Imperial Steel Corporation stock certificate (2:18). Mr. Brown meets in office with lawyer who advises him to sell stock to help with financial burdens faced at store; Mr. Brown does not like the lawyer’s advice especially upon finding out he and his business partners are all equally responsible for getting the store out of debt (2:23). Close-up Mr. Brown’s business card that reads “Fairview Clothing Store, Walter Brown, Proprietor” (3:22). Flashback reenactment footage of days when Mr. Brown was single proprietor of business, stands at till and helps package customers new purchases, walls decorated with various ties on display (3:25). Flashback of all of Mr. Brown’s responsibilities - tending to customers, taking inventory, putting new products on shelves - overwhelm and mess accumulate (3:50). Return to scene of Mr. Brown and lawyer in his office (4:20). Flashback reenactment footage of Mr. Brown first meeting and opening business to partners - Mr. Baker stands at counter with Mr. Brown in three piece suit, the two shake hands after striking a deal (4:46). Mr. Brown, Baker, and new partner Mr. Johnson stand around in store inspecting display mannequin, critique display outfit and discuss ideas (5:00). Mr. Brown stands in larger, revamped store with floral decorations (5:27). Mr. Johnson presents architectural renderings for store renovation, mid-century modern style storefront (5:44). Back in Mr. Brown’s office, lawyer presents idea of incorporating business - giving stock shares to partners to lower liability and increase Mr. Brown’s control/ voting power of business (6:09). Close-up of lawyer’s hand as he sketches diagram of what it means to incorporate business on note pad with ink pen; narration continues while drawn diagram is animated (7:41). Montage clips of grounds of Imperial Steel Co processing plant - exterior of plant, locomotive on train tracks running through plant grounds (9:42). Men in suits huddled around floor of perhaps Chicago Stock Exchange (9:50). Woman sits beside printing press and prepares freshly printed stock certificates (10:04). Men in suits representing Imperial Steel Co board of directors meet in sparsely decorated office (10:12). 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