About the Movie
No.2, overlooked as a common tool, continues to lose dominance in a media saturated world. However, history tells a different story.
The Pencil changed everything. Invention, craftsmanship, art, engineering, manufacturing, government, history, and business are a result of the pencil.
We’ve selected the most prominent voices regarding the pencil and seek to tell a broader story of the pencil. Yes, the history of the pencil is fascinating. Henry Petroski gives us a compelling reason to think about the pencil historically. Yet, have you thought about the sociological and psychological elements of this simple tool? Lastly, we consider a media ecological perspective of the standard wood-cased pencil.
Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious and adding the meaningful.
Although pencil technology provided a way to move thoughts to a tangible form, technology is never static. As technology is a key focus to every aspect of society today, the wood-cased pencil begins to lose its significance.
However, we are always living in our past. We’ve connected with one of the oldest pencil manufacturers in the US, Musgrave Pencil Company, and compare with one of the newest manufactured electronic pencils, Fiftythree Pencils.
A Battle Against Time
With so many aspects of society existing in binary code, the pencil needs to be
honored. We are in a battle against time. If we move away from using this analog piece of technology, what is society losing? We’ve connected with two of our generations strongest art voices to tell their perspective on the pencil
How significant is the pencil to ingenuity? Should we care if the pencil shifts to the backseat?
No.2 film seeks to develop the historical significance of the pencil in a charming and emotional story of a common ordinary tool.
Quality is in details.
“You can look at it as an engineered tool, like an object that represents centuries of experimentation and innovation.”
-David Rees
