13170_19039_ad_agency9
1950
Film taken in a Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn Inc. Advertising office setting with people dressed in business attire. A line of women stand behind a receptionist counter, smiling brightly and laughing as the camera pans along them. Shot of a drawing of a famer carrying a bushel of oranges. Trees are in background and a face cut out from a photo is pasted where the head should be. Text under drawing reads “Los Angeles.” Shot of a building exterior, then a close up of the address above the entrance, “6363 Wilshire Blvd. Building.” Cameraman walks toward glass door that reads, “Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn Inc. advertising.” Door opens into small waiting room. A woman answers a phone behind a receptionist window. Cameraman walks down narrow room with desks to side and filing cabinet at end. Women are busy working at the desks. A man in glasses with a pipe greets cameraman and extends arms for a handshake. They sit at his desk. Someone brings Pipe-guy two cups of tea and he offers one to cameraman. Pipe-guy sits on couch with a flip board. First page reads: “BBDO and your business.” Pipe-guy walks to a dark office, peers in, sees that desk is empty and shrugs. A few shots of empty desks follow. He looks in a single occupancy men’s bathroom, sees no one, lifts shoulders in an exaggerated shrug. Four men sit at a table in an eating area, huddled around a print ad draft. They point at it with fingers and pencils as they brainstorm. One of them makes notes on the draft. Two men at another table confer over a print ad draft too. Two men stand at a rolling printing press, pointing at and discussing two print ads.