Something Ventured (2011)

The story of how a few individuals built an industry that would go on to finance nearly all of the major advancements in technology in the past 50 years with companies such as Atari, Genentech, Apple, Intel and more.

Directors:

Daniel Geller (co-director), Dayna Goldfine (co-director)

Stars:

Bill Bowes, Herbert Boyer, Po Bronson

1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Bill Bowes	...	Self
Herbert Boyer	...	Self
Po Bronson	...	(voice)
Nolan Bushnell	...	Self
Reid Dennis	...	Self
Bill Draper	...	Self
Bill Edwards	...	Self
Pitch Johnson	...	Self
Dick Kramlich	...	Self
Sandy Lerner	...	Self
Mike Markkula	...	Self
Gordon Moore	...	Self
Tom Perkins	...	Self
Arthur Rock	...	Self
Jimmy Treybig	...	Self

Storyline

Apple. Intel. Genentech. Atari. Google. Cisco. Stratospheric successes with high stakes all around. Behind some of the world's most revolutionary companies are a handful of men who (through timing, foresight, a keen ability to size up other people, and a lot of luck) saw opportunity where others did not: these are the original venture capitalists. All were backing and building companies before the term 'venture capital' had been coined: companies that led to the birth of biotechnology and the spectacular growth in microprocessors, personal computers and the web. SOMETHING VENTURED uncovers the ups and downs of the building of some of the greatest companies of the twentieth century, and the hidden dramas behind some of the most famous names in business.

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Plot Keywords:

atari | computer | apple inc | two word title | technology | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography | History

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Certificate:

Not Rated

User Reviews

An Informative Hidden History of Venture Capitalism

Something Ventured had its World Premiere somewhat appropriately at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, TX. It is a well-made informative history of how venture capitalists have played a crucial behind the scenes role in shaping our technology-driven culture. The film would work as parallel to films that described the history of the technology from the viewpoint of the geeks – particularly Robert Cringley's History of the Nerds (1996) and Nerds 2.0 (1998).

Something Ventured is essentially an oral history of the now elderly men who funded and developed companies like Intel, Genentech, Apple, Atari, and Cisco which have shaped so much of our modern world. The film is well-edited and the story is told in an entertaining and informative manner that serves to relate a positive view of the best of what American capitalism can do (as contrasted with a film like Inside Job which shows American capitalism at its worst and most exploitative). It shows how entrepreneurs with great ideas teamed with investors with money have transformed the world in a variety of amazing ways.

As essentially an oral history, the film is really told from the perspective of the venture capitalists themselves. This is a valuable narrative, but what is missing from the film is a dissenting voice that critiques and analyzes their actions and shows the negative impact of their products, ideas, and process. Something Ventured aims to tell a single narrative of the history rather than attempting for some form of objective analysis. The filmmakers seem to have gotten too close to their subjects who as was stated in the Q&A session they view as "heroes." There is never a sense of self-reflection or evaluation of how their efforts have affected the broader society - both positively and negatively. There is no questioning of the environmental or social effects of their achievements. It would have been useful to allow this critical voice to enter their project. In a democracy, allowing dissent strengthens rather than weakens a project. While they have produced a very valuable film, they have also missed an opportunity to view it through a self-critical lens.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 April 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Something Ventured

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miralan Productions, Geller/Goldfine Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min