General Magic

USA, United Kingdom | 2018 | 94 min • Documentary Feature

Showings

Harkins Sedona 6 - Theatre 6 Tue, Feb 26, 2019 1:20 PM
Mary D. Fisher Theatre Thu, Feb 28, 2019 7:00 PM
Film Info
Event Type:Documentary Feature
Release Year:2018
Run Time:94
Production Country:USA
United Kingdom
Original Language:English
Trailer:https://youtu.be/uTdyb-RWNKo
Cast/Crew Info
Director:Matthew Maude
Sarah Kerruish
Executive Producer(s):Michael Stern
Reynold D'Silva
Producer(s):Matthew Maude
Sarah Kerruish
Screenwriter:Matthew Maude
Sarah Kerruish
Michael Stern
Jonathan Key
Ceri Tallett

Description

The best way to predict the future is to invent it. The side of Silicon Valley you never see, "General Magic" is a tale of how great vision and epic failure can change the world. Spun out from Apple in 1990 to create the ‘next big thing’, General Magic shipped the first handheld wireless personal communicator in 1994. From the first smartphones to social media, e-commerce and even emoji, the ideas that now dominate the tech industry and our day-to-day lives were born at General Magic. But this was before the Web, before 3G, before Google, before everyone had a mobile phone in their pocket. The world was not ready in 1994 to hold the world in its hands. And though General Magic died, those concepts and the people who pioneered them went on to change almost everything.


Combining rare archive footage with contemporary stories of the Magicians today, this documentary tracks the progress of anytime, anywhere communication from a thing of science-fiction in 1994 to a reality in our pockets and on our wrists today. With members of the original Mac team and the creators of the iPhone, Android, eBay and many more, this is the story of one of history’s most talented teams and what happens when those who dream big fail, fail again, fail better and ultimately succeed.