534'
Spanish
Argentina
A worker is at his or her workplace, about to start working on a machine, and beforehand, he or she tunes into a radio program. The announcer gives some news flash, talking about a picket or a strike, etc., then "Billete Obrero" (Workers' Billet) starts playing.
He operates a machine that prints sheets, under the strict eye of his boss, who monitors him via [...]
A worker is at his or her workplace, about to start working on a machine, and beforehand, he or she tunes into a radio program. The announcer gives some news flash, talking about a picket or a strike, etc., then "Billete Obrero" (Workers' Billet) starts playing.
He operates a machine that prints sheets, under the strict eye of his boss, who monitors him via security cameras from his office.
He observes everything from his office.
He is a vain, opulent, and cool guy, always smiling, who likes to give orders and is happy with his position. Obsessed with money, he wants to produce more and more.
On the wall, we see posters with the company logo, which features his smiling face, and reads: "BILLETE PATRÓN" Printing Press. There are posters all over the printing press,
even in the workers' locker room.
The job consists of going from one end of the printing press to the other. He inserts and removes sheets, assembles them, adds ink, arranges the loading, and cuts them. The machine prints nonstop.
The boss appears and hurries him on, waving his watch, always smiling.
The papers he prints are bills, and they also have... the boss's face...
He travels on a packed bus (or train), sleeping on the way to or from work.
He sees a sign on the street; it's from the company where he works... the same smiling face as the boss. He's not alone; there are many who travel to work just like him.
He arrives at the factory and clocks in, along with his colleagues.
The boss watches them enter one by one.
A new workday begins; there are many sheets to print. The work continues without a break.
The boss comes to look for finished bills.
He observes and analyzes whether his face is printed correctly and boasts.
When it's time to pay, he grabs three bills but only two from the worker, the ones that have the same face as him. He doesn't want to let go of the bills. They struggle until the worker manages to keep them, and resignedly leaves the office.
The boss takes the rest and puts them in a safe or drawer, where more bills are piling up. He has a bill counter.
(The image of the quantity of bills contrasts with the few bills the worker receives)
There are more and more sheets to print, the machine and the worker don't stop.
But at the end of the day, he always collects the same bills, and the boss fills his till more and more, where he keeps accumulating.
In his office, he talks on the phone and drinks whiskey. He plays mini-golf. He counts bills, takes it out, and kisses it. He lights an electric cigarette (or a cigar), then smiles, carefully observing the security cameras. He looks at a bill as if he were looking in a mirror, combs his hair, shows off, always smiling. He has employees who give him massages and cut his nails.
He does the math; this month he didn't earn what he expected, and he decides to fire a worker.
In the locker room, the worker counts the few bills. He does the math... he gets a message that his rent has been raised.
He looks at the sign, but this time it's crossed out, with an X across its face.
And he thinks about it.
The next day, he starts crossing out some of the bills that come out, and does this every day after.
One day, the boss spots him on the security cameras and angrily goes to the machine and wants to fire him, but suddenly, coworkers appear and intervene and defend him.
They show the boss bills they had also crossed out, and place them on a table (or show them to his face).
The surprised and angry boss yells at them and tells them all to leave. He stops smiling.
The workers don't want to leave. The lever is lowered, the machines stop.
The workers kick the boss out, throwing bills in his face,
and he runs away.
He returns to the radio to deliver breaking news: a printing press is working for its workers. While the news is playing, we see the workers raising the lever, removing the posters, and the machines are working again, everyone happy and celebrating.
The workers are now more relaxed, drinking mate and chatting.
The machine prints sheets again, which are also bills, but now they say...
"WORKER BILL."
