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Open Outcry

Shot in real time to capture the hyper-charged sense of danger, intensity, and controlled chaos in the trading pits, Open Outcry follows commodities traders whose work may soon vanish into the vapor of internet finance.

Premiere Date

November 1, 2001

Length

60 minutes

Funding Type

Co-Production

In the securities markets, virtually everything is now automated as we increasingly trade online. But the legendary, hyper-charged sense of danger and controlled chaos of the trading pits survive at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. There, traders still scream "buy" and "sell" orders in a frenzied system known as "open outcry." This documentary captures the language and atmosphere of what may be the last gasp of a centuries-old ritual.