Silicon Run has been producing award winning educational films about semiconductor and computer manufacturing since 1986, with its two most recent films exploring the exciting fields of Nanotechnology and MEMS (microelectromechanical systems). Each film features live industrial footage and illustrates technical processes using vivid animations and graphics. All Silicon Run titles are available on DVD and by streaming.
Silicon Run I was first produced in 1986 (the introduction of bunny suits as standard cleanroom attire made it necessary to produce Silicon Run I, 2nd Edition in 1996). By explaining technical content in an entertaining and accessible style, this landmark film set a new standard for instructional films on semiconductors. Great success led to grants from industry and the National Science Foundation for the production of Silicon Run II in 1993, and its distribution to the National Electrical Engineering Department Heads Association (now the National Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association).
Requests from users motivated the production of Silicon Run Lite for less technical audiences, as well as the production of a series of process-specific films that look closely at the chemical and physical nature of semiconductor manufacturing processes, including Deposition, Lithography, Etch and Implantation. A grant from the National Science Foundation supported the production of the two most recent titles in the collection, which explore the fields of MEMS and Nanotechnology.
The Silicon Run series has been purchased by hundreds of college and university libraries, and been honored with numerous awards, including a Cine Golden Eagle, a Gold Apple Award for Excellence from the National Education Media Network, a Bronze Telly, a San Jose/Silicon Valley Joey Award, and a College Television Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
About the Filmmaker
Ruth Carranza, the creator of the Silicon Run Film Series, has always been fascinated by making the invisible, visible. The world of semiconductors was especially interesting for Ruth because, while microchips were becoming a part of everyday life, few people understood how they were made or how they worked.
At Stanford University in 1986, Ruth’s advisor, Jim Plummer, enthusiastically supported her master’s thesis proposal to produce a film about microelectronics, incorporating the principles taught in engineering courses with the rare and fascinating documentation of live manufacturing processes. The result was an award winning film that launched the Silicon Run Series.
In addition to her MA in Communication/Film Production from Stanford University, Ruth holds a BS in Biological Sciences from the University of California at Davis.