Automatic Manual addresses the future from the past, performing a transition between antiquated technologies via a futile futuristic interface. A plastic suitcase, once the carrying case for a VHS camcorder, now houses an interface made of reflective plastic, speakers, and the translucent shell of a human face. Rear-projected onto that shell is a video sequence of a face, which recites a monologue from a 1950’s public service announcement Now You Can Dial! of the transition from operator-based telephones to the rotary dial phone.