Research Paper books narrowed

Bibliography –

Balkind, Nicola. Animation Comes to Life: Anthropomorphism & Wall-E, Film International. http://filmint.nu/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/FINT_web

_june_Balkind.pdf (2010).

Examining Wall-E and other Disney films, this paper discusses the how the lack of dialogue, reminiscent of early silent films, allows viewers to identify with the main character, even a robot, as we see and therefore feel emotions based on score and visual cues. The ways in which Wall-E’s character was animated, harnessing “human enough” displays of emotion, enables viewers to identify with Wall-E as a hero and as more mortal than utilitarian robot. Wall-E permeates emotion toward EVE and when he looses that emotional connection, a simple kiss re-sparks his devotion and affection for EVE. Symbolically, Wall-E becomes more human as he becomes the link to return space humans to their earthly humanity.

Abbott, Stacey. “Final Frontiers: Computer-Generated Imagery and the Science Fiction Film”. Science Fiction Studies, (2006) #98 = Volume 33, Part 1.

Discussing the 25 year task of master Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) to be realistic enough in current cinema, Abbott remarks that “This convergence is located within this re-conception of the body both on-screen and off, as the traditional sf [science fiction] cyborg has escaped the confines of the representational space and entered the real world of film production, where actor and computer technology are increasingly being merged into a new form of digital/human hybrid.” As discussed, the reason the T-1000 (Terminator 2) looked so real was in part because this was a mix of human and CGI character, and in part because the editing software used allowed for human and CGI characteristics (nose, face, eyes, etc.) to automatically align in editing. The reason CGI worked so well in I, Robot was due to the lack of bone and flesh features of Sonny. Viewers allowed themselves to identify with Sonny’s humanistic disposition because they were not made uncomfortable by “his” form.

Chaminade, Thierry, Jessica Hodgins, and Mitsuo Kawato. "Anthropomorphism influences perception of computer-animated characters’ actions." Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 2.3 (2007): 206-216.

Computer-animated characters have become an everyday influence in film and popular culture. This paper discusses how the appearance of these characters affects viewer responses to them. The authors discuss the Signal Detection Theory, in which all rationalization and decisions are made with a level of uncertainty.

The really evocative aspect of this essay is the discussion of how computer-animated characters based closely on real-human forms; seem both dangerously artificial and too realistic. As discussed in the uncanny valley, “too realistic” makes viewers feel terribly uncomfortable. It is said that robots should appear to be robots and less of a computer-animated version of a real human. “Stylized” computer-animated characters, like The Incredible, serve as easier for viewers to identify with and embrace.

Coeckelbergh, Mark. "Humans, animals, and robots: A phenomenological approach to human-robot relations." International Journal of Social Robotics 3.2 (2011): 197-204.

This essay and study show that the way in which humans respond to and anthropomorphize pets may influence the way in which developers create humanistic robots and how filmmakers develop and portray robots in films. Social conditioning has made it so that when humans see robots, they immediately think of human-robot relationships as portrayed in early science fiction films, and therefore see images of robots eager to serve humans and emulate human interactions.

Films like I, Robot break through this condition and present robots and humans as “partners.” The mirror of this is that in real life, some humans interact with robots as though they are human. Again, the uncanny valley presents a problem for humans as robots, and images of robots, which too closely resemble humans, begin to make viewers uncomfortable and are therefore less identifiable.