Research Project topic

Life, Love and the Pursuit of Anthropomorphized Robots

Statement of Purpose:

As an exploration into the sonic and visual associations of human viewers and on-screen robots, this research paper and project intends to explore the dynamic relationship between robots and humans, robots and robots, and robots and human viewers.

Crafted very carefully and intentionally, filmmakers work to create likable, realistically emotional sonic cues and narratives to allow viewers to identify with robots and their experiences. Even in instances where robots are villains, viewers are often caught off guard by the ease of association with such characters – this is often owed to the craftsmanship of the characters’ score.

   As will be seen through Forbidden Planet, Wall-E and I, Robot, filmmakers and animators use visual and sound effects, character scores, and sonic narratives to allow viewers to identify with and ultimately anthropomorphize robots. Primary questions for consideration are; why do humans anthropomorphize robots in films? What is the value added for this occurrence? And, how does that effect humans as viewers?

   Research will provide rationale for why and how viewers anthropomorphize robots, how character narratives seductively affect viewers, and why character scores are so carefully crafted to help narrate each robot character. 

Overview of Work:

Conceptual –

This research project seeks to examine the extent that viewers anthropomorphize and validate robot relationships, their emotions and their "implied" love for one another as seen in Forbidden Planet, Wall-E and I, Robot. Subtle cues lead viewers to believe that robot’s can possess love for one another, and in some instances can love, and become emotionally devoted to, their human masters or counterparts.

   Cues such as visual appearance and character scores or motifs are often created to encourage audiences to formulate and identify with specific attributes of a robot character, to evoke emotion and to aid in plot development and story telling. Such cues often exist in the individual robot’s look and character scores – otherwise expressed as their sound effects or personal narrative.

Practical -

As an exploration of film and select literature, research conducted will discuss the film-based relationships between robots and humans, robots and robots, and between robots and the viewer. Further research will discuss how through these “intentional” relationships, viewers anthropomorphize robots via their carefully crafted character scores and motifs.     

   With this, some questions shall be addressed; do creators and viewers anthropomorphize robot characters? If so, why? Is this simply to satiate the needs of the audience or drive ticket sales? Do we, as viewers, need to see robots as more human in order to accept their character development or as non-threatening?

   Added to this research paper will be an additional creative research component that will take the form of an audio and video re-mastering. This project will seek to explore how viewers responses may change if the characters sound scores are switched and redubbed. The intention is to re-master existing robot scores onto visuals of other robots. As an example, re-mixing character scores and motifs from Wall-E onto video from Forbidden Planet.