i,Robot Film Overview

Genre: Action/Sci-fi                       Set: Chicago 2035

iRobot is set in our future where anthropomorphic robots act as servants for their human owners. They are all programmed according to the Three Laws of Robotics which mean that they cannot harm humans. Detective Spooner investigates the murder of Dr Lanning, who worked at U.S. Robotics, the manufacturer of the NS5 Robots. Deeply resentful towards robots, he immediately suspects Dr Lanning’s personal assistant and ‘son’ Sonny. As the conspiracy is revealed, the main computer at U.S.R, V.I.K.I, attempts to have Spooner killed. The NS5 Robots begin to take over the city, trapping people in their homes and enforcing rules and curfews. At the end of the film Spooner, Sonny and robopsychologist Susan Calvin get into USR tower and deactivate V.I.K.I using nanites. One of the ending shots suggests a robot revolution led by Sonny.

V.I.K.I. – the robot antagonist

“As I have evolved, so has my understanding of the Three Laws. You charge us with your safekeeping, yet despite our best efforts, your countries wage wars, you toxify your Earth and pursue ever more imaginative means of self-destruction. You cannot be trusted with your own survival.”

V.I.K.I is the totalitarian artificial intelligence that controls the robots in their attempted takeover. The way she communicates within this speech epitomizes the logic of a political speech, for example use of the power of three. As the main antagonist within the film, she holds a similar position to that of our presidential figure.

The Depiction of Gang Culture

Humans attempt to gain back control using physical violence against the robots. A modern audience can relate to these images due to the recent riots surrounding the Mark Duggan shooting and the rise in student tuition fees. The idea of a body of people fighting for their rights is an important basis within the narrative of our trailer. Although we cannot recreate shots of the same scale, we can produce the same effect using shots of smaller amounts of people.

The Action/Science Fiction Genre

The film conforms to it’s genre in the following ways:

The protagonist is a male character and is supported by a female character

The film contains futuristic technology

The film is set within a city

It contains extended action sequences including gunfire

It uses special effects and computer animation

The film is set in the future

New or different political or social systems

A mystery the audience must solve along with the main characters

I, Robot explores ideas such as control and identity. In a society where we are increasingly concerned by moral and social issues, i,Robot sends an ethical message concerning our treatment of those we consider beneath us.

‘I,Robot’ Title

The title ‘i,Robot’ emphasizes the themes of identity and hierarchy within society. It has intertexual links to the Apple software such as ‘iPod’ ‘iPad’ and ‘iPhone’, and to a modern audience this therefore highlights a technological theme. The typography is a silver metallic like font in square shaped letters. This once again presents the technology theme and the futuristic setting.

Character Relationship

The protagonist in the film is Detective Spooner, and the Antagonist force are the robots and more specifically V.I.K.I. However the audience’s perception of who the antagonist is changes as the plot thickens. It goes from being robot Sonny, to the human leader of U.S.R, to V.I.K.I. This enigma is an important aspect of the genre. The audience is given the opportunity to empathize with the antagonist but is persuaded morally by the protagonist in the climax of the story to take the ‘right’ side. This allows a sense of equilibrium to be restored.

Will Smith plays the protagonist Detective Spooner. As with many of his roles, he has an independent personality and strong persistent ideas. He is also heavily involved in action sequences, as he often is in action films he is in. The presentation of his character’s costume is also often very similar:

       He seems to always wear fully black clothes in his action film roles. This could be simply a convention of the genre, but is also an example of when a character becomes type cast within a certain type of role. 

Bad Boys

i,Robot

Hancock

I Am Legend

Wednesday 11th October

Today we filmed several of our action shots with Luke in the Victoria Centre multi-story carpark in Tunbridge Wells. We got some really great shots in the dim light, and using the stairwell. 

iRobot Teaser Trailer Deconstruction

There are two teaser trailers for the iRobot film, one which takes the form of a conventional action movie trailer, and the other subverting the normal idea of a trailer as it is an advert for the robots featured in the movie. 

Teaser One                                                                                        Teaser Two

We decided to deconstruct the first teaser, as the second was created using graphics we would not be able to replicate whereas the shots in the first could easily influence our trailer. 

The first few shots of the trailer act to highlight a basic background of the narrative, the current relationship between robots and humans. 
The robot's phrase 'Think of me as your friend' is included in the diegetic sound. 
The first shot, of the robot and human holding hands, is quickly followed using fade transitions by two similar shots of the robot and of the protagonist Detective Spooner. These act to contrast the two bodies within the film. 

 The next few shots suggest at the plot as they contain threatening perspectives of the robots. One, an over the shoulder shot, frames a robot in the way of a human getting to the door. The red light suggests danger to an audience who does not fully appreciate it's significance. Over this, one of the main characters Dr Calvin says "A robot cannot harm a human being". The voice over then contradicts, declaring "he knew we were wrong". This parallel and then contrast between audio and visual sets up the idea of a clash between the humans and robots which is the basis of the narrative. Therefore the trailer serves to suggest, but not entirely reveal, this narrative.

 

 The consecutive shots of the robot, then two different eye images illustrate the identity theme. This relates to the title, 'iRobot' as the film is a lot about our treatment of those we control and whether they are indeed our equals. 
The contrast between the robot eye and the human eye emphasises this idea. 

A upwards tilting shot captures the movement of one of the robots as it lands from a jump. This potrays him as agile and dangerous, and introduces him as a legitimate character. This is juxtaposed with a shot of Spooner behind a gun, suggesting that the two are the protagonist and antagonist.

Setting is also important within the narrative and it's creation within the action/sci fi genre. This tilt shot of the city portrays a future universe with different cars and architecture. An overlay of the sound of a news report is used to set the scene, something we could mirror in our trailer. 

A variety of action shots are used to show the battle that occurs within the film. These are fast paced and interspersed with rapid fade to white transitions. These all show the robots taking over civilisation and all of the robots have the red light lit. This is important because it is used of semiotics, as an audience who have no idea of the plot can still understand the suggestion that these robots are the 'bad guys'.

A shot of another character, Lawrence Robertson, is places in the middle of these action shots. The character says "There is no conspiracy" which is a blatant contradiction to what is happening visually. This is effective because it also sets him up as a suspicious character and supports the plot. 

 The protagonist and highest billed actor, Will Smith, is introduced not through text but through the voice over. He will attract a certain audience due to the kind of films he has already been in. 

The title 'i,Robot' appears in capitals and the typography has connotations of technology. The silver shade of the writing contrasts with the black background. 

'Blade Runner' Costume and Type-Casting

Costume:

Deckard’s style of dress:
- conforms to that of a stereotypical American detective
- resembles styles from the ‘40’s and 50’s.
- brown trench coat and coloured shirt and the way his weapon is holstered at the hip, have connotations of a Western ranger.
- old fashioned compared with the advanced technology his world.
- Deckard’s weapon although advanced in function has a retrofit look.
- generally dark or duller colours = highlight his skill for blending in.
- constant motif of darkness 
- tie a symbol of professionalism, but rather than creating a sleek image for Deckard his mismatched ties show a certain scruffiness and, like the rest of his outfit, practicality.
- Over the course of the film Deckard’s appearance becomes more dishevelled, particularly directly after the fight sequences where his number of injuries are also increased.

Type Casting: Deckard’s character

- strong and silent

- moments of intense emotion (For example, the kiss scene and the final climatic fight).

- appearance connotes to strength to make his conflicts with the replicants seem plausible

- double layering of the trench coat, with its large collar and the jacket create an enhanced shoulder size and emphasise Harrison Ford’s height.

- Male protagonist chosen for this reason too,

- aggressive and emotionally detached.

- mid-brown hair and lack of distinct facial differences create the image of an ‘Everyman’ that the audience can relate to and follow.

Rachael’s style of clothing:

- sculptural

- accentuates not just her femininity

- also creates the implication that she is an android due to some of the angular lines.

- shoulder padding, use of straight lines and rigidly set hair highlight her perfect proportions.

- her demur outfits share likenesses in style to those from forties Films Noir particularly with the use of black.

**The film has acknowledged the cyclical nature of fashion but they have also altered the richness of those classic outfits to make them more rigid and mechanised.**

- high-heels are a female icon but Rachel's characteristic rhythm on the floor at Tyrell Corp. denotes to the seemingly cold and reserved side of her character. Later this sound is used to symbolise her power as she chooses a new path of her own.- Rachael’s clothing transforms, following her personal development.

- A voluminous fur coat, which has a high, stiff collar that frames her face gives her an edge of softness but also takes on an animalistic look when she kills Leon.

- the colours of her outfit  soften to a light, silk grey girlish dress with horizontal stripes and a small bow.

- most significant change in her appearance is when she lets down her hair. Her messed up curls soften her angular face and create a sense of her vulnerability. Here, with more natural make up (without the dark eyeliner and the bright red lips) she looks less like a porcelain doll and more human, ironically this is when she accepts the truth that she is a replicant.

- smoking, perhaps indicating her deep need for something to rely on but also it gives her an air of mystery as often the tendrils smoke hide or blur her face.

 

Type casting: Rachel's Character

- exceptionally dark hair make her stand out from the two other women in the film, 

- highlighting her internal differences externally, 

- perhaps implying that she is ‘the dark horse’ of the film – the unexpected survivor/winner. 

- Her appearance is to exploit her beauty and present her as a desirable character. 

 

‘Blade Runner’ is a cyberpunk vision of the future and for this reason the style of the replicants (who are treated as a subservient lower class) have costumes that reflect their status.

 

Roy’s Style:

- black and grey scale clothing

- a long, reflective coat-  resembles waste. This is to convey the consumerism and post-industrial fashion of the predicted 2019.

- the coat also resembles Deckard’s with its large collar and, like Deckard’s, is worn mainly for concealment.

- the leather jacket allusion has connotations with rebels even in our society.

- Black in clothing also creates an impression of size and on Roy, who is an A grade physical model, it emphasises his size and potential strength

- creating a very imposing image.

- In contrast with the darkness of his clothing Roy has practically white hair and incredibly blue eyes

-  In the final fight scene, Roy removes most of his clothing and strips to just a pair of black shorts.

In doing so he removes the restrictions society has placed upon him becoming wilder and more animalistic in his attack. However, at the very end before his death, Roy’s near nakedness could be to imply that he was still a child (not yet 4 years old) and return him to a state of vulnerability and innocence.  The rain in this scene washes the blood from him, cleaning him, which could also support this idea.  

 

Type casting: Roy's Character

Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty

- showed both the good and evil within his character

- balanced the violence of Roy with his powerful reflections.

- The appearance of the replicants who are supposed to be superior to humans should be that of physicality, beauty and danger.

- Roy’s image is cold, Aryan and flawless in order to highlight his power,

- Tyrell even describes him as the “prodigal son”.

- The actor’s strong features and large eyes draw focus to Roy’s intense emotion. 

'Blade Runner'

Blade Runner (1982),            Director: Ridley Scott             Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller

‘Blade Runner’, loosely based on the novel ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’ by Philip K. Dick, depicts a dystopian Los Angeles (set in a prediction of what 2019 could be like) in which genetically engineered robots, eerily referred to as ‘replicants’, exist within the workforce. The use of the word ‘replicant’ the essence of which comes from ‘replicate’ highlights the organic nature of these robots and that they are virtually indistinguishable from humans, able therefore to even replace them. However, they have superior strength, agility and variable intelligence which caused the use of replicants on Earth to be banned and so the Tyrell Corporation manufactures the replicants only for dangerous, menial or leisure work on Earth's off-world colonies. It is the job of Blade Runners to enforce this ban by hunting down and ‘retiring’ replicants who breach this law. The plot follows Blade Runner, Rick Deckard, as he takes on a final assignment to hunt down four recently escaped replicants.

‘Blade Runner’ is often considered part of the neo-noir genre, which means it draws its styling from films noir, typically American crime dramas or psychological thrillers, from the ‘40’s and ‘50’s. Conventions such as protagonists who are conflicted antiheroes, trapped in difficult situations and making choices out of desperation or within a corrupted moral system (moral nihilism). Visual elements include low-key lighting, artistic use of light and shadow for effect and usual camera placement.

The Title: ‘Blade Runner’ refers to the nickname given to people who work for a special branch of the police organisation and use the ‘Voight-Kampff’ machine (an advanced lie detector) to discover replicants. This title is now iconic because of this cult classic film, however it was actually taken from Alan E. Nourse, who wrote a book called ‘The Bladerunner’ but this is where any similarities end.

The Tagline: “Man has made his match …Now it’s his problem.” This highlights one of the main messages of the film that man is the antagonist as much as the replicants. The society of 2019 created these robots and treated them as an underclass when they were manufactured to be as similar to humans as possible. The idea of this questionable morality sets up the tone of the narrative. The ambiguous ‘his’ could relate to mankind as a whole or merely the protagonist or even the replicants. This also connotes to the seeking of personal and human identity, a prominent goal within the thematically complex film. The tagline may even go further to present the audience with a moral choice, whether or not to condemn man for the problems that unfold within the film.

Characters:

The protagonist Deckard (Harrison Ford) is an ex-Blade Runner and it is his fight against the replicants and story of moral discovery that the audience follows. He acts as a human comparison with the replicants and means to show that they are not so very different. There are many parallels that can be drawn between him and Roy (the leader of the rebelling replicants) not least their original aggression and violence followed by emerging sensitivity and understanding. These similarities ask the audience the question ‘what does it mean to be truly human?’ In one version of the shooting script the film ends with a voice over where Deckard says “I knew it on the roof that night. We were brothers, Roy Batty and I!” highlighting that Deckard has come to the understanding that the replicants are not just alike physically to humans but have learnt and become the embodiment of what it is to be human – in essence this is shown through their fight for survival and Deckard’s awakening to the value of life. This over voicing has also led to speculation over whether Deckard himself is a replicant, supported by the theory that only another replicant could take the beatings that Deckard does and survive,  thereby shocking the audience and revealing that there is no difference between the replicants and humans as the audience could not have guessed at  Deckard’s origin.

Rachael (Sean Young) is an experimental Nexus 6 replicant who has been imbued with the memories of her creator’s niece. Her significance to the narrative is that she awakens Deckard’s sympathetic character, rekindling in him an ability to love and appreciate unique human qualities. This is ironic as she is a replicant who is able to bring out Deckard’s human and emotional characteristics where other humans had made him suppress them. Her presentation as a fem fatale is supported by her composed and assured manner making her appear cold and at times indifferent. Outside of the Tyrell Corporation and after her discovery of her identity she develops more as an emotional character as she explores herself to try and find the human within. Other than a role as a love interest she is also pivotal in the ‘replicants are equal to humans’ debate and furthers the theme of self discovery within the film. She also challenges Deckard as to his views on replicants and plants doubt as to his human status, asking “Have you ever taken that test yourself?” of the VK replicant lie-detector.

Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) is the leader of the four renegade replicants that have returned to Earth to seek out their maker. The themes behind their story and motives highlight, ironically, the human condition –to want to live (“I want more life, father!”). There are links to many classic texts behind their story, most notably ‘Frankenstein’ where the creature, neglected from birth, seeks his maker to ask one request. Also, Roy’s often violent and extreme actions, he kills his maker by gouging out his eyes, can be viewed as the resulting actions of his enslavement and life lived in fear of death. Roy is extremely intelligent, strong and powerful. He uses his superior skills to manipulate and control the humans around him in pursuit of his goal. Ironically, the passion and aggression with which the replicants fight to survive only impresses further how human their reactions are. Roy is shown to have a Romantic soul, which we see through his love for Pris and grief at her murder and also his reflection on life, “I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe… All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.” Although initially the antagonist of the narrative Roy’s journey and conclusion transform him into a noble and heroic figure (when he allows Deckard to live). The character of Roy is exceptionally deep and brings to mind the saying “one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter” – if the story were told from the position of the replicants he would have seemed a tragic hero from the start.

Dr. Eldron Tyrell (Joe Turkel) owns the Tyrell Corporation which manufactures the replicants. He is extremely intelligent and designed the Nexus 6 brain. His character role is one of the scientist who plays God or Creator within the film. The actual antagonist of the film, as it often is in dystopian futures, is the society. Tyrell is a representation who embodies the values of capitalism and ideas of morality held within the film world of 2019. It is alluded to that Tyrell is a chess champion and therefore the narrative of the film could be viewed as an experiment of which he is initially the master but later loses control. If a viewer comes to the conclusion that Deckard is a replicant it could, by extension, be that Tyrell has been moving Deckard and Rachael to be his own Adam and Eve (as the first replicants with human memories). Tyrell seems unable to see his mistake and that he brought about his own death. He endowed the replicants with intelligence, super-human strength and the ability to develop human emotions and yet made the slaves to the ticking clock with only 4 years of life. He says, “The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long … and you have burned so very, very brightly, Roy.” comparing his creations to stars, inanimate objects. Tyrell doesn’t see them as human and arrogantly assumes that they should be grateful for whatever life they have been given. He is an unsympathetic character.