Presentation Script- Lucy Carr
Can James Cameron be defined as an auteur with the theme of 'humans against technology' within the sci-fi genre?
TITLE ON PROJECTOR: "Brief introduction of an auteur and its possible connection with James Cameron"
SPEAKER: My research explores the capability of James
Cameron existing an auteur. The aim of an auteur is the ability to distinguish
the recurring theme throughout their films, whether they play on a genre or a
specific theme. I believe James Cameron follows a significant theme of 'humans
against technology' within his suggested preference of the Science Fiction
genre (item 15).Can James Cameron be defined as an auteur with the theme of 'humans against technology' within the sci-fi genre?
TITLE ON PROJECTOR: "Brief introduction of an auteur and its possible connection with James Cameron"
TITLE ON PROJECTOR: "The Preparation" (Choosing the three main films)
- The expectations of the genre 'Science Fiction' …(small para) done
- How Cameron interprets the genre…add a scene from each films where this is shown (big big big para of each film) 2/3
- James Cameron's influences for this genre… talk about his childhood (small para) Done
- The advance of technology throughout Cameron's films show through each films (small para) done
- Further information on the Auteur Theory and Cameron's capability… what links between each focus film would imply this (big para)
TITLE ON PROJECTOR: "Production"
PROJECTOR: "The Science Fiction Genre"
SPEAKER: The Sci-fi genre is a "visually and technically stunning"
(item 9) performance that
cinematography provides to the screen. It often contains the optimum level of
advanced technology within the narrative to give a sense of verisimilitude.
Traditionally we would expect the typical science fiction film to challenge
science influencing a passive audience to believe it is actually possible.
Science Fiction originated in 1925-1930, although there were isolated signs of
its use in the 1850's, as the texts often included the use of imagined advanced
technology and a non-linear narrative that are conventions of a Sci-fi film.
However as science and knowledge has developed it creates "that magic, that other world kinda
dream-like quality" (item 9),
but also changes attitudes and the growing understanding of time and space
and our positioning within the universe, establishes a major influence on
global thought because our developing of technology is on-going, allowing us to
find a link between science fiction and reality within the film plot.
TITLE ON PROJECTOR: "James Cameron's
interpretation of the genre"
PROJECTOR: The Terminator (1984 (item 2)
SPEAKER: The Terminator is one of James Cameron’s first big
films where he enhances his skills within the Science Fiction genre and clearly
portrays its individual conventions. Firstly, the setting of the film is made
up to believe the film is set in the past, being our present day, and the
Terminator and Kyle are from the future who have come back in time through a
portal. This plot absorbs the audience in the mission as they’re instantly
indicated the intentions of the Terminator giving us the assumption he’s going
to complete his mission or there will be a disruption to his equilibrium, as if
"everything was always going to play
out exactly the way it did" (item
8). Additionally, the non-linear narrative and the possibility of an
alternate timeline, allows the audience to see the narrative from a more
neutral perspective as they’ve never experienced this before. The Terminator
illustrates the narrative theme of good vs. evil throughout as we see a clear
conflict between the machine and the humans, further reinforcing the ‘humans
against technology’ theme. This has been done in the way to make the robot seem
dangerous, like an unstoppable weapon, as his human body disguise allows him to
seem completely normal. This theme symbolises the conflict within society and
the relations between different cultures and countries. Although the overriding
theme within the Terminator is the passage of time, as its “impact of the past on the present, of the
present on the future and….the effect the future can have on the past” (item 14), is a main convention of the
horror genre, because of its leading to the non-linear narrative structure.
During the action car chase scene after Kyle throws the bomb into the exhaust
of the truck, there is a mid-shot of the front window on fire
naturally framing the Terminator inside the truck reinforces how he doesn’t
belong in the present day. The sequence cuts to a close up shot of the
Terminators melted face mask revealing his metal frame and the piercing red eye
prominently shining through. This shot emphasises the futuristic/scientific
technology and its importance within the plot. Therefore has been used to gain
more of an impact on the viewers as they may start believing the image they’re
seeing on the screen as possible for our near future. This then leads to the
audience’s arising rhetorical question "Do alternative universes exist?" (item 8), as their scientific imaginations develop, allowing them to
visualise the possibility of new technology taking over mankind.
PROJECTOR: Avatar (2009 (item 1)
SPEAKER: Avatar is set in the mid-22nd century,
when humans invade Pandora to mine for minerals, however the expansion of
mining jeopardises the existence of the local Na’vi tribe. The name ‘Avatar’
comes from the genetically engineered Na’vi body, created by the humans, used
for interaction between humans and the natives. This is my focus film due to
the way in which Cameron interestingly places the humans to turn against each
other enflamed by the increase of intimacy between the Avatar and a female from
the Na’vi tribe. This resulted in the humans fighting against the technology in
which they created, supporting the key theme within Cameron’s films, being ‘humans
against technology’, as this film conveys these contrasting rivalries. More so,
the humans fighting against the local Na’vi, who are alien-like and from a
different planet, also illustrates a clear convention of the Science Fiction
genre as it further leads the audience to speculate the existence of life on
other planets. Therefore the plot instantly “absorbs us in a mission before it involves us in an adventure” (item 6), this is due to the original
reason for landing on Pandora was to mine, not knowing the physical obstacles
in the way, such as the natives fighting back. This is evident in the scene
where the humans plan to invade the Na’vi lands with all their machinery and
aircrafts to destroy home tree and the natives ambush their arrival into their
forest. This sequence is filled with fast cuts of shot-reverse-shot between
low-angled, close ups of the Avatars and the Na’vis faces illustrating their
reactions to the human’s intentions. Cutting to high-angled, extreme-long shots
of the space crafts to portray the way in which they don’t belong in the world
of Pandora as the mise-en-scene of the colourful scenery contrasts with the
grey mechanical machinery belonging to the humans. Within the narrative, we are
constantly reminded of the new technology being constructed, leading the
audience to question the ability of science in the future. James Cameron has
done this to indicate a sense of verisimilitude creating a dialogue between
these new ideas and the technological/scientific imaginations of the viewers.
This then symbolises the futuristic elements within the film such as the
cartoon-like appearance of the Na’vi, as "it was only a matter of time before it [the technology] became mature
enough as an art we [James Cameron and producers] could begin the avatar
process" (item 10). Cameron
decided to delay the production of the film by 10 years as the wait for our
technology to advance, in order for the film to capture more high quality,
visual features, lead to very successful imagery, for example the facial
animation. James Cameron’s use of CGI and special effects was to help make the
environment more realistic, enhancing the imaginations of the audience, this
further reinforces the futuristic look about the planet as Cameron’s “revolutions in special effects technology
have seared themselves into the cultural lexicon” (Item 4) consistently challenging what cinemas are able to deliver.
PROJECTOR: Aliens (1986 (item 3)
SPEAKER: Even though ‘Aliens’ is classed as a hybrid, mixing
fantasy/thriller, I argue it carrying more elements of a Science Fiction genre.
This is because the environment in which the film was set, being outer space,
is a common location used within the Sci-Fi- genre. James Cameron has done this
due to the audience not being able to relate to life in space, therefore allows
them to see the narrative on a more neutral level. Aliens is about a women who
returns to a planet to where she previously encountered with the alien
creature. Discovering that, after their departure, an alien was living in the
pipes of the space ship and one-by-one killing the humans. This plot is typical
for Science Fiction as the “apocalyptic
scenarios and human endurance" (Item 4) show key conflicts between good
and evil, reinforcing the ‘humans against technology’ theme, as this new form
of life, highlighting the possible existence of life on other planets,
symbolises futuristic elements. This has been done to make the viewers believe
the story they’re being told, as they use familiar elements of technology in a
fictional way, helping to make connections between fiction and reality. This is
evident in the scene when they plan to kill the aliens in their ship and we’re
instantly drawn into the film, with a close-up shot of a man’s face as if we’re
standing next to him within the tight space. Additionally there is a red tint
within the screen conveying their strong emotions of pride and strength to
fight against the aliens, also illustrating a warning, as if something bad is
going to happen. Cameron has done this to build tension as we couldn’t imagine
being in their situation. Within the dialogue, a man is counting down the detected
distance in which the aliens are to them as we’re shown a close-up of his
nervous sweaty face while he stares at the big mechanical doors. Failing to
realise the aliens were actually approaching from above, this reinforces the
fear of "things that can jump
out of the dark and kill you" (item
6) highlighting the danger in which they’re in and their suggested
inevitable fate. This further builds suspense as the human’s endurance, waiting
as expecting the aliens to strike at any moment, is emphasised by the dialogue
as it appears like a countdown to a possible death. This film is the sequel to
the original ‘Alien’ 1979 directed by Ridley Scott and the main element carried
out between both films is the use “of
strong women and driven men” (item 4).
The typical female character role in Sci-Fi films is stereotyped as naïve and
introvert, whereas the Alien franchise portray a fearless women, eager to fight
and defend themselves. This is evident the way in which Ellen Ripley (Sigourney
Weaver) is protecting the young girl within the fight scene I previously
mentioned portraying the strengths to put her body at risk for the young girl,
in order to protect her. This could illustrate a theme within each film, of
expected character roles changing, however illustrates Cameron’s style as he
incorporates this more dominant female character within Avatar (item 1) and the following Terminator
films.
TITLE ON PROJECTOR: "James Cameron's influences for his
preference to the Sci-Fi genre"
SPEAKER: From a very young age, Cameron has been surrounded
by the arts and science, claiming his uncool status as a "science geek" (item 12). His father being the more the 'hands-on', engineering
type and his mother being a nurse and an artist gave him the familiarity of
creativity, this could've lead to his imagination progressing into futuristic
technology and the science behind it. Cameron was always encouraged by his
parents to work on his strengths at his optimum level, his favourite hobbies as
a child were “doing art and exploring”
(item 12), he would explore the
local woodland area. Using his imagination, this would have helped its
development, resulting in his artistic revelations today and his skill of “trying to create a window that draws you
into a reality” (item 10). The
ultimate turning point for James Cameron was the first time he watched ‘2001 A
Space Odyssey’, as it was the first time he thought of cinema as a piece of
art. Also, he doesn’t recall there being other films that had “a making-of book that was highly, highly detailed”
(item 12) soon after, he found
himself making little space ships and galactic backgrounds, stealing his
father’s camera and essentially creating a mini film. Cameron’s skills then
grew resulting in his futuristic science and beautiful artistic themes within
his film and the endurance of humans within the ‘other world’ environments.
TITLE ON PROJECTOR: "The advance of technology
throughout Cameron's films"
SPEAKER: As Cameron’s creative imagination and technological
visions have improved through experience, it is also visible throughout his
films as the graphics become more realistic, for example "the Terminator removing its eye, a woman
encased in the loader fighting an alien mother... [and] the terrifying last
moments of RMS titanic” (item 4).
These are all highlighting the evolution of film effects technology and James
Cameron’s way of using it to create successful imagery as his scientific
creativity constantly challenges the ability of cinematography. Furthermore, it
is said that “Avatar 2 will be shot
underwater, which presents its own set of problems that the
infamously perfectionist director is no doubt working to overcome"
(Item 7). This further depicts
Cameron’s determination to create a film exactly the way he imagines it,
perfecting every little detail, reinforcing the persistent pressure on
technology to meet what James Cameron entails. Therefore highlights the
improvement of verisimilitude within Cameron’s films due to the advance on
technology.
TITLE ON PROJECTOR: "Auteur Theory and Cameron's
capability"
SPEAKER: The Auteur theory is the personal expressions of
ideas/themes and incorporated into films however further following this
particular theme throughout all films as it is the main personal interest.
James Cameron’s films are dominated by his particular concerns with vision, “whether
they are visions of the past or the future…of heroism and villainy” (Item 4). With Cameron’s childhood being surrounded
by science and art, would have an effect on his work today as he still carries
these interests. Cameron’s vast imagination as a child grew more mature and
creative, as his thoughts on science and technology already existed, he then
had the required mind to create a visually impressive image as he is
“forever altering what cinema is capable of" (item 4). Therefore, I believe James Cameron is an auteur as his
preference to the Sci-Fi genre is foreshadowed through his unique style in
filming.
