Founding Myth
What did the audience appear to believe was coming at them?
A train
What is a utopian way of thinking?
a quasi-realistic account of a vastly improved society that offers hope and direction in an uncertain world – an ideal society
e.g Positive look into affordances of technology
What is a dystopian way of thinking?
a speculative future (society) characterized by negative elements – when humans lose control over technology; loss of freedom, privacy, human integrity, equality or extinguished by technology
Negative affordances
What modern technologies do nearly all contemporary films and videos use to convey content?
possible answer: CGI, special effects, animations
What is the Truman Show about?
main character living what he thinks is an ordinary life, but he’s actually unknowingly living in a reality TV series where everyone around him is an actor
Where did the Lumeire brothers come from, and when did their movie release?
French, 1896
According to the founding myth, what is one key purpose of film and video?
to present meaningful stories and to convey the real world as we experience it
What is the name of the concept that refers to the belief that technology shapes human perception and behavior, such as film making audiences feel fear or danger?
technological determinism
What was the first movie to have synchronized sound?
The Jazz Singer, Warner Bros
Through a dystopian way of thinking, how does the Truman Show convey the affordances of film and video
key tensions is his growing realisation that his world is artificial, hyperreality of the world, ability for film and video to convey the world as 'not real' e.g
What were some key factors to why the audience reacted in such a way?
Power of illusion, spectacles captured on screen, realism of moving images and the captured motion of on screen objects
From a utopian view, what kind of experience do film and video aim to create?
A collective/ shared experience that represents true reality
How would you call the ability of film and video to manipulate audience perception and emotion, especially when shared as a group experience?
collective spectacle
Films made before 1927 are categorized under this era, due to the absence of recorded dialogue - what is it?
The silent era (1903 - 1927)
What are the key ideas of the Truman Show in relation to the affordances of film and video?
illustrates how easily viewers (whether in a theatre or in a suburban dome) can confuse simulation for reality, especially when that illusion is emotionally convincing
Specifically through a utopian way of thinking, what does the myth highlight in terms of technological affordances?
Ability for film and video to impact what audiences see, think and feel etc.....
What is a potential utopian outlook of modern film and video streaming platforms?
Anything positive, looking forward, beneficial to society e.g
Netflix allows film and video to be more widely accessible
What can the collective experience of witnessing scary illusions lead to?
induced technological fear
How would you define the concept of “familiar reality”?
People think they see reality, when it is really a fantastical retelling of familiar things
What is the key difference between early cinema audiences and Truman?
Unlike early film audiences who accepted what they saw, Truman challenges the illusion and escapes it
Why does the 'founding cinema theory' relate to contemporary film and video?
Power of on screen illusions, ability for film and video to hypnotise reality, incline an audience to think what is real vs fantasy
Which power does utopian theory credit to film and video?
the ability to shape perceptions, stories, and to incite emotions through technology
Overall, how would you describe the early cinema within dystopian discourse?
a tool through which producers can manipulate or “toy” with audience perception e.g
In what year was the first movie ever screened?
1888, Roundhay Garden Scene (Leeds, UK)
What do The Truman Show and Arrival of the Train have in common?
illustrate how easily viewers can confuse simulation for reality e.g