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From Synthespian to Convergence Character: Reframing the Digital Human in Contemporary Hollywood Cinema by Jessica L. Aldred

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From Synthespian to Convergence Character: Reframing the Digital Human in Contemporary Hollywood Cinema by Jessica L. Aldred From Synthespian to Convergence Character: Reframing the Digital Human in Contemporary Hollywood Cinema by Jessica L. Aldred A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Cultural Mediations Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario © 2012 Jessica L. Aldred Library and Archives Bibliotheque et Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du 1+1 Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-94206-2 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-94206-2 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lnternet, preter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans le loan, distrbute and sell theses monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non­ support microforme, papier, electronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriete du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in this et des droits moraux qui protege cette these. Ni thesis. Neither the thesis nor la these ni des extraits substantiels de celle-ci substantial extracts from it may be ne doivent etre imprimes ou autrement printed or otherwise reproduced reproduits sans son autorisation. without the author's permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conformement a la loi canadienne sur la Privacy Act some supporting forms protection de la vie privee, quelques may have been removed from this formulaires secondaires ont ete enleves de thesis. cette these. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires aient inclus dans in the document page count, their la pagination, il n'y aura aucun contenu removal does not represent any loss manquant. of content from the thesis. Canada Abstract This dissertation examines the changing role of the digital human in Hollywood cinema. Performing close analyses of a series of CGI-driven blockbusters, their promotional materials and reception, and their ancillary media spin-offs, I trace the transition from the notion of the digital actor or “synthespian” as a replacement for the “real” actor to that of the digital character as a transformative avatar for the both the human performer and the spectator- consumer. Although the synthespian was meant to embody the radical break between “old” and “new” media supposedly wrought by the rise of digital imaging processes, I contend that the digital human instead ultimately demonstrates how newer and more traditional media forms necessarily influence and remediate one another in the industrial context of media conglomeration and convergence, wherein Hollywood films and their characters are increasing! viewed as but one facet of much larger and longer-lasting media franchises. Even though their early promotional materials and academic reception suppressed their connection to traditional media, digital humans draw upon “real” bodies, mechanical interventions, and analogue recording processes associated with live-action cinema and drawn animation. Meanwhile, more recent instantiations of the digital human feature extratextual and diegetic strategies that strive to emphasize the overwhelming convergence of cinema and digital game characters, positioning the former as seamlessly translatable into the latter. I argue that the digital human’s shifting presentation and reception has been informed by conglomerate-owned studios seeking to cultivate “interactive” spectator-consumers who actively engage with all iterations of a digital character. As a result, I argue, the perceived “unease” that the digital human evokes may have much more to do with the complex ways in which these figures blur media boundaries than it does their embodiment of a distinctive “break” between modes of representation. The uncomfortable reception of the digital human persists with its reframing from synthespian to convergence character, but shifts such that spectator-consumers once uneasy at the prospect of new media replacing old media become uncomfortable with convergence-era attempts to level all distinctions between media forms and their occupants. Acknowledgments If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a bustling metropolis to finish a dissertation while raising two kids. This dissertation would not have been possible without the steadfast support and patience of my supervisor, Mark Langer, whose constant reminders to take a long historical view with a project so seemingly grounded in the “new” were both appreciated and necessary, as were his constant threats to pry the semi-colon key off of my computer. I am also indebted to my committee members, Brian Greenspan, Bernard Perron and Peter Hodgins, for their vital contributions to this project. Peter provided a much- needed fresh set of eyes on this dissertation at a time when it most needed them, while Bernard’s insights into the intersections between films and games strengthened this thesis at the same time as they gave life to a postdoctoral research project that I couldn’t be more excited to start. Meanwhile, having Brian’s Hyperlab (stocked with an endless supply of terrible movie-licensed games, and labbies eager to play them) at my disposal over the course of my research has been invaluable. Many thanks to my examiners, Miranda Brady and Donald Crafton, for a rigourous and energizing defence, and for feedback that will be crucial to turning this dissertation into a book. I am grateful as well to the faculty and students of Carleton’s ICSLAC and Film Studies departments (including Paul Theberge, Chris Faulkner, Charles O’Brien, George McKnight, Deborah Knight, Zuzana Pick, Margaret Rose, Esther Post, Benjamin Wright, Steve Rifkin, Matt Croombs, Paul Jasen, Dan Sheridan and Alex Wetmore) who have provided a vital sounding board for this project over the years, as have my Hyperlab colleagues Jennifer Whitson, Natalie King, and Chris Eaket. When 1 began this PhD, I was a dewy-eyed newlywed with a vague idea for a project about female Method actors in the ‘50s. Through all of its twists and turns, stops and starts, my husband Peter has supported me unconditionally, keeping an unwavering faith in my work and my ability to finish even when I doubted both. With the arrival of our two beautiful kids, Alexandra and Sam, he has done everything possible to keep the balance in our family as I brought this project to a close. And if Peter’s patience has been a miracle to me, it pales only in comparison to that of our kids, who haven’t just put up with an absent minded almost-professor for a mom - they’ve cheered me on with an unabashed enthusiasm that has makes my heart hurt. For this, I am beyond grateful. v Table of Contents Abstract u Acknowledgements IV Table of Contents VI List of Illustrations Vll Chapter One Introduction: Reframing the Digital Human Chapter Two “She’s Lovely, But Alas, Only Software”: 41 The synthespian as the (not quite) human face of “new” digital media Chapter Three The Audience Stays in the Picture: 100 Digital connoisseurship and convergence- era media consumption Chapter Four Get in the Picture/Get in the Game: 148 The Digital Human as Avatar Chapter Five Playing with (and as) the digital human 214 as convergence character Chapter Six Conclusion: Mapping a future for the digital 265 human as convergence character Bibliography 273 Filmography 289 Gameography 291 vi List of Illustrations Chapter 2 Fig. 1 (p. 48): “Best of MIRALab,” Haszysz.net, accessed May 10, 2012, http://www.haszysz.net/tag/miralab. Fig. 2 (p. 63):“Synthespian: A Synthetic Media Personality,” Technovelgy.com, accessed July 6, 2012, http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/content.asp?Bnum=87. Fig. 3 (p. 64): “James Cameron’s Avatar Synthespians,” Technovelgy.com, accessed July 6, 2012, http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Science-Fiction- News.asp?NewsNum=2746. Fig. 4 (p. 66): “Kyoko” (fan page), accessed May 25, 2012, http://www.oocities.org/timessquare/alley/8779/sub3iv.html. Fig. 5 (p. 76):Douglas Mann, “Play Lara Play, Run Lara Run: Reflections on Postmodern Comic Book and Video Game Culture,” accessed May 12, 2012, http://publish.uwo.ca/~dmann/laralola.htm. Fig. 6 (p. 77):“ Dr. Aki Ross by Palisades,” Toyhaven.blogspot.ca, accessed July 6, 2012, http://toyhaven.blogspot.ca/2008/05/dr-aki-ross-by-palisades-2001 .html. Fig. 7 (p. 80): ‘ ‘Which Cid is your favourite?” Fanpop.com, accessed May 10, 2012, http://www.fanpop.eom/spots/final-fantasy/picks/results/617071 /which-cid- favorite. Fig. 8 (p. 96):“Quote to Remember: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within,” http://quotetoremember.blogspot.ca/2012/05/final-fantasy-spirits-within-2001 .html. Chapter 3 Fig. 1 (p. 122): “Chris Nolan’s Memento,” accessed January 28, 2012, http://alaundre.wordpress.eom/2008/09/page/4/. Fig. 2 (p. 128):“The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Extended Edition Blu-Ray Trailer!” Movieweb.com, accessed January 10, 2012, http://www.movieweb.com/news/the-lord-of-the-rings-trilogy-extended-edition- blu-ray-trailer. Fig. 3 (p. 132): ‘ ‘Gollum,” accessed January 12, 2012, http://www.theargonath.ee/eharacters/gollum/pietures/gttttaming46.jpg. Fig. 4 (p. 132): “Gollum,” accessed January 12, 2012, http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Gollum. Fig. 5 (p. 136):“The Two Towers,” DVD Diatribe, accessed January8, 2012, http://www.asitecalledfred.com/diatribe/43.html. Fig. 6 (p. 138):“Performance Capture: Why Andy Serkis Deserves a Slap on the Back,” accessed January 15, 2012, http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/ 2012/01 /04/performance-capture-why-andy-serkis-deserves-a-slap-on-the-back/.
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