The Uncanny and Creepy in "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within"

The Uncanny Valley represents the feeling of awkwardness and discomfort that human viewers get when they look at progressively realistic virtual humans. One can see concepts related to the Uncanny Valley at work in Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (Sakaguchi & Sakakibara, 2001). This is because Final Fantasy demonstrates an attempt at photorealism. Photorealism is an attempt to reproduce indexicality by way of non-photographic means. This attempt to simulate the indexical in digital media often falls short, where viewers get that sense of the Uncanny Valley, as photoreal virtual humans are distracting. This type of hyperreal animation is an attempt to emulate the idea of eventually replacing live action cinema. Some viewers may be astonished by how real these characters look, even Aki Ross cannot believe she is real as in the opening sequence Aki Ross wakes from her dream and touches her face like she cannot even believe she is real. It is a like a dream becoming reality in cinema, actors and locations are almost disposable now. However, I argue that Final Fantasy is like one long video game introduction. Final Fantasy attempt’s to create realistic simulations of humans merely turn out to be boring, eerie and awkward to watch. It is necessary to investigate how the idea of the Uncanny Valley applies to a viewer’s experience of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. This can be achieved by applying the four Uncanny Valley hypotheses to the film.

The first hypothesis deals with “considering the role of presence”. When viewing digital characters there is always an argument over how it is human versus how it is not human. By attempting to replicate a photoreal human Final Fantasy invites viewers to be consciously aware that these characters are not real. As a viewer I was constantly judging how the characters looked in the film and how they could and could not be compared to real people. I found what the characters lacked took me out of engaging and enjoying the film, but also I found the use of distinctive and well-known actors for character voices took me completely out of the film. Such as, Alec Baldwin for Gray, Ving Rhames for Ryan and Donald Sutherland for Dr. Sid. Alec Baldwin being in the body of a Ben Affleck look-alike drives the improbability of the characters further. All three actors have specific star personas and how they look plays into that persona, which I can not disregard while watching. Taking their voices and putting them in new virtual human bodies was jarring. This is not like animated films like Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995), where Tom Hanks is the voice of a toy cowboy. These types of films combine live action and animation to create a film viewers can accept. I cannot accept this replication of live action cinema in Final Fantasy as it is still a realm of filmmaking with problems that need to be worked out.

The second hypothesis, “mismatch of cue realism”, means as technology allows for these seemingly realistic characters to be created, what often happens is their behaviour and movements fall short and are viewed as non realistic. While watching Final Fantasy I found myself staring at characters faces and was uncomfortable with their movements. For example, character’s words do not really match up with their mouths and when they speak it is awkward and takes away from any photoreal aspect they offer. Also, it seems a great deal of attention was paid to the way the characters look and less to the way they move. Movements seemed robotic, mechanical and stiff, while Aki’s hair moved effortlessly in the wind and Dr. Sid’s age spots were highlighted. These increasingly photoreal characters come with high expectations and when these expectations are not met or when something is “off” about these characters, viewers meet with the Uncanny Valley.

The third hypothesis, “cultural habitation”, deals with the concept that humans have become comfortable with film representations of humans. Humans no longer feel uncomfortable to look at a flat projection of themselves. This is no longer uncanny and the same may happen with digital avatars. I disagree that digital avatars will become accepted as flat projections of humans have. This is because filmed photographs still offer us the real while digital characters have no indexical connection to reality, it is a simulation of a human, and it should not be confused or accepted as a real human. While watching Final Fantasy I found the digital characters had a very limited range of expression, when characters were upset or happy it was difficult to read and seemed awkward, like the characters were trying to move their faces but could not quite do it. These digital characters may offer us realistic representations, but I think it will take more than getting used to to accept these avatars.

Finally and to be brief, the last hypothesis of the Uncanny Valley is “the contribution of the eyes”. Eyes are the signifier and recognition of life because they give perceptual shape to life forms. The characters’ eyes in Final Fantasy fail to communicate presence, as their eyes look dead. The characters seem to be missing the life that exudes from eyes, such as emotion and meaning and end up with these blank expressions on their faces. Digital characters are missing real life experience.

In conclusion, the Uncanny Valley hypotheses represent the problems inherent with attempting to create photoreal environments. In the case of Final Fantasy, viewers do not accept these simulations of humans because what separates them from humans is what they do not have. They have jarring movements, blank expressions and eyes, and their words do not match up with their mouths. It is awkward to watch and gives viewers an eerie feeling. Aki Ross looks lifelike, but is not living. Watching Final Fantasy is an invitation to scrutinize these characters, I do not find them uncomfortably real, I find them creepy looking and inhuman, yes a superior attempt to replicate humans, but only end up looking like unrealistic artificial virtual humans. For myself the entire notion of replacing real actors with digital actors makes me uncomfortable. The idea that spectators would rather watch a computer-based virtual human fall in love and fight battles is bizarre. If I want to have a digital character enter worlds human actors cannot I will play a videogame. These digital character driven films have a lot to build on if they want digital stars to be accepted in filmmaking and to viewers.

Light Graffiti and Augmented Reality

Our daily lives have become exceedingly reliant on technology, specifically the world of cyberspace as it is used for work, recreational purposes and the “real world”. Many examples of cyberpunk have looked at the notion of virtual reality and the possibilities of a world beyond the computer screen, however physical reality has increasingly become a space filled with electronic and visual information itself (p. 76). This augmented space seems more realistic than virtual reality because one can see it already at work. Examples are seen in urban architecture as Times Square in New York City is filled with video screens that display advertisements and information (p. 86). Also, on the Toronto subway platforms video screens have been installed that provide riders with information on weather, news, and the time until the next train. Augmented reality is a continually changing and evolving surface; because of this it is necessary to briefly discuss Lev Manovich’s definition of augmented space and an example of how computer technology is impacting physical space.

In Manovich’s article, “The Poetics of Augmented Space” (2003), he discusses the ways in which technology is altering physical space. According to Manovich, “computer and networked technology more actively enter our real physical spaces” (p. 76). The 1990s was a time concerned with the computer user entering virtual reality, but now the 2000s see a user who can interact with digital data in existing spaces (p. 76). Examples of technology that send and take data from physical space are cell phones, video surveillance cameras and video displays (p. 76). These technologies expand our experience of reality by providing information about the space around us. It is necessary to look at an example of how some artists are using technology in urban landscapes as a means of communication, which in turn develops the augmentation of reality.

At the beginning of October I had the opportunity to work with Awesome Indies, an urban arts festival for youth in the community of Hintonburg. Awesome Indies focused on bringing local artists together with youth. One of the participating artists was Graffiti Research Lab Canada (GRL) who created light graffiti on the walls of the Patrick John Mills Gallery. Through use of projectors, laser pointers and custom open sources software graffiti artists are able to create light graffiti on physical surfaces. GRL uses light graffiti as a means for urban communication (http://graffitiresearchlab.com). They use a laser to draw on a screen that is projected onto walls, buildings and other spots throughout urban landscapes. This blending of technology and physical space is a clear example of augmented reality. This is because GRL is adding digital information directly related to a physical space, whether they are commenting on the space or designing in relation to it (p. 79). Also, GRL artists “place layers of data over the physical space” (p. 78). This type of art alters the way we perceive physical reality and the way we interpret spaces. These artists provide a means of communicating to the masses in physical space in a non-traditional way and showcase how one can manipulate physical space to impact the ways in which people experience it.

Augmented space is becoming more of a reality as one can see increasingly data filled spaces. We live in spaces where we are constantly encountering computer technology that impacts our physical space and the way we experience it. We seem to be perceiving a heightened version of reality where technology that sends and receives data is expanding our knowledge about our physical space. It seems as physical space is increasingly filled with visual information, the look of a futuristic world may not be just an idea in cinema or cyberpunk, but a reality we encounter everyday.

Check out the following links:

http://www.awesomeindies.ca/?page_id=113

http://graffitiresearchlab.ca/

My Modified Body

Technology now acts as an extension of the body as society no longer works or lives without it. This reliance on technology has changed the way we work, communicate and live. Today work is highly reliant on technology as computers are essential for work in school, the “real world” and recreational purposes. It seems most school and “real world” work is done on computers, as it is where work is created, information is found and communication takes place. Technology liberates us from performing medial tasks, yet work is still frustrating. Work does not become easier as technology often creates more work and unforeseen problems. It is apparent how reliant we are on technology to work, but it is necessary to discuss how reliant we have become on technology to live our lives as the human body is increasingly intertwined with technology.

Mischa Peters article, “Exit Meat: Digital Bodies in a Virtual World”, examines the attitudes concerning “embodiment and subjectivity…on alternative brain-computer interfaces” and the idea that society is becoming posthuman (2003, p. 48). Humans and technology are blending together like never before as "brain-computer interfaces" have become a revolutionary practice for disabled individuals, as John Hockenberry discussed in his article, “The Next Brainiacs” (2001). Peters maps out four conceptual bodies: the natural body, the modified body, the enhanced body and the cyber body (p. 52). These bodies appear throughout cyberpunk novels and science articles that demonstrate issues of embodiment and subjectivity (p. 52). Particularly of concern is “the modified body” (p. 53). As Peters explains it is a body “that uses technology either as a necessity or as a commodity” (p. 53). It is useful to take a step back from the idea of where technology may take the human body in the future as cyberpunk displays and look at how technology is colliding with the human body now. I am an example of how technology is now blending with the human body and deal with issues related to embodiment, or as Peters may classify me as “ the modified body” (p. 53).

Four years ago I was diagnosed with type one diabetes. Type one diabetes is a chronic disease where an individual’s pancreas shuts down the production of insulin, the hormone needed to control the amount of glucose in blood. An individual with diabetes must properly manage their blood sugar levels and take insulin to avoid high blood sugar, which if exposed to over time can lead to health complications. I am fortunate enough to manage my disease with the use of an insulin pump and sensor. An insulin pump is a medical device connected to the body that constantly administers insulin into the body. Think external organ or artificial pancreas. The sensor, a continuous blood glucose monitor, is inserted into the skin by needle and leaves a tiny electrode under the skin that transmits wirelessly to the pump blood sugar readings. Advantages of the sensor include real-time blood sugar readings, alerting a user when they may have a high or low blood sugar reading. I no longer have to think about how I am feeling a sensor can tell me and I can then take the necessary precautions. This integration of technology and body creates an easier lifestyle that makes me forget my disease, but also a sign that my life is dependent on technology and has become intertwined with technology.

Society may constantly be connected to technology like cell phones and ipods, but I am literally always connected to technology and it has altered my relationship with technology. In terms of “the modified body” I do not willingly want to use an insulin pump or sensor, it is a necessity (p. 53). It is not part of me, but merely offers me something I need at a financial and physical price (p. 53). Financially because the insulin pump and sensor are very expensive, and also physically because there are still setbacks with the sensor. A common problem is the delay of the blood sugar reading, I commonly feel low before my insulin pump tells me, and consequently will tell me I am low when I am already combating the low. In terms of work my modified body may liberate me from medial tasks, but it does create more work. I had to take the time to learn how to use a new piece of technology, I have to interact with it regularly and I must change the supplies in order for it to work properly.

Technology has taken my natural body’s failing aspects and enabled me to live a healthier lifestlye (p. 53). I have fully embraced and incorporated my life with technology; my insulin pump and sensor are now an integral part of my identity. It is a part of myself that I like and dislike simultaneously. I like that it keeps me healthy, but I dislike that it is now part of my body image that I need to work around. "The body and its marker", diabetes, are combined parts of my identity now (p. 54). I do not remember what I did before my insulin pump and find it extremely odd when I do not have it on. It is there and I no longer notice it, like someone who wears glasses does not notice they are wearing glasses. The insulin pump and sensor has made my life easier, affecting the way I live my life and work. I can only imagine the day where an insulin pump is not worn externally but internally, where I do not have to press any buttons or change any batteries. A day where I do not have to think about giving myself insulin, but my body will know, a possible brain-computer interface for the diabetic.

Facebook, The Great Machine, and Identity Performativity

This week’s class discussion focused on the theorization of identity perfomativity and privileging, concepts stemming from David Bell’s article, “Identities in Cyberspace” (2001). These concepts were discussed in the context of new media, specifically discussing the social networking applications Facebook and Twitter. Online identity performance occurs when an individual creates a profile or website online and has the opportunity to create an online persona of themselves. In this setting one can present themselves in a respectable and decent manner. Individual’s can choose attractive photos, provide accurate or embellished information, leave out information or flaunt certain aspects of their lives. While identity privileging occurs when an individual only allows certain aspects of their identity to be released to a select group of people online. For example, on Facebook a user can choose what information is shown to certain people by creating a limited profile.

With the high popularity of Facebook and other online applications rising in recent years a great deal of media attention has been focused on the effects of these applications. One article taken from CBC, “The Facebook generation: Changing the meaning of privacy” (2007) written by Sabrina Saccoccio, discusses the younger generation’s openness to expressing themselves online using social networking sites. Facebook profiles are updated daily where one has created a fluid identity as users have the ability to change their information at anytime. According to Saccoccio the Facebook generation has become obsessed with the image, where they are now always aware of how they look on an outing with friends as a camera is usually on hand. Average outings with friends have now become identity performance opportunities. This is because when people go out with friends there is a necessity to look good and watch what you do as the photos will be added to Facebook and will then become part of one’s projected online identity. There is a notion now to always be aware of one’s online identity in one’s real life identity. People are no longer living in the moment, but performing and acting for photos that will be posted on Facebook. Saccoccio also raises issues about identity privileging. People are suddenly wary of being friends with co-workers online because it then blends one’s private and work life together, giving co-workers an insight into one’s private life (para. 27). As one Facebook user explains,

If you're like me, I only accept a certain select few people I have a history with and who are actually friends — people I see on a regular basis. That's why I think it is OK to put some of the pictures up that I have (para. 28)

Here we see an example of identity privileging on Facebook, a user acknowledging she does not want everyone on Facebook to know all of her information or be able to see all her photos. Privileging certain information about her to a select group of individuals.

As issues of identity performance and privileging have been discussed in the news, one can also find representations in other media. Ex Machina: The First Hundred Days (Vaughan, 2004) is a graphic novel that reflects issues surrounding identity performativity and privileging. The Great Machine is a superhero who can control machines with his mind. He eventually comes to a crossroad with his secret identity, privileging only two close confidants with his true identity, he makes the decision to create real change in the city and run for mayor, thus exposing the man behind the Great Machine and leaving his secret identity behind. Here one can see the concept of identity privileging as a necessary part of the Great Machine’s life, but eventually becoming problematic to his real identity as he had to make the choice between two identities. As the Great Machine Mitchell Hundred was able to live life as a vigilante and play the part of the superhero behind the mask because he had the stage, props, scripts and cues that enable Mitchell to play this part for New York City (Bell, 2001). It is only in New York City in his superhero outfit and jetpack that Mitchell can give the performance of the Great Machine, just as users online can only perform their manipulated identity online as in reality all is exposed.

In conclusion, by looking at examples of where identity performativity and privileging appear in new media such as on Facebook and Ex Machina: The First Hundred Days one can see how the issue of performativity and privileging has became an inherent concept and task for new media users. Identities in cyberspace are problematic because they are usually altered from one’s identity in reality, viewing someone’s Facebook profile may give you different information than meeting someone face-to-face. It is necessary to remember identities are always evolving, some aspects are stable and others fluid. For example, I will always be a sister and a daughter even when my family dies people I encounter who knew my family will identify me as a daughter and sister. While on the other hand my interests, location, friends and job will change through the years and alter my identity. New media suggests that people can shape and reshape their identities. The consequences are unknown of a changeable identity, it will be interesting to see how the concept of online identities evolve and what affects it brings upon users, will identity privileging become problematic as it did for the Great Machine? Or will users cease to perform and privilege identities online?

Check out the CBC article at the below link.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/tech/facebook-generation.html

Surrogates and the Body in Virtual Reality

Surrogates (Jonathan Mostow, 2009), a film set in the near future follows the human population as they live out their lives via surrogates, human-looking robotic bodies that are controlled from the isolation of their home. The reasoning behind having a surrogate is from the isolation of their homes people are safe from disease and crime. These surrogates are individuals’ ideal version of themselves, whether that makes them younger or a different gender or race; people can be whomever they want. Tom Greer, played by Bruce Willis, is a FBI agent who investigates the sudden death of two surrogates that results in the death of their human handlers. Greer has to depart from the life he has been living through his surrogate and venture back into the real world as himself to solve an even larger conspiracy hidden behind the murders and the surrogate world.

The film can be compared to ideas surrounding virtual reality as the world Surrogates represents is much like virtual reality. Individuals experience life through technology, everyone they encounter is not real and there is a chance that someone’s surrogate is nothing like them. Although, unlike a virtual reality application surrogates are placed in the real world and people live their real life through them. This relates to Anne Balsamo’s article, “The Seductions of Cyberspace” as she discusses the role of the body in the computer and information industry, specifically the body in relation to virtual reality applications (1996, p. 116). Surrogates displays how “the physical body and its social meanings can be technologically neutralized” (p. 128). This is because the physical body acts only as a gateway to a surrogate, it no longer carries meaning, as individuals in Surrogates no longer take care of their physical body. Also, just as in virtual reality individuals in Surrogates can become anyone they want to, a man can become a woman or a white woman can became a Chinese man, the possibilities are endless.

However, this is problematic because no one in the surrogate world knows who or what real person is watching beyond the eyes of each surrogate. A surrogate allows people to be freed from their body. The body has become disposable and unnecessary in the surrogate-dominated world as it has in virtual reality. For example, one of the surrogates murdered in the beginning of the film is a young blonde woman. When Greer reaches the handler of the blonde woman he finds a balding, overweight, middle-aged man. Here we see a man successfully escaping from reality, the limitations imposed on him in the real world such as, “social structures, and the physical body itself” are no longer problems (p. 122). He can now live free from ridicule by creating a personal identity that is not connected or influenced by his body.

As Surrogates raises many important issues surrounding the body and virtual reality it also leaves much to the imagination. Audiences are left unaware and unconvinced about this futuristic world and why everyone feels the need to live his or her life through a technological apparatus. Balsamo concludes that regardless of the possibilities of new identities, old identities will still be more frequent and comfortable for individuals (p. 131). I agree with her conclusion because as interesting as it is to create a new persona and live as another gender or race, I feel more people would model their avatar after themselves. A different persona does not mean a better one and because virtual reality is there does not mean everyone will take advantage of every aspect. The film Surrogates and virtual reality teaches audiences that it is necessary to keep in mind the possibilities of who is interacting with whom in virtual reality.