Gravity

Work Title: Gravity
Medium: Film
Episode Title:
Year: 2013
Writer(s): Alfonso Cuaron
"Original" Writer: Yes Writer(s): Jonas Cuaron
"Original" Writer: Yes Writer(s): George Clooney
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: No
Summary:

Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a medical engineer on her first shuttle mission. Her commander is veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney), helming his last flight before retirement. Then, during a routine space walk by the pair, disaster strikes: The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Ryan and Matt stranded in deep space with no link to Earth and no hope of rescue. As fear turns to panic, they realize that the only way home may be to venture further into space.

Era/Year of Portrayal: present_day
Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

Space travel, views of earth from a distance, black space, spaceship, shuttle, sophisticated flight technology, computer/radio communication technology

Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: Occasionally "communication" or "radio," but generally no name is assigned.
  • Description of the technology: General description: Radio-like audio communication device enabling discussion from earth to space and between astronauts in space.

    How the user interacts: Seamless communication, without the need to touch any panels or buttons.

    Mobile: yes

    Quality: Clear until severed partly and ultimately totally through damage.

    Behavior: Technology is neutral, allowing seamless conversation among astronauts and command station until technology malfunctions and communication is severed.
  • Nature of task or activity: The astronauts are attempting to repair a space station part and complete a mission during the initial conversations through the communication/radio technology. Later, after a collision of the shuttle with space debris and a severing of the technology with the command station, Houston, the remaining communication capability among astronauts in space is used to try to stay alive.
  • Performance of the Technology: The technology was designed to enable important communication among astronauts and the command station, Houston. It breaks down after the shuttle is hit by debris from a nearby Russian station.
  • Description of creator(s): The implication is that scientists are the creators of the communication technology.
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): To enable seamless and continuous communication across enormous distance and extreme conditions.
  • Description of users of technology: Matt Kowalsky, protagonist, male, Caucasian, in his 40s, commander and veteran astronaut on his last mission. Dr. Ryan Stone, protagonist, female, Caucasian, in her 40s, medical engineer. Shariff Dasari, male, race unknown, flight engineer, never seen, only heard through the communication/radio technology.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: social_presence
  • Description of presence experience: To a large extent, Stone, and to a lesser extent, Kowalsky, experience strong physical and emotional reactions through the technology. Words conveying technical instructions evoke action or a refusal to take action. Warnings of impending destruction evoke high levels of stress evidenced in physical symptoms such as rapid breathing, voice cracking, and perspiring. Emotional sentiments such as references to a lost child evoke looks of sadness, joy and flashback memories. As the film progresses, the technology enables communication with a stranger on Earth who, although speaking in a foreign language, arguably brings Stone closer to human connection than ever before in the film.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: The astronauts and Houston seem largely unaware they are using the technology until there is a severing of communication through destruction of the shuttle.
  • Valence of experience: The communication technology is critical to Stone and Kowalsky's survival and so is fundamental to the joy, sorrow, fear, courage, failure and success each experiences through the film.
  • Specific responses: Stone and Kowalsky are audibly and visibly frightened when communication to Houston is severed and, eventually, when they cannot hear one another because of communication malfunction. They are relieved and sometimes hopeful when the technology is working. Even when Stone is pessimistic, she seeks out the communication connection to ease her despair.
Long-term consequences:

The communication/radio technology becomes vital to Stone's survival and is so powerful that Kowalsky's voice heard through the technology lingers in her ear even after the technology fails. It has left a lasting effect on her and propels her to take courageous measures to survive despite a painful past and against all odds.

Other:

Coder name: Melissa Selverian
Coder email: melissaselverian@comcast.net
Coder affiliation: Temple University