Jurassic Park

Work Title: Jurassic Park
Medium: TV Movie
Episode Title:
Year: 1993
Writer(s): Michael Crichton
"Original" Writer: Yes Writer(s): David Koepp
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: Yes

Summary:

On a remote island, a wealthy entrepreneur secretly creates a theme park featuring living dinosaurs drawn from prehistoric DNA. Before opening the attraction to the public, he invites a top paleontologist, a paleobotanist, a mathematician/theorist, and his two eager grandchildren to experience the park -- and help calm anxious investors. However, their park visit is anything but tranquil as the park's security system breaks down, the prehistoric creatures break out, and the excitement builds to surprising results.


Era/Year of Portrayal: present_day

Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

A theme park (called Jurassic park) that has living biological attractions, dinosaurs.


Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: During the preview of the park, the creator, John Hammond, played by Richard Attenborough, runs a short movie clip and shows them (his audience) a simulation.
  • Description of the technology: Extensive computer system that runs the theme park, electric fences, computer-controlled touring cars and the life-like dinosaurs. The computer technology is stationary. Great quality in terms of vividness and social realism. Behavior- n/a
  • Nature of task or activity: Users need to problem solve when they interact with traditional models of technology like figure out how to turn the park's electricity back on.
  • Performance of the Technology: The technology (Jurassic park's computer, other electronic systems) functions quite well until it breaks down when it is sabotaged by an employee for greedy purposes of his own.
  • Description of creator(s): John Hammond is the owner of Jurassic Park and founder of InGen. He is portrayed by Richard Attenborough in the film.
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): Primarily, to entertain people.
  • Description of users of technology: Sam Neil and Laurn Dern play Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ellie Sattler, respectively. Jeff Goldblum plays Dr. Ian Malcom, another researcher. Samuel Jackson plays Ray Arnold and Wayne Arnold plays Dennis Nedry. Voth, Arnold and Nedry worked at the computers as employees. Ariana Richards plays year old Lex Murphy. She is very computer-savvy.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: both
  • Description of presence experience: There are several good and bad presence experiences. One of the most noteworthy ones was in a scene where Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler are trying to keep a door closed with their physical weight while a massive t-rex is pounding against it. Since, the older generation is indisposed, the younger children take over and handle intricate computer technology. Eventually, Lex Murphy saves all of them, including her brother, as she inserts a command to lock their immediate parameters. Losing control over technology elicits fearful responses in its users.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: They are very aware of being in a technology-created theme park. Initially, the technology users found the presence experience pleasant when the central computer system that ran the park was running smoothly. After the theme park's electricity is shut down by a greedy employee, the entire computer system goes offline, the users begin to find this experience increasingly unpleasant.
  • Valence of experience: As mentioned above, initially, the users find the presence experience pleasant. After the theme park's electricity is shut down, the entire computer system goes offline, and its users begin to find this experience increasingly unpleasant.
  • Specific responses: N/A
Long-term consequences:

Fear, shock, de-sensitization.

Other:

Coder name: Zeba Baksh
Coder email: zb.baksh@gmail.com
Coder affiliation: Temple Unversity