Red Planet

Work Title: Red Planet
Medium: Film
Episode Title:
Year: 2000
Writer(s): Mike Canton
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: No
Summary:

A team of astronauts embark on a voyage to Mars to on a mission to make the planet inhabitable and save the Earth. Most of the team is killed in the endeavor, but the mission is accomplished. Two astronauts return home with evidence of life on Mars.

  • Self-Written?: 1
  • Source Name:
  • Source URL:
Era/Year of Portrayal: near_future
Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

Earth is not presented. Most visuals are in the spaceship and on Mars, which appears red and desolate. The spaceship includes advanced technology that interacts with users through voice and sensors.

Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: A robot called AMEE, Autonomous Mapping Exploration and Evasion Systems
  • Description of the technology: A robot that can change forms and walks on all fours like an animal. It is able to transform itself for various purposes, including acceleration, attack, land exploration.
  • Nature of task or activity: User relies on robot for information, for land exploration, and if necessary, to attack an enemy.
  • Performance of the Technology: Robot breaks down; becomes agressive and violent.
  • Description of creator(s): The creator is a white male in his early 30s, involved throughout the film in discourse mostly with other men about women, sports, faith and God.
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): To help explore Mars for evidence of life-sustaining conditions.
  • Description of users of technology: One woman, five men in their early 30s. The woman, Bowman, is the captain of the ship. The men concentrate mostly on prospects with women, sports, and liquor. Conversations about God and science seem to be secondary.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: both
  • Description of presence experience: Medium as social actor.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: Users are aware that they are interacting with a robot but refer to her as a female. As the robot turns agressive, the perception of a female fades but fear of the robot as a living creature remains.
  • Valence of experience: At first, users have a positive experience, joking with the robot and calling it "Sweetie." Then the relationship sours as the robot turns agressive and becomes violent.
  • Specific responses: Keen awareness of robot's movements; fear and anger at its agressive behavior; pain during and after its attack.
Long-term consequences:

The robot is blown up, and the mission and two astronauts are saved. The robot's role in the mission begins as positive but turns negative; the robot's destruction is celebrated.

Other:

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