The Final Cut

Work Title: The Final Cut
Medium: Film
Episode Title:
Year: 2004
Writer(s): Omar Naim
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: No
Summary:

In a near undefined future, people may have a Zoe microchip implanted in their nervous system to permit their families retrieve the best moments of their memories and watch on video after their deaths. This process is called "Rememory" and Alan H. Hakman (Robin Williams), a man traumatized by an incident in his childhood, is the best cutter of the Eye Tech Corporation. The company is facing groups that oppose to the "Rememory" and the ex-cutter Fletcher (Jim Caviezel) is leading these opponents. When Alan is assigned to prepare the final cut of the memories of the Eye Tech lawyer Charles Bannister, his Zoe chip is disputed by Fletcher. Meanwhile, Alan finds that he has also an implanted microchip, which is against the rules of a cutter. (from IMDm.com)

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

N/A

Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: Zoe implant
  • Description of the technology: The Zoe implant was created by a company named Eye Tech. It is a microchip implanted in a person's eye. The Zoe implant records every second of that person's life. After a person dies, his/her Zoe implant is extracted in order to create a film of their life for their funeral, known as a Rememory. Not all individuals have the Zoe implant, and those select individuals are usually made aware they have it by early adulthood.
  • Nature of task or activity: The Zoe implant does not serve much purpose for the person who has it. It's real purpose becomes clear after that person dies and a "cutter" uses the images from the Zoe implant to piece together the film of their life for the Rememory.
  • Performance of the Technology: The Zoe implant works perfectly, capturing all moments, both good and bad, of a person's life.
  • Description of creator(s): The creator is a company named Eye Tech. Not much is known about Eye Tech because it is such a secretive company, but it does keep extensive records on the individuals who have the Zoe implant.
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): To enable individuals to be remembered by their family members in a positive light. To allow people to remember what they want to remember.
  • Description of users of technology: Alan Hakman (Robin Williams) is a well known "cutter." He is tasked with creating the films for the Rememories. He is in his 50s and a fairly soft spoken man. He tends to spend most of his time working on his films at the guillotine, which is the editing machine for the images from each Zoe implant.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: both
  • Description of presence experience: When watching the moments extracted from the Zoe implant, the viewer feels as though they are that individual because they literally are looking through that person's eyes.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: Most people with the Zoe implant are aware they have it, but it does not appear to affect their behavior, as indicated by some of the scenes that show abusive behavior. Hakman did not think he had a Zoe implant, but while at Eye Tech one day, he discovers his file and realizes that his parents never told him becaues they died when he was 12. On another note, Hakman is so involved in his work that at one point, another character says: "You have to separate yourself from that machine." The machine is in reference to the guillotine.
  • Valence of experience: Hakman seems to like what he does and enjoys creating memories for family members. However, when he discovers that he has a Zoe implant, he realizes he could be in danger because he is the only person who has seen the images from the life of a promiment Eye Tech executive.
  • Specific responses: Hakman is entranced with what he sees on screen and appears to find it difficult to tear himself away.
Long-term consequences:

Hakman is killed for his Zoe implant because a group who opposes the implants wants to see what images are present on the implant of the Eye Tech executive who recently died. They believe that this executive was possibly guilty of molesting his daughter, which the viewer never actually sees, but is lead to belive occurs based on some images from the implant.

Other:

The film ends with the man who killed Hakman saying that his life will be used for a greater good, meaning it is likely that they will expose the Eye Tech executive as a fraud. This could signal the end of the Zoe implant.

Coder name: Eliza Jacobs
Coder email: eliza.jacobs@temple.edu
Coder affiliation: Temple University Philadelphia, PA