The role of digital technology in “Hugo” and “Mission to Earth”

Compare the role of digital technology in “Hugo” (Martin Scorsese) and “Mission to Earth” (Lev Manovich), commenting on its relationship to the viewers' sense of immersion. What is special about those films? Support your argument with your own observations (the films' appearance, narrative, the rhythm, the role of sound), as well as the opinion of the filmmakers and others about the films.

Introduction to the work

In the paper I will compare the role of digital technology in "Hugo" (2011) by Martin Scorsese, and "Mission to Earth" (2002) by Lev Manovich, commenting on its relationship to the viewers' sense of immersion. 

Watching the above movies is crucial if one wants to fully understand the points made in the essay. Below, the short clips regarding the work of both, Scorsese and Manovich are uploaded. Please, click on them in order to learn more about the way digital technology is used by these artists.

1. Manovich - Soft Cinema

2. Scorsese - Hugo

A detailed description of the work

The work stems in large part from the idea that digital technology shapes our perception of art. Nowadays, people are becoming less and less sensitive toward art due to the constant stimulation they receive. A gentle stimulus is no longer enough – the younger we are the stronger we need it to be. Being raised in a digital era, where brighting colours and fast action is our everyday life, we stopped noticing more delicate kind of beauty. In this paper, the role of digital technology in “Hugo” (2011) by Martin Scorsese and “Mission to Earth” (2002) by Lev Manovich will be compared. First of all, the notion of digital cinema will be described. Second of all, I will analyse the above movies in respect of their appearance, narrative, rhythm and the role of sound. Third of all, I will try to comment on the effect of digitalisation on viewers' sense of immersion using my own, as well as others' observations.

According to Steve Dixon, digital performance is an act in which “computer technologies play a key role.” (Steve Dixon, Digital Performance (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2007), 3. In order to revolutionise the movie-going experience, filmmakers started realising their fantasy due to various computer-generated graphics. Shortly after the digital special effects, film sound went digital. This transformation of the theatrical experience produced a sense of audience immersion. Surrounded by both, image and sound, the audience entered the world of the picture. (John Belton, Digital Cinema: A False Revolution, Black and White Photographs, Spring 2002, Issue 100.)

Hugo (2011) by Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese in “Hugo” reveals concepts related to the preservation of film history and the nostalgia toward cinema, as well as his profound respect for the work of Georges Méliès, the magician, illusionist and the filmmaker of the world's first science fiction movie “A Trip to the Moon”, 1902.(The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick: http://www.theinventionofhugocabret.com/about_georges.htm - accessed Nov. 22, 2014). 
"It felt like it was the logical extension of filmmaking – that if Méliès was alive, he would have definitely been using 3D", Scorsese said.

(Hugo:http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/digital/3d/5-things-to-know-about-martin-scorseses-hugo#slide-1 - accessed Nov. 22, 2014).

“Hugo” represents the sphere of magic and dreams, introducing us to the world where image and sound are of primary importance. Inspired by Georges Méliès' films that involved trick photography and elements of fiction, Scorsese used various special effects in service of fantasy. Watching it, we may go back in time in order to truly experience the Parisian culture. Scorsese exerted pressure with regard to his passion and love for film, art and dreams. He applied various digital techniques in pursue of creativity as a value. Scorsese, undoubtely, moves with the times: "I wanted to use 3D as another storytelling element (…)." "The way we're sitting here now is 3D. So, why can't we use that, as we use color, we use sound, we use movement?” (Scorsese on “Hugo”: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/martin-scorsese-on-hugo-a-very-personal-film/ - accessed Nov. 24, 2014).

Mission to Earth (2002) by Lev Manovich

Soft Cinema, according to Manovich, creates new cinema forms through the use of a digital computer, being a key technology for the information society. (Lev Manovich on Database Driven Movies: http://seththompson.info/essays/video-interviews/lev-manovich-on-database-driven-movies/ - accessed Nov. 22, 2014). Manovich describes his filmic methodology as being based on the logic of databases.

Manovich underlines the complexity of human mind. Memories, reality, future plans – looking for meaning, searching for love, waiting to forget. All of these layers seems to confirm Manovich's idea that the best way to show human mind is to use the interface with a number of windows. “In "Mission to Earth" the main window either depicts what the main character perceives or shows the character herself. Other, smaller windows show other aspects of her world. This film contains the strongest narrative and is about an alien sent on an ethnographic mission to Earth to report on its inhabitants. It conjures up states of mind associated with alienation, displacement, and migration.” (Leonardo Digital Reviews: http://www.leonardo.info/reviews/june2006/soft_dahlberg.html - accessed Nov. 24, 2014).

An evaluation of work in terms of your specific research question

The analysis of the both, “Hugo” and “Mission to Earth” reveals striking contrast between the messages they tend to communicate. There is, nevertheless, one thing that both these movies have in common – the influence they leave behind. Both of them are very demanding and due to the digital technology used, they leave the viewer with a deep sense of immersion.

Bibliography:

Hugo: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/digital/3d/5-things-to-know-about-martin-scorseses-hugo#slide-1 (accessed Nov. 22, 2014)

John Belton, Digital Cinema: A False Revolution, Black and White Photographs, Spring 2002, Issue 100.

Leonardo Digital Reviews:
http://www.leonardo.info/reviews/june2006/soft_dahlberg.html

(accessed Nov. 24, 2014).

Lev Manovich on Database Driven Movies: 
http://seththompson.info/essays/video-interviews/lev-manovich-on-database-driven-movies/ (accessed Nov. 22, 2014).

Scorsese on “Hugo”: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/martin-scorsese-on-hugo-a-very-personal-film/ (accessed Nov. 24, 2014).

Steve Dixon, Digital Performance (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2007), 3.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick:
http://www.theinventionofhugocabret.com/about_georges.htm
(accessed Nov. 22, 2014). 

Mission to Earth

"Mission to Earth" by Lev Manovich is a story of a woman who was sent to Earth twenty years ago in order to write weekly reports to her commander. After a while, she realized that nobody reads her reports, but she was doing her task anyway. 

She did not feel at home at all. She felt like an immigrant that spent many years in foreign country but never really adapted himself to the new environment. In order to believe that her existence actually meant something, she found different kinds of pleasure on Earth - watching TV shows, looking for new clothing.

Her memories were constantly interrupted by images of her childhood and her life back to Alpha 1. Going through the automatic carwash was something that reminded her of the past. Being inside of the car that was being attacked by brushes, foam and bubbles provided her with a kind of relief and happiness.

She was alone. Searching for love, she met another immigrant - a painter. The common misunderstanding of a new country united them together. She did everything she could in order to adapt herself to his lifestyle. After a while, however, the role of the artist's girlfriend was no longer satisfying. She left. 

One day she received a message that her mission was over. She did not know if she should have stayed or returned. She felt lost again. She belonged nowhere.

The structure of the film is very divided. The screen is broken into multiple windows representing different streams of information. We can see images of an office, a computer, a mobile phone, a watch, documents etc, but we can also see more abstract things such as: rain on the window, spinning white patterns, grey sky or rusty ladder. 

All those images are supported by a voice-over and music. Main character does not talk. There is no one to talk to.

The story emphasizes a very important aspect of modern times - routine. Nowadays, I find myself more and more focused on doing given me tasks. We wake up everyday, go to work, spend the whole day in front of the computers. Afterwards, we are so tired that we start watching these pointless programs on TV in order to stop thinking for a while. Having some time on weekends we do the shopping, hoping that new pair of shoes will make us happy again. 

The film focuses on a life of an immigrant - very relevant in our times. People go abroad in order to look for happiness, and they find themselves missing for their past. We are all looking for some place not being sure it even exists. 

The story of the film differs completely from those we can find in the cinema nowadays. Action movies or silly comedies do not allow us to stop for a minute or two and think. We are busy. We are meant to be busy.

There are various principles in traditional cinema such as 180-degree rule that keeps the camera on one side of the action, providing the viewers with knowledge of the space.

Three-act structure, on the other hand, divides the structure of the film into three parts: Act I (set-up), Act II (confrontation) and Act III (resolution). This structure allows the viewer to know the characters, their lives and problems. Moreover, between those acts, so called, plot points appear. Their purpose is to provide the smooth transition from one act to another. Thanks to plot points the film is continuous and logical. The cause-effect principle remains. Everything happens for a reason.

In "Mission to Earth" there is no 180-degree rule. The image spins around, the main character changes her location unexpectedly. There is no logic. The images appearing simultaneously on the screen are abstract and have little to do with the actual story. There is no acts in Manovich's film, neither cause-effect principle. 

The form of the digital cinema presented in the film also vary significantly from the traditional film-making. The way the film is shot can be described as illogical. Many unreasonable close-ups, no dissolving. The film is cut and edited in a very raw way. No beautifying, no sugar-coating.

But what Manovich does perfectly is describing the main character. After few minutes we possess quite decent knowledge about the woman. We know her internal and external life, we know her past and the problems she is facing. Even without listening to the voice-over, we can see how the main character feels. After all, film is a story told with pictures.

Bibliography:

180-Degree rule:

http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/filmglossary/web/terms/180-degree_rule.html (Retrieved Nov 13, 2014)

The Three-act Paradigm:

http://www.cod.edu/people/faculty/pruter/film/threeact.htm

(Retrieved Nov 13, 2014)