Validating Scientific Facts on TV and Movies

[Anna]

Ever wonder how screenwriters validate the real-life science in television and movie scripts? I found this article by the guy who wrote Ridley Scott's Prometheus and the upcoming Dr. Strange to be pretty fascinating:

HERE: http://www.scientificamerican.com/art...

[Steph]

...And a remake of Disney's The Black Hole apparently. Good article!

[Anna]

Steph wrote: "...And a remake of Disney's The Black Hole apparently. Good article!"

I know. They must be desperate for content because they're resurrecting a lot of good concept movies. Hope they do a good job of it, and updated to be in line with our current understanding of black holes.

[Paul]

Anna wrote: "Steph wrote: "...And a remake of Disney's The Black Hole apparently. Good article!"

I know. They must be desperate for content because they're resurrecting a lot of good concept movies. Hope they..."

I suppose that depends on how you feel about the latest Tron movie and Oblivion. My understanding is that the same director is working on Black Hole. I personally loved both movies, some I'm happy. Grin.

[Anna]

Paul wrote: "I suppose that depends on how you feel about the latest Tron movie and Oblivion. My understanding is that the same director is working on Black Hole..."

From a sci-fi/blockbuster viewpoint, the newest Tron movie was a bit of a disappointment. From a philosophical standpoint, however, with Jeff Bridges as a stand-in for the creator, it was actually a phenomenally deep movie. Tron was like Legion ... it could have done both well, but they were done too heavy-handed (Legion much more so than Tron, which was only a little bit clunky). I write blasphemy, so I always enjoy a bit of creation mythos in my sci-fi space opera :-) Ditto for Fifth Element, which was NOT clunky.

[Rion]

Fifth Element was spectacular on so many levels. One of the few movies I can repeat line after line and have seen more times than I remember. I didn't enjoy Tron Legacy much, the heavy handedness you felt was probably the Jeff Bridges show we were forced to watch. It came across as too convenient and hence felt like a cop out ending for me. It also lacked the surrealism that the original Tron still posses. The improved computer graphics and soundtrack are enough to recommend watching it, but I won't say that it was especially memorable. Oblivion? Also not a bad film, and yet it felt extremely homogenized. Can't really say too much bad about it, but at the same time you can't really praise it either. It was just entertaining and boring somehow at the same time. The story was too telling instead of showing. If Joseph Kosinski is in fact directing the new Black Hole and Jon Spaihts is writing the new screen play I'm not going to expect much other than some cool eye candy.

[Anna]

I wish they'd do more sci-fi movies with a more subtle 'creation' mythos twist like Fifth Element.

Did you guys see Transcendence with Johnny Depp? Not space opera ... pure sci-fi ... but that had more of the subtly unfolding creation mythos twist that I enjoy. And it was chock-full of current technology carried to the n'th degree, so it leaves you with more of a 'could this happen' feeling.

[Rion]

I was really looking forward to Transcendence a while ago, but the bad reception sort of put me off. But, what you are describing sounds like something I'd really enjoy. I might have to watch that one tomorrow.

[Anna]

Rion wrote: "I was really looking forward to Transcendence a while ago, but the bad reception sort of put me off. But, what you are describing sounds like something I'd really enjoy. I might have to watch that ..."

I enjoyed it ... but I always enjoy a good philosophical tale with a hidden message of morality. If you want explosions and fast action, it might not be the movie you want to see. It -will- leave you thinking afterwards. Perhaps at home some quiet night with a vat of popcorn and your honey?

[Kirsten]

Personally, if I want to watch a computer take over the world, I find a copy of Colossus: The Forbin Project.

[Anna]

Kirsten wrote: "Personally, if I want to watch a computer take over the world, I find a copy of Colossus: The Forbin Project."

Haven't seen that one yet. Maybe we should start a 'space opera about computers who take over the world' thread. I'll throw 2001 Space Odyssey into the hat :-) Or the T2 movies.

[Kirsten]

Colossus http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064177/?...
was made in 1970 and was also a book Colossus

[Anna]

Kirsten wrote: "Colossus..."

Yeah ... just read up the movie and book premise. THAT would qualify :-)

[Rion]

Matrix was on t.v. last week and I had to watch it again. I'd still take the red pill. :)

[Paul]

I can't think of much Space Opera that has this theme. Maybe Hyperion Cantos, Today We Choose Faces, and The Risen Empire.

[Rion]

So Transcendence didn't come in the mail but Divergence did. Beware of Rant.
(view spoiler)[ For some reason the phrase if you don't have something nice to say then don't say anything at all comes to mind. Screw that, it was horrible. Teen trash/fi. The zip wire was awesome though. And I think that was about it. Yep skip to zip wire scene and that's all you need to watch. I'm sure the book might be much better, but the film? Just no. Man it certainly shows I'm no teenage girl. After the zip wire the next best aspect of the film was the soundtrack, which seemed well produced. Divergence? The concept is utterly trash. I thought the series was going to go way deeper in gene modification and human specialization. Nope. Bad consumes, guns looked like toys, teen drama, underdeveloped characters everywhere. All of the science was left unexplained. Teenage girl saves the post apocalyptic world from a completely unrealistic attempt of the intelligentsia to take over the the Pacifist Coalition who runs the government? I new I shouldn't have watched this one, but man Hunger Games was decent enough. Yep not a good reason. (hide spoiler)]

[Anna]

Rion wrote: "Man it certainly shows I'm no teenage girl..."

I haven't watched the Divergent movie yet. My kids have the books and loved them, but then again they are the target audience. I haven't gotten around to reading them yet.

However...

If you were looking for a post-apocalyptic world that came about as a result of genetic engineering and a zombie-type virus, you might enjoy the Blood of Eden series by Julie Kagawa.



It's more fantasy than sci-fi because the effect of the virus is vampirism, but other than the blood-sucker aspect it's got all the sci-fi elements of World War Z and Lucifer's Hammer. It -is- technically YA, but it's a really dark, grim series with believable characters, situations, and just of enough of a hint of romance to provide motivation to the protagonist without being mushy/sappy.

[Ray]

Just coming onto this blog and I want to thank Anna for posting that article by Jon Spaihts. I really enjoyed the objective view of making a movie. I'm a aeronautical engineer and ex USAF pilot and I appreciate the challenge of putting real science into a story yet making the story enjoyable to read. I'm also a Sci-Fi author and I bounce between hard Sci-Fi and Space Opera trying to find the balance between technological accuracy and a good story. I do applaud John's comment "do no harm: teach no harmful fallacies." I have a huge problem with scientific issues so messed up it's embarrassing. I'd like to think that a good audience is eager to learn a little in order to have a good story.

[Anna]

Ray wrote: "I do applaud John's comment "do no harm: teach no harmful fallacies." ... I'd like to think that a good audience is eager to learn a little in order to have a good story. ..."

I think all you can do is the best research you can do, but if it's an integral part of your story, then you should do some due diligence before you publish it. Space Opera is many young people's first introduction to science. But you can't get so purist about it that nobody wants to read your story, either. The problem with a lot of 'hard' sci-fi is it gets so bogged down in the technobabble that you forget there's a story somewhere in there.

[Anna]

John wrote: "I am not a science purist and so I do accept dodgy science sometimes if the story is really good..."

I attended a panel at ARISIA two years ago about Avengers tech where the scientists basically ripped apart all my delusions of building an Iron Man suit :-( No fun. Party-poopers! But I was surprised to learn a helicarrier -is- possible, if economically infeasible. And that Marvel works very closely with the U.S. military (most of the time) to try to at least get the military sci-fi component of it right.

[Mark]

Anna wrote: "John wrote: "I am not a science purist and so I do accept dodgy science sometimes if the story is really good..."

I attended a panel at ARISIA two years ago about Avengers tech where the scientist..."

When you're next on holiday by the sea (or if you live near a lake or whatever), try out a jet ski "flyboard". I know, nothing against an Iron Man suit, but it is sort of similar. Totally cool experience!
:-)

[Anna]

Mark wrote: "When you're next on holiday by the sea (or if you live near a lake or whatever), try out a jet ski "flyboard". I know, nothing against an Iron Man suit, but it is sort of similar...."

Oooh ... yeah .... looks like something I'd enjoy :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4Bm3...

Kinda reminds me to this scene in Iron Man I:

TONY: [wearing parts of the Iron Man armor while a robot films him]

Day 11, test 37, configuration 2.0. For lack of a better option, Dummy is still on fire safety. lf you douse me again, and I'm not on fire, I'm donating you to a city college.

All right, nice and easy. Seriously, just gonna start off with 1% thrust capacity. And three, two, one.

[Tony hovers a few feet in the air and then lands again]

Okay. [Dummy follows closely with the fire extinguisher] Please don't follow me around with it, either, 'cause I feel like I'm gonna catch on fire spontaneously. Just stand down! lf something happens, then come in.

And again, let's bring it up to 2.5. Three, two, one.

[hovers higher this time and starts to drift over his sports cars]

Okay, this is where I don't want to be! Not the car, not the car! Yikes! Table! [he manages to use the hand controls to steer and land safely back where he started] Could be worse! Could be worse! We're fine! Okay.

No! Ah ah ah! [to Dummy as he points the extinguisher at him]

Yeah, I can fly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwzuM...