As I think about where I am with my project roughly halfway through this first semester, I’m feeling both confident in my idea but still intimidated by how much I have to learn in order to make it happen on both the research and production sides. My research has given me a deeper understanding of how the theory of hyperreality manifests in our modern media environment and how it interacts with the concept of the simulation. I’m particularly proud of the wide range of perspectives I’ve managed to incorporate so far, from a look at how Disney theme parks act as the ultimate expression of the hyperreal to how cyberpunk interacts with the concept as a reaction to the erosion of different forms of media becoming subsumed into one, ever-present digital channel of communication. Going forward, I want to explore more of the theoretical underpinnings of hyperreality as these will be an important part of my project, as I want to set the viewer up with a baseline knowledge of the theory and its components in the early section. Additionally I want to conduct more research on how digital or simulated representations of reality can drive real world behaviors with an eye towards the spread of disinformation and the proliferation of AI tools and agents, as these feel like the most potent and relevant real world examples of the blurring between simulated and tangible reality.
I want to ramp up my efforts in the area of previsualization and production, as I’ve been mostly building the concept out in my head but taking relatively less time to map out what the visual style will be beyond the core aesthetic. I want to develop a better vision for how I’ll use different visual effects and what other footage I’ll need to film or source beyond just filming the instructor talking to the camera. I think pulling together my sources of inspiration for the pre-production binder will help with this so I can give myself a more focused visual toolbox. That said, filming the initial media did help to solidify the vibe and aesthetic I want for the core action of the instructor. The stripped down nature of the filming works both as a way to highlight the stark nature of reality vs. hyperreality while still allowing for the use of effects and over the top visuals that could contrast with the liminal-feeling space the instructor inhabits.
My current direction for the project is one where the creative side of it is directly in conversation with the critical aspect. The research I’m doing is meant to directly inform the material the instructor character will be delivering to the audience, and the questions that will be asked of the viewer directly relate to the implications of living in a world where the distinctions between representation and reality have started to break down. One of my goals with the project is to equip the viewer with the critical vocabulary to describe this situation and to draw their attention to how this erosion has already started to occur in our present day reality. Incorporating real world examples and evidence as part of the setting’s backstory will also help to emphasize that the concerns I’m addressing in this piece aren’t just relevant for academic debate but are increasingly more and more prominent in everyday life.
I’m most looking forward to building out more of the backstory and visual language of the piece in this second half of the semester. Both of these aspects are going to be key components of worldbuilding for this setting and to be honest that’s the component I’m most excited about because it seems like the most fun. The idea of building a sci-fi dystopia which touches on the ideas I described above but is also self-aware of the fact that it’s built on the basis of many other dystopias that have come before could be a tricky needle to thread, but I think it will be a fun and rewarding challenge.