DIGITAL STORYTELLING!

Ryan, Milo. (Summer, 1958). “Trades, Techniques – and a Fable,” Journal ofBroadcasting, 3:3, pp. 197-207.Smith, Leslie. (Fall, 1963) “Education for Broadcasting: 1929-1963,” Journal ofBroadcasting, 1:4 pp. 394-398.Summers, Harrison B. (Fall 1957) “Professional Training and the College.” Journal ofBroadcasting 1:4 pp. 394-388.Warfield, Jack. (Fall 1958) “Television Production Training,” Journal of Broadcasting,2:4, pp. 344-350.Witmer, Diane F. (1998) “Introduction to Computer Mediated Communication: AMaster Syllabus for Teaching Communication Technology.” CommunicationEducation, Vol. 47, 162-173.COMMENTTHE SIMONE CONTROVERSY: THE ENDOF REALITY?Thomas Cooper, Emerson Collegetwcooper@attbi.comIt can be argued that Watergate and “Monica-gate” marked moments when the powerof the press surpassed that of the Presidency. Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton wereexposed in many senses, and in ways that the hidden affairs of their predecessors suchas FDR and JFK were not.Will the year of Simone, Andrew Niccol’s latest feature film, come to be seen asanother pivotal moment—the moment that the power of illusion surpassed that ofreality? Will the year of the first “real-or-fake?” feature movie actor be seen as asymbolic bookmark locating the era when we could no longer tell, nor care if we couldtell, what is authentic?Critics do not agree about Simone. Reviews range from raves to pans, with manycritics in the “mixed” camp. However, intelligent commentary seems in agreement thatit is the premise of Simone , that delivers its potential promise. That premise is that anentirely fake actress, digitally created by a desperate movie director (Al Pacino), couldwoo an unknowing audience and become a phenomenal star.But there’s more. Just as Simone, the centerpiece “character” of Niccol’s film, turnsout to be a fake, the actual actress who portrays Simone, turns out to be real.Although Niccol, Pacino, and even the film’s credits claim that “Simone”, the digitalcharacter, plays “herself”, members of the press have revealed that Simone is in factenacted by Canadian supermodel Rachel Roberts.In the feature film Al Pacino plays Victor Taransky, a creative but fading director whohas inherited a sophisticated software program that can synthesize the features of tapedpersonalities from Lauren Bacall to John Kennedy. By mixing gestures, voices, andphysical features, Taransky can create and totally manipulate digital characters, from thenuance of their accents to the size of their tears. After his lead actress, Nicola Anders(Winona Ryder) has walked out on him, Taransky creates a CGI surrogate leading ladynamed Simone. The word Simone is also a double entendre, that plays upon thesoftware acronym “S1m One” or “Simulation One”, but only Taransky knows thissecret.Simone, and all that she symbolizes, provides a world of advantages over her humancounterparts. Relative to other leading actors, “she” is inexpensive. She never argues,tires, or negotiates contracts. She can be programmed to say or do anything; and she iseternally young, malleable, and available. Moreover, audiences fawn over Simone andshe soon sells out holographic rock concerts, adorns prominent magazine covers, and,according to her official website, writes books.92Feedback February 2003 (Vol. 44, No. 1)BEA—Educating tomorrow’s electronic media professionals 93