[COP3] Interstellar TARS and CASE charcters analyse

Personality is Key

TARS and CASE are Robots in the film Interstellar directed by Christopher Nolan in 2015. On appearance, they are rectangular blocks made of metal material with monitors that constantly have data flowing. The interesting features of these robots are the functionality and the mechanism behind.

The way to approach this anthropomorphism of an object character is definitely worth studying because the concept and the design of these Robots are thoughtful and making audience believe of their existence. The creators not just emphasise on the creating a 'space-looking' robot but actually consider their backgrounds and give them personalities.

 Director Christopher Nolan said that TARS and CASE are articulated machines instead of robots (Angelo Da Costa. 2015). The differences between is that machines should be a very functional equipment and should not be designed to look like something else, in this case human. They are literally just a big block in order to minimise the outlook design, to reduce size and the blocks are able to depart into smaller blocks so as to accomplish delicate jobs. On the other hand, Nolan did not give them human appearance is probably because it is not necessary to make an equipment human-like, thinking about the actually situation in the space ship, they need machines occupy less space as possible. Secondly,  human mechanism is restricted. Considering of the functionality of TARS and CASE, non-human characteristics are possibly a better choice. When anthropomorphising these metals, they allow postures on different actions resemble to human without actually having human form. For example; walking with two blocks/ walking with two legs; lye down with blocks supported on the back/ we lye on bench; standing with two blocks supporting the weight/ we stand with one foot supporting and one foot resting. However, a machine do not need to rest or lye just for its own sake, the actions are all designed for reasons, neither walking to follow an operator or rolling to excelerate.

 Successful anthropomorphic object characters like them should be well planned. (Ed.hook's book acting theory support?) Their backgrounds and materials need to be suitable with what they are doing inside the movie and how these machines could show them from tiny details. 

E.Hook 'Personality is the key to creating a character ' examples: 

Tars has no body language at this scene but the script gave him strong personality and define its role in the movie which is a humour role almost like a crown. However, other than speech, their would be no extra elements that could show their personality (Although it is artificial overall). Since their personality, intelligence and physicality can be completely unrelated to their function, Nolan thought this is an appropriate way for these machines to perform. It might be reasonable to consider that Nolan wants audience to feel connected with TARS not because of his own personality but to be intrigued by the thought that human being do not just want to work with machine but actually interact with an object with emotions, never mind it is artificial or not. Human nature has huge credit on anthropomorphism and this is a desire of connecting emotionally with others.

When filming, the team did not entirely relied on CGI but also made the puppets to investigate the most suitable movement and different poses for the robots. It shows that their humanised designs need to be studied through and adjusted by human. The improve of technology is not the major contribution towards inanimate objects or anthropomorphic animals, we have to understand that basic knowledge of creating a reliable character. It will be background of the story and the characters, personality and their language in the story. 'No one just going to create a robot just for the hell of it.' said by Nolan (Angelo Da Costa. 2015) which is also why anthropomorphic characters, especially objects that lack of human characteristics , demand extra thoughts and consideration because they cannot speak and it is our job as an animator to help them express themselves. 

Reference:

Angelo Da Costa. 2015. Interstellar Bonus Disc TARS and CASE. [Online]. [Accessed 17 October 2016]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiusl3wKWis

Adam Krause. 2015. Interstellar - TARS Humor Setting. [Online]. [Accessed 17 October 2016]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3PfKf0ndik

Interstellar (2014) Directed by Christopher Nolan [Film]. North America: Paramount Pictures, International: Warner Bros. Pictures