Envisioning the Interface

Envisioning the Interface presents an interpretive chronology of Hollywood’s imaginings of computer interfaces from the 1950s to the present. Although not rigidly chronological, this video essay observes a historical evolution from early visions of gestural interfaces when computers were linked with superhuman or extra-terrestrial intelligence, to the mundane, physical and punch-card based interfaces of the mainframe era, followed by a wave of strangely recalcitrant voice and anthropomorphic interfaces that emerged in the PC era. Drawing on the concept of cinema as a source of “diegetic prototypes” for the technology industries, this trajectory maps a profound transformation of the relationship between humans and computers as people became increasingly knowledgeable about — and dependent on — computation in daily life. The chronology comes full circle with a return to gestural and embodied interfaces and holographic displays since the 2010s. However, unlike their imaginary, post-war counterparts, Hollywood’s second wave of gestural interfaces is closely tied to real-world technology development and product placement. Without suggesting a deterministic relationship between the cinematic imaginary and real-world technology design, Envisioning the Interface invites a more critical vision of computer interfaces — both on screen and in relation to consumer culture. The video tracks multiple historical trajectories in order to highlight the shifting relationship between interfaces in Hollywood and their counterparts in the real world, illuminating the limits and presuppositions of naturalized visions for our engagement with computational technologies.