Hacker Cinema
Algorithm
2014 · Film · 91 min
Directed by Jonathan Schiefer
A freelance computer hacker discovers a mysterious government computer program. He breaks into the program and is thrust into a revolution.
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3 comments on Hacker News
There's an interesting article on how the movie Wargames[1] influenced the public consciousness surrounding hacking.
Another movie similar to Mr Robot is Algorithm which I'm surprised nobody has mentioned:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qpudAhYhpc
[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/21/movies/wargames-and-cybersecuritys-debt-to-a-hollywood-hack.html
What annoyed me about Mr Robot is the stereotype / trope of a hoodied punk teen wielding their talent with a computer which has been done to death already in other movies (I class Mr Robot as an extended movie with episodes).
Hackers can be anybody infact, and it doesn't help that the hoodied punk stereotype is perpetuated. Think Stallman, Zimmermann, & Eric Raymond, not Zero Cool or Neo.
The business model for ALGORITHM is based on the models of tech startups as described in The Lean Startup. It’s a profit-share agreement, giving everyone who works on the movie a vested interest in the success of the project. All profits get shared by the artist who actually made it happen.
Lots of indie movies are put together this way. It's industry code for 'work for free.' I own a percentage of several feature films, none of which are actually worth anything. That's not an altogether bad thing, it can be a good way to gain experience or burnish your credentials, eg I will sometimes work on a project for free because it creates a connection with a particular actor or gives me the ability to call in a favor in the future.
But you should know that it's kind of an indie/student film marketing trick. It's much easier to find talented folk than the money to pay them.
Do they actually discuss or mention an algorithm in the movie?