Good Friday morning, you all.
This isn't necessarily a question geared at a hard answer. I am, however, curious about people's thoughts on this particular matter.
So often in movies/TV, I see technology that I have NO IDEA if it's legitimate or not (and I'm not talking that dark, draconian stuff from Sci-Fi or Marvel moves). Seems logical that some things just, exist, right? Why wouldn't there by a super sleek, hacker program that allows someone to check all cell phones in a certain area and then shut them off on a whim? Why not? I can't confirm it (easily) but...
Does taking liberties with technology in a script ever come up for people? Does anyone ever hear feedback from coverage and/or that Manager meeting that the super sleek hacker program isn't verified, therefore...?
Uhm, asking for a friend.
Have a great weekend, everyone.
It doesn't matter if the technology exists or not as long as it doesn't come out of nowhere or have no reason for being other than a convenience for the writer. And if it's a big story point it should reflect the theme of the story. In Wargames the kid hacks into the computer controlling America's missile defense that can fire all our missiles without human intervention. It's beyond implausible. But it's set up in the beginning because human operators can't be trusted to turn the key and start a nuclear war so unwise people turn the nuclear arsenal over to a logical computer and it pays off in the end when the computer realizes nuclear war itself isn't logical and restores control to the humans who are wiser now.
There will always be nit-pickers and know-it-alls who want to show how smart they are by picking apart things. But anybody who actually knows what sells and how to make a buck in this business knows that the tech doesn't matter. They're looking for a good entertaining story and great characters.
That said, the way to answer any criticism by somebody in a meeting is: "That is a GREAT note. I'm gonna use THAT. That is awesome." Then wait until they pay you to change it. Because I'm gonna bet whoever writes the checks is looking at the bigger picture: is this script gonna make a movie that makes money and probably will only make you change it is they really feel it's a problem. And when it's their money, listen to them. Until then, write what feels right.
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If the technology seems grounded in the world of the story, in its "reality," then it feels believable, logical. Thus readers and/or audiences will better accept what's being presented and just go along for the ride, enjoy the story. However if it comes across as just some contrived plot "fix" or miraculous deus ex machina, then that's a problem, and certainly would be noted in a script—or rather, I would think it would be! Lol! ;)
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It's your world that you've created for your story, use any technology that you can think of to make it work.
Agree with Beth. Have the intricacies of your story world technology be congruent and consistent.
With regard to your hacker question, your program isn't out of the realm of reasonableness. I would think that the bad guys would want to keep the phones on so you can track their location but flag them so they can only make and/or receive calls when it's advantageous to you (the writer).
Current computer viruses can take over hundreds of computers all at once, (Google 'zombie network'). As a network admin I have legitimate programs which can boot, upgrade, add/remove programs, shutdown and even wipe our whole network. Doing the same thing for cellphones isn't much different. Smartphones are nothing more than handheld computers with cellular capabilities. Why do you think companies keep re-writing the operating system? Its to prevent hacker from doing the same things that they see in a movie. At some point all technology was nothing more than someone's sci-fi wet dream.
If in your story, you have a genius protagonist doing like an internet security job with maybe government clearance. Then if the powerful hacking computer network attacks, taking down San Francisco, maybe I buy that. You can set it up directly or by association.
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My advice is to use the technology you need to make the story as strong as possible, as long as that technology fits within the overall tone of the movie and the overall world of the movie you've created.
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For example, in the movie HER, there is AI technology that is futuristic. But it works because the tech fits well within the movie's world and its tone.
I've adapted some of the early Tom Swift novels for audio dramas and it's amazing the "inventions" he made that did not exist when written, but they do today; in the first series of books, written in 1910 onward, he had an electric rifle (a Taser), in "Tom Swift and his Photo Telephone" he basically invented Skype (in 1914), then he made an electric locomotive that could travel two miles in a minute (today called the Bullet Train) - at a time when all locomotives were steam. There are a bunch more - all before 1920. They were not reality when they were written about, but conceivable.