A Developer Goes to the Movies - Simon Painter

We are kicking of 2025 by welcoming back to Liverpool Simon Painter who will be presenting a topic on A Developer Goes to the Movies

Talk

As well as being a full-time software developer, I'm also a huge film buff. I love films from any number of countries, eras and genres. One of my favourite things though, is when Hollywood decide to make a film touching on my day job - that is, a film that's about software development.

There aren't very many of these, rather unsurprisingly, considering how dry the topic can be for the "not-we" that make up the majority of a cinema audience.

What I'm going to do in this talk is take you on a whistle-stop tour of film history, looking at many of the films that try to show the rest of the world what our jobs are like.

I'll be looking at firstly - are they actually good films? But also, how accurate are they? What sorts of social trends informed a portrayal like this?

On this brief odyssey through cinema history, we'll cover:

* The first film to depict a developer. You won't believe when it's from and who the actor is!
* How have developers been portrayed differently over the years? Particularly with regard the role of women in tech
* How The Matrix wasn't the first VR world by near 30 years!
* A 90s cyber-thriller that clearly doesn't understand the difference between websites and executables
* How AI is very definitely going to kill us all. At least according to any number of old SF action-thrillers
* An old episode of Doctor Who from the 60s that predicted the internet (ok, not Hollywood, but I love Doctor Who!)

This talk won't help you do your job better, but it might give you a glimpse into how the rest of the world have seen us over the years!

About Simon Painter

Hi! My name is Simon Painter and I code both professionally and - since it's also my hobby - for fun as well. I live in a small town in the West Midlands, not far from the Welsh Border, along with my lovely wife and two small children.

I've been coding professionally since I graduated from university in 2005, and for a hobby since I was old enough to read my Dad's ZX Spectrum BASIC manual.

Food

We have a selection of food available including Vegan options but if you'd like to know more please drop one of our organisers a message before the event via the group message forum. (https://secure.meetup.com/messages/)

If you would need assistance to leave the building in the event of an evacuation then please let us know via the group message forum. (https://secure.meetup.com/messages/)

Schedule

Doors open from 18:00

Pizza at 18:30

Intro and welcome 18:40

Speaker from 18:50

Close ~21:00 (Don't feel bad if you have to leave early for a train/bus/lift home - no one will be offended)

Travel

Train - James Street station is a 2-minute walk from the Lab. Liverpool Lime Street is approx 15-20 minutes walking distance.

Driving - Underground parking available.

Bicycle - Cycle rack available.