Sounds like the paper has evolved a bit... if you are still looking for ways to tie FIRST into it... off the top of my head I was just thinking about the animations they do every year and how those little robots do autonomous mode (and how the animation is somewhat used to glamorize & explain the competition). There are other forms of AI in FIRST, but in relating it to holywood glitz and glamour thats what came to mind for me. Im just about to finish my masters in Robotic Intelligence, so I'd be happy to help if you have other questions.
But the Hollywood evolution of it sounds like an interesting topic... going all the way from the days of the guys dressed up in metal suits through R2D2, A Space Odyssey, and up to iRobot (probably the heaviest focus on AI of any movie I can think of). Dont forget Batteries not Included!! Wow thats going to be a fun paper!
