What is Realism, Really?

Reading Summary:

According to What is Realism, Really?, describing realism is not a style that can be condensed down into one sentence. Realism is an umbrella term for many different styles and interpretations of how to depict film or TV “realistically.” First of all, reality is for the most part, much more mundane than film/TV. People shower, eat multiple times a day, have conversations with strangers, go shopping. These are all things that might not necessarily further the plot of a film or TV show. However, there are certain techniques that mediamakers use to encourage the audience to forget what goes on behind the scenes. According to John Caugie, there are two broad trends we see in realism, the “dramatic look” and the “documentary look.” The “dramatic look” is more polished and gives the audience a clear view of important events. The “documentary look” appears more rough and less filtered, nothing is perfect. There is an assumption that the world we live in is messy and imperfect, therefore, often realism in films and TV are exposing harsh conditions in need of reform. Realism depends on “apparent spontaneity,” which of course is all extremely calculated behind the scenes. This can be done through visual means, for example, a shakey camera to portray action. Some mediamaker allow actors to improve to give their film/TV show a more raw, fresh feel. As previously mentioned, often people in everyday life have work or do mundane activities. Some mediamakers include “spontaneity” in their narrative that doesn’t necessarily further the plot but adds a sense of real life in the midst of a thick story line. Making a movie or TV show feel “realistic” also relies on what the audience understands about the real world. What people believe about how the world works, greatly affects their understanding of reality and therefore the plausibility of certain storylines. An audience member must believe a scenario to be possible for the movie to feel realistic.

Personal Example:

The reading What is Realism, Really? brought up the example of creating spontaneity through the movement of the camera to the audience when talking to certain audience members. This reminded me of Ellen when the big cameras would pan to an audience member for them to play a game or answer a question. I had no idea until reading this article that this is a calculated technique of realism. Certain techniques like these make talk shows feel very raw and real and the audience watching at home often forgets what goes on behind the scenes. One time I was in New York and got to be an audience member for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. The audience is instructed when to clap and when to laugh and the responses are definitely exaggerated.

Connection to Reading:

In What is Realism, Really?, the article describes how once the audience knows that a movie or TV series was “based on a true story,” they automatically lean into this idea that the mediamakers and telling the raw, unexaggerated truth. Often on late night talk shows, they repeat “filmed in front of a live studio audience.” I think because of this we believe the audience because we too are the audience, only watching from the comfort of home. The loud laughs and roaring claps are believable. I have always thought that talk shows had to be “realistic” because it was just an interview. I forgot that The Tonight Show is just as much of a TV show as Grey’s Anatomy. Everything is staged in a way that feels so real, which is exactly the goal of realism.