Blog Post #1

Reading Summary

Defining “realism” in film is a subjective matter. Deciphering what can be deemed “realistic” in videography is shaped by both personal expectations and prior experiences. However, it is essential that we (as viewers) don’t confine realism by comparing it to reality. Reality is an ongoing, undeniable concept that is unaltered by artistic intervention. Whereas, realism in film exists in fixed and controlled environments. Therefore, defining realism should lie in how convincing a certain film is. By assessing a film’s believability, we can judge its accuracy and consider if we would label it as realism.

Outside Example

In my opinion, I would place this scene from “The Aviator” on the realism spectrum. Although this crash scene is clearly edited and not a 100% accurate portrayal of reality, it is still convincing enough for viewers (like me) to consider it a form of realism. We are aware that superstar Leonardo DiCaprio is not actually undergoing such a traumatic event, but the filming techniques behind such visuals allow for this scene to feel gut-wrenchingly real. Considering this film was released in 2004, we can appreciate the filmmakers for their advancement in technology in creating this realistic scene. If we only compared this scene to pure reality when considering it realism, it would not pass the test. However, the cgi is convincing enough to fall under the category of realism.

Reading Connection

In this reading, Smith explains how viewers can recognize violations in our faith of capturing action while still considering a film to be realistic. It is understood that a crash scene that depicts reality to a T is impossible without injuring certain subjects involved. Despite this, we can still be wholly convinced that this is a fair depiction of what this crash would actually look like. The viewer is aware that editing cuts have been made, but such manipulations of the film don’t affect the realistic gravity of this scene. Filmmakers can “lie” by rearranging footage without it taking away authenticity.