What is Realism?

Reading Summary:

Realism should not just be a comparison between a movie and “real life.” This article explains that realism is a changing topic that varies from person to person, but there are patterns. There are two broad ideas about realism, The “dramatic” and the “documentary” look. Most documentary films are apparently spontaneous, can have unbalanced and shaky camera work, bad lighting, and unprofessional speech. These are all used to provide a sense of realism, however if a film has the qualities it does not mean its “real,” even a fake film can have it. Reputation, plausibility, and consistency also play a role. If a film company has a reputation of being real, then it is easier for the audience to believe it is actually real. However, even with all these tools films use to appear realistic, there is no perfect realism in films. 

Outside Example:

When I first started reading this article I immediately thought of “Live PD,” and later on in the article they even mention “Cops” which is the same TV show really. “Live PD” is a tv show where a camera man follows real cops and films their encounters. They usually provide the cops name and what county they work for. The crimes they capture can range from speeding tickets to murders. There is also a narrator who will speak over the footage to provide more information and fill in the gaps in the show. 

Reading Connection:

“Live PD” has a “documentary” look. The camera work is shaky and unstable. They even use the dashcam footage which is usually out of focus and low picture quality.  The lighting is unprofessional, and the speech seems natural. They use plausibility and spontaneity. For an example some of the cops do get shot and hurt which shows that they are not just stunts.  They also have a reputation of being “real” events from the show “Cops.” From a viewer’s point of view this show is as real as it gets, however it is not perfect. The consistency is sometimes off because the show usually only wants to show the most drama filled cases, however they do not happen as often as the show depicts. 

-Jacob Nicholson Wednesday