What is Realism, Really?

READING SUMMARY

The reading goes into depth on the idea that “realism” is not only a single concept, but is composed of many different ideas that make up the term. Spontaneity is a large idea focused on at the beginning of the chapter, describing the intricacies of “dramatic” and “documentary” styles of film, and how hard it is to include spontaneity in both of these. Language used within films also greatly affects how the audience perceives the level of accuracy in the media product, whether it be chaotic rambling by a character, or quick, witty language that causes the audience to view the media as more authentic. Another large focus in the reading is “plausibility”, consisting of small details like hairstyles or clothes that can make the film/media less realistic. The idea that the world is a “consistent” place is not represented in realistic media, and in fact is discouraged, the producers leaning more towards spontaneity to better represent our own “spontaneous” realities in the world.

OUTSIDE EXPERIENCE

For the past few years, my sister and I consistently watch youtube, trying to find creative, relatable creators. One of our favorites recently has been David Dobrik who makes “David’s Vlogs”. The vlogs consist of four minute, high speed, spontaneous videos made by a young 20 year old man (David), and his friend group (The “Vlog Squad”). His earlier videos give a more authentic feel; they’re not scripted, with lots of humor and funny pranks that show very realistic reactions from the friends shown. His newer content, after gaining a lot of popularity, now includes an array of celebrities, huge pranks, and giveaways, all funded and shot by David himself.

READING CONNECTION

The earlier videos I watched from David were my favorites. I felt as if I were actually in the friend group. The videos move quickly from scene to scene, giving a very realistic, authentic feel to a viewer. The reading mentions early on that wealth and glamour are usually avoided by producers when trying to make “realistic” content. As David has gotten more and more popular, and more celebrities have been introduced into his “friend group”, the sense of reality starts to fade. The normal American is not driving a Tesla through Beverly Hills with Kendall Jenner shotgun. They’re in their Hyundai Elantra in the McDonald’s drive through, fighting with their little sister over fries. The sense of reality is lost when high standards of living are introduced, and I could easily see this within the newer vlogs by David.