There are a wide variety of different films out there, ranging from the realistic aesthetics of dramas, to the vast imaginative worlds of science fiction and fantasy, and even the non-sense of comedy films. However, many movie concepts, especially from non-realistic genres, that are absolutely ludicrous. However, when watching the film, the audience never questions this and even buys into the film’s story so much that they become emotionally invested.
Why? How is that some films can do this and others cannot, even when they possess the same level of insanity in terms conceptual premise. To answer that question, one must first understand an important cinematic concept: Verisimilitude. Based on how a story handles its setting and characters, a film can actually, in some weird way, build a diegesis that is believable and easy to get invested into. “Creating Verisimilitude” analyzes this concept throughout various genres in order to pick apart patterns that might exist for making films believable.
This video essay was nominated for SLU’s Legacy Symposium. Click here to learn more.
Mark Burbridge 