TV and Movies

[Desert Lily]

Has anyone been watching The Power of Film series on TCM on Thursday nights?

I have.

It's a docuseries with Howard Suber, a film professor at UCLA. He examines the principles of storytelling in films. There've been 3 episodes of 6 so far.

I write novels as a hobby and bc Suber is discussing storytelling, I'm listening to what he says & attempting to apply some concepts. Lol.

In one episode he said that audiences engage with main characters in films bc they have empathy for the characters. So I panicked & tried to figure out if I had created empathy for the main character in the current novel I'm writing.

What creates empathy?... Situations? How the character reacts? Character qualities?

Do we feel empathy for characters like Bonnie & Clyde? Jake La Motta (Raging Bull)? Michael Corleone?

All I know is that I added a few paragraphs to my 320 page story desperately trying to create empathy Lol.

But in episode 3, Prof. Suber says there are no great characters without that character's interactions & relationships with other characters. Idk if I agree with that. What about movies in which the character does heroic deeds or has growth on his/her own? idk

Anyway, movies are part of our culture and The Power of Film has been interesting thus far & makes me think.

I look forward to the other 3 episodes.

[deepwaterdotter]

How wonderful that you are able to cogently express your thoughts in a creative medium.  Are you published? 

[Desert Lily]

@deepwaterdotter  Only a hobby.

[millieshops]

@Desert Lily I know that when I am reading a mystery in which there's plenty of mayhem and violence, once I spot the author having created empathy for a character I relax a bit because I'm expecting that character to live to the conclusion, so as I think about the professor's belief, I think he's got to be right. 

Your post about his theory sent my brain to re-exploring several of the famous characters I've known in print and then in film.  I can think of several I loved who acted heroically, but none for whom that heroism wasn't foreshadowed by interactions with other characters as well has his/her own actions as the author created the character for use.  Atticus Finch in TKaM would be my favorite example.  (I bet Gregory Peck loved both the actions and interactions in his role.  Great casting from a tough story!) 

[PickyPicky3]

I've never enjoyed the genre of black comedy. I can't feel empathy for flawed characters that deal with serious issues like idiots. And I need to feel some empathy for a character in a movie to become involved. 

"Fargo" was the closest I've come to liking a black comedy.