Popular Post Nick Parker 3,040 Posted May 28, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted May 28, 2019 Over the last couple of years, I've seen a certain trend around me becoming more and more prevalent. I've noticed a lot people place paramount significance on being "sucked into" whatever media they consume (books, games, movies, etc.). They want as little--preferrably no--sense of artifice as possible, nothing to break the illusion that the fictional world they're inhabiting is "the" world in that moment. There are a lot of ways this manifests, but I'll list one way I've seen this manifest for now, in one medium. As one example, I've seen a lot of people decry the use of explicit tutorials in video games--messages or scenarios that essentially teach you how to play the game. One of the major reasons they do, is because it bluntly informs you that you are _not_ in some fantastical environment or some badass hero, but indeed a "normal" person, holding a controller that is interfacing with a piece of entertainment software crafted by one or more people. Hence: "breaking the illusion". Another relevant paraphrased quote that's closer to home for most of us: "If you don't notice the film's music, then the music is doing its job right." Or "the best film music is the music you don't notice." For me, when I engage with any piece of media, I am almost always acutely aware that I'm doing just that: watching a movie, playing a game, so on. I don't see this as an issue at all, and in fact I enjoy seeing it as almost a kind of gift from the creators: "What are you trying to communicate to me?, What has your imagination and effort produced for me and the rest of the world?" But for at least some, if any sense of immersion is lost, particularly if because of something the media did (rather than say a ray of sunshine hitting your TV, reminding you that you're watching a movie), it's a point of criticism or contention. They see it as a flaw or shortcoming of that work. Because of how worked up people can get about it, sometimes it seems to me that whether or not a piece of entertainment can immerse you is its major make-or-break, top of the top on people's priority list. So leading back to the titular question: what about you, JWFans? How important is it for you to be swept away by the images and events you experience on a screen? If there's any sign pointing to them being a manufactured falsehood, if you can see what's behind the curtain so to speak, does it bother or upset you? If so, are there certain things more liable to snap you out of the moment than others? The Illustrious Jerry, A24, Ricard and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faleel 5,340 Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 Some of the language of this post kind of took me out of it..... Then of course there is media that intentionally "breaks the illusion" Kasey Kockroach 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post karelm 2,903 Posted May 28, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted May 28, 2019 To me, it isn't about immersion but escapism which is sort of similar. Escapism means you forget everything not related to the book, game, movie, media, etc because you are so engaged with the story and characters. That is why I am totally fine realizing that I am also hearing a great score in a film/game rather than it not being noticed. I'm fully aware I'm experiencing a media but enjoy all aspects so much that I forget about anything else while engaged in this experience. In contrast immersion aims to have me experience the story as if it is happening to me. I think that can only happen with VR technology and even then, the technology is very limited and at its infancy. Jurassic Shark, Jay, mstrox and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 Agreed @karelm Escapism is why I love movies, games, and music. I become immersed because I understand and can appreciate what went into the craft to produce the final art. I could be blown away by the technical mastery of a particular game or movie, but to my girlfriend it’s just a piece of entertainment with no value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gkgyver 1,645 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 I consume media to ridicule them. I listen to music to immerse myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 I've known some whackjobs whose idea of "immersion" is to sit in the very front row at the cinema to achieve as close and wide a view as possible. Then they get the shits at me when I run and sit at the very back. Gruesome Son of a Bitch 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Arpy 4,145 Posted May 29, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted May 29, 2019 As @karelm said, I think most of the time it's escapism. I'm a huge LotR fan, but I enjoy the behind the scenes material as much as the films/books themselves. Strangely it doesn't break the spell of the immersive properties of the media, it strengthens it because there's so much creativity and love being poured into them. What makes something immersive could be elements of the characters, the acting, the style and the score and what makes it such a fulfilling experience is that you can pull yourself away from the media and be cognizant of all its magic and then jump back in with renewed appreciation. I recently started watching the Avatar: The Last Airbender series for the third time after some years away from it and it's fun to see it anew now that I'm older and at the same time return to a familiar feeling of tone and innocence and all the memories of enjoying it when I was younger - so there's a nostalgic aspect to it too. With that nostalgic aspect comes something I think many people struggle with and that's being able to separate the fictional world of a film or whatever from the real world. Immersion plays a part in that which makes it difficult for people to let go. I think if I shut everything else out, and devoted my life to one thing, I'd be living a lie, I think it's okay to let go of things and recognize the things we consume are what they are and that it doesn't take away any meaningful connection you have with it just because it's a cartoon, or because it's over or because it's fictional. I love this quote from Philosopher's Stone when Dumbledore warns Harry of using the Mirror of Erised in how our obsessions and dreams are harmful if we allow them to rule our lives: 'It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live' Incanus, Nick Parker, SteveMc and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 The illusion works for me when I know it is an illusion. A contract between me and the media. I know that it is all a show, but the best shows know what they are, and yet seek to transcend. A movie or music calling appropriate attention to its craft does not take me out of it, it draws me in. Incompetence will take me out of things, even in a movie that is trying its hardest to be immersive. A lot of what passes for immersive these days is merely a kind of comfortable mediocrity that dulls the mind into some kind of numb state. But, the mind is made to be exercised, and the best escapism does this, because you are not really escaping reality, you are looking at it from a different, exciting perspective. Consumers today don't want to be challenged or even entertained in that way. They want what seems to be a constant respite from reality, hence their inability to cope when, say, a film series takes an unexpected turn. A24 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 I just want to be entertained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,326 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 Great topic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabulin 3,510 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 I do not... consume media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 I like to eat media. Kasey Kockroach 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpy 4,145 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 39 minutes ago, The Original said: I like to eat media. VHS Al dente, just the way you like it: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 Delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,944 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 I wouldn't say I watch film/TV for "escapism". A lot of what I like to watch is much too grim to be considered "escapist". Immersion may not be quite the right word for it, either, although of course the transportative qualities of a film are generally conducive to the drama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabulin 3,510 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 I AM media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 5 hours ago, Arpy said: VHS Al dente, just the way you like it: Brutes! This is how VHS is to be served! Unlucky Bastard and The Illustrious Jerry 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstrox 6,647 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 I never lose awareness of watching a movie, but it is kind of nice to get lost in the thing while you're watching it. In the theater, phones are away and there's nothing but the movie. If somebody else wants to get a snack or take a bathroom break, too bad, the movie is still going and I can remain focused on it. It would be preferable to see everything in a theater, if it were financially viable! At home, At home, we pause so my spouse takes a bathroom break, so somebody can get a snack or a drink. We can glance at our phones, there's a baby monitor, etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Kockroach 2,343 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 Media is my only friend besides the cat and dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 Have you considered mental health care? Fabulin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oomoog the Ecstatic 314 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 There's a reason I enjoy basic VR games more than the greatest video games, and I enjoy video games more than I do movies. VR literally changed my life, and it's been a dream of mine since I was young. People don't realize just how real it is until they decide that's what they want to seek out. That degree of real feeling. It pulls you directly into whatever experience you want to have, directly into another life. I've literally been in outer-space and jumped around exploring epic and gorgeous planets, and I've literally gone through the darkest hell and haunting of my life, and I've been the angelic hero saving the vast kingdoms, and I've literally been everywhere and talked to everyone. My experiences are irreplaceable. The one thing I need however is a long drawn-out psychological experience, like Sword Art Online or Danganronpa, where you're contained with people for weeks and put to various life-or-death or story-changing tests. Ricard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,033 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 6 hours ago, mstrox said: I never lose awareness of watching a movie I sometimes lose my conscience. Ref. LOTR: Too Many Endings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Illustrious Jerry 3,356 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 I'd love to weigh in, but I'm busy watching a movie right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,033 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 You're clearly not immersed in it, though. Oomoog the Ecstatic 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieter Boelen 740 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 I like to be inspired by the media. Sometimes that means being educated by it. Sometimes that means being entertained by it. "Immersion", for me, comes from that inspiration. Dark, dreary and negative content does not inspire me. Therefore I always keep feeling detached from that sort of media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 Not a fan of dark and disturbing films, huh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,944 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 I am. For two reasons. One, its more immersive because some of the events depicted in spectacle films - warfare, destruction and life-risking stunts - really shouldn't be any fun at all, if they were to happen in real life. Two, because its more dramatic. Drama is a very simple but potent formula: everything is horrible, everything is grim, everything is sad, but at the end there's happiness and elation. Its a simple trick of juxtaposition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 You're very dark.... and disturbed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabulin 3,510 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,944 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 I said drama. You're talking about tragedy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,326 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 54 minutes ago, Chen G. said: Drama is a very simple but potent formula: everything is horrible, everything is grim, everything is sad, but at the end there's happiness and elation. Its a simple trick of juxtaposition. How does, let's say, A Passage To India conform to what you're saying? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieter Boelen 740 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 1 hour ago, The Original said: Not a fan of dark and disturbing films, huh. Nope, definitely not. They often feel artificial and fake to me. Even where they seem more realistic, I've already got real life to show realism. I like being inspired to see how real life could be better than it is. 1 hour ago, Fabulin said: But dark, dreary, negative movies are exactly those without a clear happy end. Some good in the middle---may be---but in the end everything is rather bad again. Right, @Pieter_Boelen ? I agree with @Chen G.; that does indeed sound very tragic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 5 hours ago, Chen G. said: Drama is a very simple but potent formula: everything is horrible, everything is grim, everything is sad, but at the end there's happiness and elation. 4 hours ago, Alexcremers said: How does, let's say, A Passage To India conform to what you're saying? By inserting the word "Back" into the title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,326 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 15 hours ago, Pieter_Boelen said: I like being inspired to see how real life could be better than it is. Good luck with finding a movie where the world is a much better place than the real one. To be honest, it sounds a bit dull to me. Chen G. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_deleted_ 203 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 I think the growing popularity of augmented reality games illustrates the role of contemporary entertainment in people's lives. I don't know if there will come a day when escapism is regulated by governments, and people with actual military and political power would control what everyone consumes to escape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 10 minutes ago, Alexcremers said: Good luck with finding a movie where the world is a much better place than the real one. To be honest, it sounds a bit dull to me. Movies generally present a simpler, idealised world compared to the drab one we live in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,326 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 ? Maybe they do in Frank Capra movies, but besides those, I don't see too many idealised worlds, to be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 2 minutes ago, Alexcremers said: ? Maybe they do in Frank Capra movies, but besides those, I don't see too many idealised worlds, to be honest. Even in the grimmest films, they're scripted in a hopeful manner that sends the message that we can win against odds against us. That hope is fleeting in real life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,326 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 That is something we say to each other in the real world as well. "Don't give up, Drax, one day there will be a cure for tinnitus." See? Hope is something that make us human. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 27 minutes ago, Alexcremers said: That is something we say to each other in the real world as well. "Don't give up, Drax, one day there will be a cure for tinnitus." Heh, not in this lifetime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabulin 3,510 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieter Boelen 740 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 35 minutes ago, Fabulin said: Every other rom-com, action movie, heist movie, action-comedy, adventure flick and musical, not to mention movies for kids and Star Wars. And LOTR. Yup! And (apart from musicals), those are exactly my favourite ones. Especially adventure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,944 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 1 hour ago, Fabulin said: not to mention movies for kids and Star Wars. And LOTR. Great exampl....oh wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,326 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 1 hour ago, Fabulin said: Every other rom-com, action movie, heist movie, action-comedy, adventure flick and musical, not to mention movies for kids and Star Wars. And LOTR. Action and heist movies are inspiring for their utopian worlds?! What?! The totalitarian regime and all destroying war scenes in Star Wars is a better world than ours?! The nightmarish vistas of LOTR?! Are you people nuts? Chen G. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Our world is pretty banal. Movie worlds are exciting with possibilities! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,944 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 25 minutes ago, Alexcremers said: The totalitarian regime and all destroying war scenes in Star Wars is a better world than ours?! The nightmarish vistas of LOTR?! Are you people nuts? Just compensating for their unease, I guess... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,033 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 19 minutes ago, The Original said: Our world is pretty banal. Movie worlds are exciting with possibilities! Speak for yourself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,944 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Yeah, I was being fired at just two months ago! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieter Boelen 740 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 2 hours ago, Alexcremers said: Action and heist movies are inspiring for their utopian worlds?! What?! The totalitarian regime and all destroying war scenes in Star Wars is a better world than ours?! The nightmarish vistas of LOTR?! Are you people nuts? "Better" is a big word. But "seeing good overcome evil against overwhelming odds" in the media inspires me to keep doing the right things myself, even in difficult situations. Chen G. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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