Evaluating artwork in media
Lets get artistic!
Artwork in Media: Introduction
Art is a very difficult word to describe. Scholars can spend countless hours and resources trying to define and set the parameters for what art is. However, you can easily avoid a doctoral thesis and a lifetime of work and research by simply saying that art is relative to each person. In this case, I will be saying that you can find art and beauty in all things, and in this case we're going to look at art in TV, movies and video games. So get your paintbrush, put on your beret and lets go!
Artwork in Media: TV/Movies
It may seem like you can't exactly evaluate pieces of fine art and movies or TV, but if you try hard enough you can really BS anything at all! And fortunately for me, these two are easy to compare. Using the exact same criteria, you can evaluate fine art paintings and movies and shows of all sorts, The meanings are just a tad bit different. The skills in a movie can be the way it was filmed, or how the scene direction is used. The mediums could be the different actors or film locations used. There is even a topic or message that a director or writing is trying to convey! Now all of these things are rather important when I evaluate TV shows or movies, but in particular there are 2 that I use. One is the suspension of disbelief, and the more important one is the emotions it conveys.
About the Author
Isaac Spinoso is a self-proclaimed, world renowned art critic, poet, professional smash bros. player, philosopher and film director. He is praised for his works in the field of theoretical metaphysical applied Sinatraism, and continues to make contributions with his scholarly associate and long time friend George Hale. Isaac Spinoso is also available for corporate events and private parties, for more information please contact Isaac.Spinoso@gmail.com. The man, the legend, the one and only Isaac Spinoso.
"Hey, I'm just a guy trying to make some analytic synthetic distinctions." -Isaac Spinoso
Email: ispi117272@adams12.org
Location: Thornton High School, Washington Street, Thornton, CO, United States
Twitter: @Spinsoski
Artwork in Media: Suspension of disbelief
One very important part when I evaluate TV shows or movies is the suspension of disbelief. The term was first coined by the poet and aesthetic philosopher Samuel Taylor in 1817. Now Sammy here suggested that if a writer could infuse a "human interest and a semblance of truth" into a magnificent tale, then the reader would suspend all judgement concerning the implausibility of the narrative. Thanks Wikipedia! This means that if you can add a human connection into a story good enough, no matter how wild the idea is, the viewer would lose that judgement and become completely engrossed in the story. If a TV show or movie can do this while I'm watching, then it means the story is very well written and had my complete interest.
Artwork in Media: Emotional output
The emotions that a movie can give you can determine the quality of movie as well. While the suspension of disbelief would greatly help with this, it isn't exactly necessary to do its job. If a movie can convey emotions so powerful that you begin to feel them just while watching them, then you know they are doing a good job keeping you on your toes emotionally. Nobody likes a boring movie, so adding elements that could enrage you or make you cry grab your attention by the throat, and doesn't let go until you've blacked out from the lack of oxygen. In short, if a movie makes your cry then its probably a good movie. Unless the movie was so terrible that it made you cry. But even then you could argue that since it made you feel such a strong emotion of hatred for the movie that on some metaphysical level maybe it was a good movie! But I digress.
Artwork in Media: Video Games
Video games are a little different from movies and TV shows, but they have the same basic principle. Since video games have a lot more user involvement, it is often easier to create a suspension of disbelief. However, since there are many different genres of video games, we will mostly be talking about story driven games. Other factors are included in what makes a good video game as well, such as how its controlled or the mechanics of the game. If the core game mechanics are flawed, or the game is unintentionally difficult to control, then many parts of the quality of the game are lost and it become difficult to enjoy. But they are still similar in the ways you would evaluate them,