Besides mirroring our diverse cultures, the film has for a long time been shaping our beliefs and values. A good example is when people copy fashion trends from movie stars and musicians. It is also common these days to find societies using figures of speech that are inspired by the film industry.
Fictional films serve as historical evidence in the same way that other representational art forms do -- by making events vivid, portraying social attitudes, and even revealing the unconscious assumptions of past societies.
Does film influence society or does society influence film?
Here, the two are intertwined together, like a river connecting two reservoirs. So the answer is film and society both influence each other greatly, but so much so that neither one influences each other more.
They portray the struggles, triumphs, and challenges faced by individuals and communities. By depicting real-life issues on screen, cinema creates a space for viewers to engage with various perspectives, encouraging them to reevaluate their own beliefs and biases.
Film can be used to reach a wide audience, to inform and inspire change through engaging audiences and reflecting society. Social film drama unites people in a common sense of humanity and shared responsibility, which gives it added power to help foster positive change.
How film transforms the way we see the world | Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
How movies influence people's behavior?
Many characters become role models, which means that children begin to imitate their actions and behaviours. Movies help youngsters to see the difference between good and evil. Many films can also help to make the right decisions and think independently.
Movies shape cultural attitudes and customs, as audiences adopt the attitudes and styles of the characters they watch on screen. Filmmakers may use their movies to influence cultural attitudes toward certain social issues, as in Fahrenheit 9/11 and Super Size Me.
"Some films may help people cope and grow through difficult periods in their life," he said. "And people may recognize this effect years after they have seen a particular movie." The journal Nature has more research about movies and psychology.
Whether it's anecdotal or based in scientific research, there is consistently reaffirmed evidence that a compelling visual narrative can alter our brain's chemistry. Films can make us feel, in a way that is strangely close to how we might feel if we were actually living these emotional experiences ourselves.
It can inspire you to make positive changes in your life, forgive someone, makeup with your loved one, volunteer somewhere, or anything that will improve your life. Movies often teach us what's good and what's not, and certain events or sentences said by the main characters can motivate us to change our lives.
If you have, you are not alone: you are likely experiencing narrative transportation, a phenomenon whereby audience members feel so involved in a storyline that it can influence their attitudes and behavior in reality, even after they have finish watching a film or reading a story.
There is a very clear reason as to why we tend to seek solace in films and TV series. And that is our use of these mediums as a getaway from reality. After all, we all need a break then and there, and sometimes, a good movie can fuel us up in the right way by changing our perspectives on life.
Historical documents, eyewitnesses accounts, and archeological objects all claim a direct connection to events or situations that historians evaluate and interpret. Film, however, offers a unique ability to reflect and resemble historical figures and events.
Films not only reflect society, but they can also change it by telling compelling, shocking, or impactful enough stories. There are examples throughout history of a film having an immense cultural impact, from widespread Dirty Dancing fever to Potter-induced mania.
The studies reveal the influence of films on people's beliefs and opinions, stereotypes and attitudes. Movies can have a significant impact on gender and ethnic stereotypes [21,22], change attitudes towards certain groups of people and cause newly formed opinions on various issues.
“Film is the art form to create social change,” says Brittany Dobish, artistic director of The Nightlight Cinema. “You see something that excites you or enrages you while watching something outside of yourself, and that spurs you to become more engaged. Cinema has the ability to change someone's perspective.”
Many characters become role models, which means that children begin to imitate their actions and behaviours. Movies help youngsters to see the difference between good and evil. Many films can also help to make the right decisions and think independently.
Movies shape cultural attitudes and customs, as audiences adopt the attitudes and styles of the characters they watch on screen. Filmmakers may use their movies to influence cultural attitudes toward certain social issues, as in Fahrenheit 9/11 and Super Size Me.
Films not only reflect society, but they can also change it by telling compelling, shocking, or impactful enough stories. There are examples throughout history of a film having an immense cultural impact, from widespread Dirty Dancing fever to Potter-induced mania.
Whether it's anecdotal or based in scientific research, there is consistently reaffirmed evidence that a compelling visual narrative can alter our brain's chemistry. Films can make us feel, in a way that is strangely close to how we might feel if we were actually living these emotional experiences ourselves.
It can inspire you to make positive changes in your life, forgive someone, makeup with your loved one, volunteer somewhere, or anything that will improve your life. Movies often teach us what's good and what's not, and certain events or sentences said by the main characters can motivate us to change our lives.
Films have the ability to change our lives. With stories that open up other experiences to us, and characters who navigate the forces that we also face in our own lives, the right film at the right time can be transformative.
"Some films may help people cope and grow through difficult periods in their life," he said. "And people may recognize this effect years after they have seen a particular movie." The journal Nature has more research about movies and psychology.
There has been research into the positive effects of movies on our capacity to handle emotional stress, as well as increasing our sense of belonging. Both experiences can make us feel more confident and socially secure, which may boost our social skills in the short term.
