https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la Sources used to research my passion project en-us 2020-02-07 18:57:16 UTC 2025-10-05 10:29:06 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f3ac.png sc969918 https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/442342680 Huw Oliver, a writer for Vice, wrote the article “Why We Cry at the Movies.” The question that triggered the creation of this article was: why do people enjoy the movie ‘Love Actually’ so much? She doesn’t understand that for her personally, she would never shed a tear of sorrow for the film. But she understands that we all cry over something cinematic, all have fallen in love with individual performance, and we've all shaken our fists at a bad guy. Cinema clearly has a sort of sensational ability to affect every one of the individuals’ emotions. We relate to our past, current, and future life experiences. Oliver notices that this is one of the big ideas explored in Flicker: Your Brain on Movies, a new book by Dr. Jeffrey Zacks, professor of psychology at Washington University in St Louis. She decided to contact Zacks to ask some questions behind the art of cinema. Dr. Zacks explains to Oliver that our brains have evolved to their current form well before the cinema was around, meaning that we're processing these fictional narratives now with the same brains our pre-technology ancestors were using to observe woolly mammoths in the distance 50,000 years ago, which is a fact that can go some way to explaining the psychology behind why we react so enthusiastically to films. Oliver then conducts an experiment to measure behaviors to film. She started with simple little homemade movies, then anti-movies. Each individual has a different perspective on each film. Oliver concluded that these perspectives are associated with an emotion program, and that emotion program tends to come online when we watch movies. Filmmaker’s main principle is to exaggerate a natural life experience. When you look at in detail, when you interact with people and they begin to cry, if it gets too intense then we'll both tend to look away. In a film you can have someone break down, the camera getting closer to their face, have them stare at you crying and feel something extremely different. Filmmakers exaggerate that facial aspect way outside the range that we'd experience in real life. The strategic choices made by filmmakers and their use editing, sound, and music in a way that's congruent with what you are seeing in the facial aspect, don’t underestimate the power of music to produce these emotional effects. This article and study demonstrate how films impact our emotions, giving me further insight into my project.

]]> 2020-02-07 19:01:53 UTC https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/442342680 sc969918 https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/442349961 This research article was written to investigate the facial and physiological activities that are associated with the emotional state of being moved. We elicited the emotional states of being moved, amusement, attachment, and calmness by presenting participants with film clips; we assessed their electromyographic, electrodermal, and cardiac responses to the films. Furthermore, they used a high- and low-arousal moving film to examine the effect of different levels of arousal on facial and physiological responses to moving films. They then compared facial and physiological responses to positive-emotion and emotionally neutral films. They wanted to find the association between positive emotions and emotional Responses and there have been several positive emotional states that have been investigated to date. These include affection, amusement, contentment, and happiness. Although there have only a few studies have examined the emotional responses that are associated with the experience of being moved. In the experiment, they used films to examine whether the level of arousal influences facial and physiological responses to moving films. Participants included twenty-eight adults varying from women to men, age range 20–36 years. All the participants had a normal or corrected-to-normal vision and had no history of neurological or mental disorders. They then used six types of film stimuli that depicted the following emotions. After each movie, there was a recovery period with administered a questionnaire that assessed emotional feelings. After the experiment was complete, the study showed that film clips can successfully induce the emotional state of being moved. In comparison to other types of positive emotions, the emotional state of being moved was characterized by an increase in corrugator muscle activity, which was modulated by the level of arousal of the emotional state of being moved. In contrast to past findings on music-induced chills, the emotional state of being moved was not associated with an increase in cardiac activity. This finding may be attributable to the greater attentional demands of film stimuli. This article gives further insight into how film stimuli create a certain emotion in an individual as well as the differences between emotions. 

]]> 2020-02-07 19:13:45 UTC https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/442349961 sc969918 https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/443819337 Music plays a huge role in heightening realism in films. Different film scores can completely alter the mood of a scene. Music is one of the most important aspects of movies, so how does music contribute to the emotional weight of a scene? This video shows the power of a film's score and how it plays with your brain to make you feel a certain way or emotion. In films, the heroes oftentimes get an uplifting theme, in a chase scene the music has a fast tempo, and in sad scenes, the music is slow and somber. Specific sounds and music are used for the viewer to biological associate when the intent of it, such a scary high pitch score associating with stress and danger. It's similar to an alarm on your phone, when it goes off it unsettles us psychologically. In contrast, in the movie Jaws, we hear scary music before the danger, the anticipation is what is unsettling. The fact that we know what's about to happen and the character doesn't. There are four key elements to a film's score. The first key is convincing the atmosphere of the film, for example, a western which we can hear has a distinct sound. The second key is the music underlining psychological unspoken refinements, such as the shifts in the characters' moods. One moment they are happy and cheerful, and the music changes to show that they are now sad or depressed. The third key is continuity, such as when the same song is played in different scenes, or a cue that something is beginning. The last key is finality, the end or accomplishment song that's emotional ad uplifting like in a successful attempt at resolving conflict. We also have to acknowledge that sometimes music is just there to fill the silence. More importantly, sometimes directors choose to not use any music at all, just the dialogue, and ambient noise. The psychology of scores and music in films is essential and it creates an atmosphere to remember. This video demonstrates how film scores impact a film, and how that strategic score choice will later impact the viewer's emotion, giving further insight into the details it takes a viewer to understand a film. ]]> 2020-02-11 17:03:07 UTC https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/443819337 sc969918 https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/443828942 Color has changed due to the creation of films. How we describe the texture and the feeling of color is so personal to what we have seen, specifically from films. How can color tell a story? In film school, there is no definition or guideline of the philosophy of color or light. Each color is personal to another in a different way, but its the strategic choices made by the filmmaker that gives a certain color meaning. Film has always been about the visual, as color is an essential component of storytelling. One specific form of storytelling is metaphoric storytelling, which is when color is used throughout the movie to gain attention to a shift in the story or give an important hint. Colors are used to differentiate multiple different stories but are used to set an atmosphere. Particular colors are used in particular ways; there are no set guidelines to how you use color, but you do have to understand the cognitive effects it has. When you put a color in a scene that doesn't fit in, it creates discordance and obtains the audience's attention towards something strategic. This is an association to a certain subject or an idea, so when you see that color somewhere else in the future you associate it with that a particular subject. In conclusion, there is a reason behind every color choice in film. Films are told through the colors used throughout it. If you pay attention to the color used in the film, it may tell more of the story than the words. This video helps demonstrate how color has more of an impact than the music or words itself, telling us more of the story. This video was beautiful and a great source of how films affect our emotions.

]]> 2020-02-11 17:14:27 UTC https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/443828942 sc969918 https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/444488024 Similar to how the color choices and music is chosen has an incredible impact on the overall story of a film, the movement of the camera can move the story too, even without us realizing it. Five brilliant little camera movements do just that. The camera has a voice in the film and its saying look at this and this, giving is information embedded in the move. The camera separates itself from the story and the character and so often enough that we begin to hear it on its own, with its voice. The first movement is the "slow push in." It tells us don’t just look, look harder, there's something beneath the eye that the camera wants us to see, using simple camera talk. The second movement is the opposite of the push-in, and that's the creep out. It's almost like its abandoning the character or the object in the shot. It inches away like whats happening in the film, revealing the drifting off of the connection in the film, such as a relationship between a couple. The camera clues the story and the emotional weight of it. The third movement is the turn away, to hide off from what's about to happen, maybe its obvious or maybe its for the audience to decide. The camera is leaving no hope for the escape as it closes the door to an alternate ending, giving us no control over what's about to happen. The camera is deciding for us that its too much to view, keeping us safe. Without this movement, so much would be lost as so much is happening within it. The fourth movement the wondering away, as if it had its viewpoint or mind. It shows that it has lost interest in the story for a moment, asking us to interpret it on our own, so poetic. Lastly, the fifth movement is the camera yelling, the fast dolly rushing in telling us "oh no something happened!" Again, the camera is saying look here, somethings happening and wants to give us a clue that the characters aren't giving us. This video demonstrates how not only does color and music impact the emotion we have on films, but the voice of the camera on us. This video gives further insight into the details it takes a viewer to understand a film. ]]> 2020-02-12 17:16:28 UTC https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/444488024 sc969918 https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/444722862 Extensive research has been conducted to investigate the effects of media violence on attitudes, behaviors, and cardiovascular health; however, only a few studies have examined its effect on appetite, eating behavior and food preferences. Little attention has been given to understand how the movie genre manipulates the physiology and the eating behavior of individuals. The present study aimed at investigating the acute effect of violent content in movies on appetite perception, heart rate, and blood pressure, along with food preferences and intake in young individuals. One experiment took several participants who were randomly assigned to either watch a violent movie or a non-violent narrative movie. Measurements including anthropometry, heart rate, blood pressure, and grip strength were taken and appetite, as well as stress perception, were assessed. Subjects were then provided with an individual snack tray containing various items to be consumed ad libitum. The results were post-intervention, the experimental group had a higher consumption of fatty and salty food items compared to the control group. Out of the 42 participants in the experiment, 62% consumed more than two fatty items and 71.4% consumed more than two salty food items. No significant difference in the consumption of sugary items was observed between the two groups. In conclusion, movie violence affects eating behavior and may promote weight gain. This academic journal gives an example of how film effect or eating habits, giving further information on how films affect our emotions. ]]> 2020-02-12 23:25:57 UTC https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/444722862 sc969918 https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/444724870 This article asks about the processes of “seeing the other” using the medium of cinema. Author Brent Rodriguez-Plate discusses films including Baraka, West Bank Story, Eve and the Fire Horse, and Babette's Feast. Each demonstrates unique perspectives on distinct religious traditions, exploring differences as well as resemblances. Two consequences emerge. First, films are not merely 'escape' that people watch and then forget about. Instead, what we see “on-screen” changes our relationships with other people “off-screen.” Watching movies becomes part of the social construction of reality, constructing our understandings of race, religion, gender, nationality, and ethnicity. Thus, films that demonstrate strong inter-religious connections may affect our perceptions of seeing each other. Second, comparing these films allows us to see how inter-religious connections are not merely about 'dialogue', but about shared food, smells, sights, and spatial locations. The sensate body stands at the heart of religious life, as well as the heart of inter-religious connections. This article gives further insight into how cinema impacts more than just our current state of mind. ]]> 2020-02-12 23:32:58 UTC https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/444724870 sc969918 https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/444726494 Movies often still have the power to provoke national debate. John Guida from The New York Times asks the question: Do they also have the power to affect our view of government? Michelle C. Pautz, an associate professor of political science at the University of Dayton, suggests films can act as an influence in all sorts of decisions. Dr. Pautz believes young viewers may be especially open to the influence of movies since they contribute to the political socialization of people. She also notes that films can be a great mechanism for conversation and reflection. Its a form of art out as people of all social classes experience movies, from the working class to the super-rich, and it provides a common experience for society to talk about issues. For example, discussing race relations (racism) is still a hard subject for Americans, but one can much more easily talk about a movie that might then lead to a conversation about those more sensitive topics. For Dr. Pautz, movies can be a great mechanism for conversation and reflection. They can also help us understand societal opinions, help us understand institutions, and even demystify aspects of society. While film affords us all a wonderful form of entertainment, we have to stop and think that there’s more to it than just entertainment, there are all sorts of messages being conveyed. This article shows how films change us and the way we as individuals think. This gives further insight into the impact films have on us. ]]> 2020-02-12 23:39:17 UTC https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/444726494 sc969918 https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/444727674 Derek Thompson, a staff writer at The Atlantic, writes on the concept of why people watch films and TV shows over and over again. He describes human beings as creatures of repetition when it comes to entertainment, and watching the same film isn't so abnormal. We as humans don’t care about the next big thing, we're all suckers for the last big thing. So what is the reason why do we spend so much time with stories whose endings we already know? This question has entranced philosophers, anthropologists, economists, and psychologists for centuries. The most durable theories fit roughly into four categories: habits, addictions, rituals, and status-quo bias. Habits, like going for a run to begin your day are almost automatic. We don’t even have to think about them, and that's part of their value. Addictions, like smoking, are like habits on evil steroids. They are unmanageable and lead to physical dependence. Then there are rituals, unlike addictions, we choose our rituals to be symbolic and expressive rather than be ruled by them, they’re infrequent. Lastly, there's status-quo bias, the observation that people tend to stick with previous decisions because the cost of coming to a new decision is mentally exhausting. Recent research has shown there are four reasons why so many people prefer their entertainment stuck on repeat. The simple reason is that an individual just really likes that movie. They want to remind themselves what happened and pick up on smaller details that they could appreciate once they caught up to the overall plot. The nostalgic reason is that it's nice to watch familiar movies merely because they are familiar, it can be nice to remember the past merely because it's the past. We like to watch an old movie to extract a fondness about the way things were and to remember the past feels good. The therapeutic reason is that they can't surprise us. We know how they end, and we know how we'll feel when they end. This makes the re-consumption of entertainment a bit like emotional regulation. New books, movies, and TV shows can deliver spectacular thrills, but they can also waste our time and disappoint us while old movies never disappoint us. The existential reason is that it allows a reworking of experiences as consumers consider their own particular enjoyments and understandings of choices they have made presenting us with new perspectives. This article shows how all are affected by films, not just by the curiosity of new releases, but the familiarity of old films. They give us all sorts of reliefs and stimuli, greatly impacting our emotions. This article is evidence towards my target audience.

]]> 2020-02-12 23:44:06 UTC https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/444727674 sc969918 https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/444729546 This blog written by Chris Smith, a copywriter and editor of the musicMagpie Blog, writes about the five reasons why watching films good for individuals. He discovers 
according to some scientists, laughter can boost the immune system and decrease the hormones associated with stress too. One study by the University of Maryland looked at the effects of comedy films specifically. The researchers found that laughing at the film shown caused the subjects’ blood vessels to dilate by 22%, lowering blood pressure and reducing stress. As for sad films, they can have a positive effect on your brain chemistry too. Research from Oxford University suggests that watching a traumatic film boosts the production of endorphins, a chemical associated with increased pain tolerance and, ironically, feeling good. Films can help on a psychological level too, to the extent that some therapists now prescribe films as a form of treatment. A different study found that rewatching films that you’ve already seen is good for you too. It is relaxing since our brains find them easy to process and the predictability is comforting. FIlms also inspire us to be a better individual in society, have a major effect on real life, whether we realize it or not. Along with making us better people, films can also have a major effect on our personal development too. In America, The Karate Kid caused a full-on karate boom, while Rocky has inspired countless people to take up boxing. They make you smarter, for example, a good documentary or an intelligent historical drama can educate you on important issues and events in a much more interesting and enjoyable way than a dry old textbook. Watching films can change our perspective on the people and issues we encounter every day, as well as increasing our understanding and sensitivity to people and issues in places we may never visit. Lastly, escapism is also necessary sometimes. We just want t get away from the world and with a good film, it takes you out of your life, and into the screen. This article gives support to how films are good for us, helping further give insight to my project.

In summary, here are the 5 reasons films are good for us: 
- Laughter is the best medicine (and so is crying)
- Rewatching films: comfort and promotes a positive outlook
- They can inspire you to be a better person
- They make you smarter
- Escapism is necessary

]]> 2020-02-12 23:51:33 UTC https://padlet.com/sc969918/6k1a9zrd08la/wish/444729546