I'm Not a Troll, Just a Dude Who Wants to Escape
I am of the opinion that social media has changed the way we watch film and TV. Negativity and hate comments fuel online traffic and attention, which is generally a good thing in the eyes of people marketing a specific television show, film, novel, etc. Do I love this trend? Not at all, but it is a reality. People’s attention spans are definitely shrinking, I’m starting to see that a bit in myself. We all just have to go with the cultural flow. The pendulum always swings back.
It is, of course, a fine line. I don’t necessarily believe “any press is good press,” but negative word of mouth can be just as effective as positive word of mouth these days in terms of getting eyes on said project. No, I have no statistics to back that up, it is purely anecdotal… but I think many could say they see it for themselves.
I find that many of my views, opinions, or critiques are more lenient and forgiving then others that I see online or when I discuss privately with my friends and peers. I concede that I’m pretty easy to please, and am able to watch and understand things through many different lenses. If you wanted me to pick something apart, I could certainly do that, but only when I’m watching under that head space.
It is definitely not my default. I love escapism, I want to be immersed in what I’m watching and root for the characters I love. I lead with my thirst for being entertained first. There are few things that rarely take me out of what I’m watching, for example: really bad ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement), unmotivated character choices or performances, lip fillers and veneers in a period piece… and I’m sure there are some others.
I don’t say this to imply my way to watch something is the correct way. I’ve heard people close to me say “I love to hate things, it brings me joy.” Whatever floats your boat. That particular perspective does not float my boat, and that’s ok. Life is short, and we should all be entitled to do what makes us happy. We work too hard during the week to hide our joys in a closet because we’re afraid of judgement. My enjoyment, boredom, or dissatisfaction are my own.
You’re allowed to be moved by something that most other people hate, and you’re allowed to be bored by something most other people love. It is also possible to enjoy things while also acknowledging when something doesn’t work or when something strays from the source material in a significant way. I like to take black and white thinking out of the equation.
The major things I look for in film and television are:
Truthful performances from the actors, which could also be referred to as good casting.
Dynamic visuals that are appropriate and consistent with the style and tone of the story.
Witty and thoughtful writing that is faithful and appropriate for the story, with a giant caveat that great acting can fix a lot of bad writing.
Original concepts.
Creative risks and bold choices. If you take a big swing and miss, that doesn’t always have to be a bad thing.
High entertainment value, which is entirely subject to my mood and headspace.
Heart, which I recognize is an intangible metric and is perceived by everyone slightly differently. For me, effort and care for what you do matters.
All of this can change on any given day. Many times I’ll start watching a new show that I know I will love, but turn it off within the first 15 minutes because for whatever reason it doesn’t scratch my creative itch of the day. What I’m trying to say is, there doesn’t have to be any rules. We watch things to escape our own lives and shut our brains off. We don’t always have to be “on.”
What about a specific project grabs and keeps your attention? Do you love to hate things? Do you think the trends are driven more by the consumer or the creators?
