True Art Is Realistic: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
Ah, fiction. Isn't it a beautiful thing, with all the creatures, forms of magic, various scenarios of fantastical warfare, and technological advancements. Sadly, according to some groups of people, this is not what the true quality is. It's mainly about how well it recreates the real world, it's real people dealing with real issues and what life throws at them. As for things, like violence, this is downplayed intentionally to show how gruesome it really is. This is done to [[Deconstruct]] the fantastical elements with [[Real Life]] consequences, like . That way more cynical audiences can enjoy it themselves as well; the flipside is playing it straight within science-fiction and fantasy stories can be viewed as [[Narm]] in comparison. To advert some really unfortunate stereotypes that associated with them, numerous fantastical works have tried to go down this path, though with [[YMMV Trope|very mixed results]]. Also, things, like [[Necessary Weasel]] and [[Acceptable Break From Reality]] won't cut it.
{{Trope workshop}}
{{tropestub}}
 
To avert the unfortunate stereotypes associated with them, numerous fantastical works have tried to go down this path, though with [[YMMV Trope|very mixed results]]. This is mainly done in [[deconstruction|deconstructive]] works where [[Real Life]] consequences of fantastical elements such as laser guns and magic spells existing are put front and center so the more cynical audiences can actually find themselves enjoying the show as a result. The flip side is that the played straight fantasy stories tend to be viewed as [[Narm]] in comparison.
Ah, fiction. Isn't it a beautiful thing, with all the creatures, forms of magic, various scenarios of fantastical warfare, and technological advancements. Sadly, according to some groups of people, this is not what the true quality is. It's mainly about how well it recreates the real world, it's real people dealing with real issues and what life throws at them. As for things, like violence, this is downplayed intentionally to show how gruesome it really is. This is done to [[Deconstruct]] the fantastical elements with [[Real Life]] consequences, like . That way more cynical audiences can enjoy it themselves as well; the flipside is playing it straight within science-fiction and fantasy stories can be viewed as [[Narm]] in comparison. To advert some really unfortunate stereotypes that associated with them, numerous fantastical works have tried to go down this path, though with [[YMMV Trope|very mixed results]]. Also, things, like [[Necessary Weasel]] and [[Acceptable Break From Reality]] won't cut it.
 
Also, things like [[Necessary Weasel]] and [[Acceptable Breaks From Reality]] won't cut it.
Related to the [[Sci Fi Ghetto]]. Mostly ends up merging with [[True Art Is Angsty]], due to how a more realistic perspective gives the angst that comes with it. Can be compared with [[Comedy Ghetto]], were [[True Art]]'s won't inspire joy and laughter. This is the hardness end of [[Mohs Scale of Sci Fi Hardness]].
 
Related to the [[Sci Fi Ghetto]]. Mostly ends up merging with [[True Art Is Angsty]], due to howthe amindset morethat realistic perspectiveangst gives theeverything angstmore perspective and that comesonly withangst itis real. Can be compared with [[Comedy Ghetto]], werein which [[True Art]]'s won't inspire joy and laughter. This is the hardnesshard end of the [[Mohs Scale of Sci Fi Hardness]].
 
{{examples}}
== Advertising ==
 
 
== Anime and Manga ==
* [[Real Robot]] works are usually considered more mature and artistic than their [[Super Robot|super robot anime]] counterparts.
 
== Comic Books ==
 
 
== Fan Works ==
 
 
== Film ==
* Dogme 95 follows a method that insists on these self-imposed rules:
** The film-making has to be done on location. Props and sets must not be brought in. If a prop that's important for the story and plot, the location has to be chosen where that particular prop can be found.
** Sound must not be produced, aside from the images or vice versa. Music mustn't be used, unless it occurs in the scene being filmed, i.e., dietetic[[Diegetic Music|diegetic]].
** Handheld cameras only. Any movement or immobility attainable in the hand is permitted. The film mustn't take take place where the camera is standing; filming must go where the action goes.
** Film has to be in color. Special lightninglighting is not acceptable (Ifif a scene has too little light for exposure, it has to be cut or have a single lamp attached to the camera).
** Optical work and filters are not allowed.
** The film's action must not be superficial (murders, weapons, etc. should not occur).
** Temporal and geographical alienation are forbidden (Thoughthough it's to say that the film takes place here and now).
** Genre movies are discourage.
** The formatting of the film has to be Academy 35 mm.
** Lastly, [[Anonymous Author|the director must not be credited]].
* Social Realist films aim to be as realistic as possible, therefore they are seen as more artistic because of of this. They usually use handheld cameras and natural lighting.
* [[Ken Loach]] has a lot of techniques up his sleeve to keep his films as realistic as possible, like keeping them improvised, not telling acts what they're going to be surprised by, getting inexperienced actors with lives similar to their characters.
* [[Comedy Ghetto]], where "[[True Art]]" cannot be created to inspire joy and laughter amongst the public.
 
== Literature ==
* Within the [[Science Fiction]] fandom, this is the stance taken by tons of fans of [[Mohs Scale of Science Fiction Hardness|hard sci-fi]].
 
 
== Live-Action Television ==
* In the crime genre, if one wants to be criticalcritically acclaimacclaimed, it helps to show over-worked, under-resourced cops cutting corners and fighting their own bureaucracy as much as the criminals, who are themselves not totally unsympathetic and clearly products of the ghettos they operate in (which you also show in great detail). Basically, it helps to make ''[[The Wire]]''. By contrast, if you choose to adapt [[Agatha Christie]] or make a latter day homage, like ''[[Midsomer Murders]]'', it'll mostly be treated as camp fun at best.
 
== Music ==
 
 
== Myths and Legends ==
* In [[Greek Mythology]], Pygmalion gave this trope as the reason he had for not marrying to Aphrodite, and he refused to marry until he had made the most realistic depiction of the most beautiful woman in the world. Her, to be exact. The end of the myth takes the trope even farther, {{spoiler|Asas Aphrodite brings the statue made in her image to life for Pygmalion to marry because his masterpiece had become so real to him he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life, so his "art" truly became 'realistic' in the literal sense because Aphrodite was pleased with his request.}}
 
== Newspaper Comics ==
 
 
== Oral Tradition ==
 
 
== Pinball ==
 
 
== Podcasts ==
 
 
== Professional Wrestling ==
 
 
== Puppet Shows ==
 
 
== Radio ==
 
 
== Tabletop Games ==
* Every player of tabletop games has heard someone bashing another system for its lack of realism. For tabletop role playing games, most gaming groups go through a phase of trying to be more realistic before abandoning it in the name of fun. For war games, there is a strange species of gamer who uses their love of a more historically "accurate" game or a system which more closely matches their ideas about how battle is supposed to work to bash players who don't care. Board game snobbery, on the other hand, is usually based on whether the product is mainstream or not and whether it's American or European in origin.
 
** ''Risk'' is singled out for this. For a war game, it is quite simplistic. ''[[Axis and Allies]]'', by contrast, has rules almost as thick as a VCR manual and is considered a "light" game by many wargamers. You usually need a couple hundred pages of rules for many of the others.
 
== Theater ==
* Inverted by [[Bertolt Brecht]], who – while subscribing to a [[True Art Sticks It to The Man]] mindset, as is often linked to this trope – explicitly argued ''against'' theatre (and, by extension, other forms of art) that was too realistic and naturalistic through his theory of the alienation effect; essentially, his argument was that by using theatrical and artistic techniques to create a distance between the performer/audience and the characters and action they were performing/viewing, this meant that both were better equipped to critique the actions of the characters, consider potential alternatives that could be taken and take on the (often political) messages that were being communicated, since they could take a step back from their identification with the characters and consider the wider picture that was being presented to them. Naturalism, however, worked by explicitly presenting the audience with a replication of their day-to-day lives and by giving the audience an image of reality – however, since the audience operated within those day-to-day lives, they were unlikely to challenge or question them.
 
== MusicTroping ==
* As mentioned in the main article text, this may be the reason (or part of the reason) why [[Deconstruction]] is so popular on this wiki – [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism|for a certain measure of "reality", anyway]].
 
== Video Games ==
* ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker]]'''s fan backlash was due to this trope,. sameSame for ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword]]'s' due to its graphics.
* This trope also contends with those thatwho insistsinsist that photo realismphotorealism is the only way/true direction to go for video game graphics. It also informs stylistic choices like [[Real Is Brown]].
* Those who don't like video games often use this criticism. Likewise, within gaming communities, this trope comes into play as some games have more "realistic" elements compared with others within their genres. Shooters are particularly prone to this. Pro- and anti-realism rants are just flame bait.
** This was sent up by ''[[The Onion]]'', which made a joke review about how everyone was praising ''[[Call of Duty: Modern Warfare]] 3'' (obviously before it was announced) for its great realism. The player spent hours a day slacking off, doing nothing, waiting for orders, listening to their buddies gab about whether they'd rather sleep with Shakira or Jessica Biel, and repairing HMMWV's for hours on end. Now ''that'' is a realistic depiction of the life of an Army private.
* Suggested by several reviewrs to be the reason behind why ''[[Yoshi's Island]]'' is being treated with less regard than ''[[Donkey Kong Country (video game)|Donkey Kong Country]]'' when doing retrospectives on [[Super Nintendo]] games, as the latter pre-rendered aesthetic was treated more seriously than the former's crayon-like one.
 
== Western Animation ==
* One of the key factors during (and responsible for) the [[Animation Age Ghetto]]. Animated works were mostly stereotyped as "little kid fantasies". Of course, animated works that do have realism are relatively ignored by this particular crowd.
 
== Web Animation ==
 
 
== Web Comics ==
* In ''[[Better Days]]'', the "realistic" artist is rewarded by having her pictures sell at a decent price, whereas the snobby [[True Art Is Incomprehensible]] artists' pieces went unsold.
 
== Web Video ==
 
 
== Other Media ==
* Within [[Science Fiction]] fandom, this is the stance taken by many fans of [[Mohs Scale of Science Fiction Hardness|hard sci-fi]].
 
* In the crime genre, if you want critical acclaim, it helps to show over-worked, under-resourced cops cutting corners and fighting their own bureaucracy as much as the criminals, who are themselves not totally unsympathetic and clearly products of the ghettoes they operate in (which you also show in great detail). In summary, it helps to make ''[[The Wire]]''. By contrast, if you choose to adapt [[Agatha Christie]] or make a latter-day homage like ''[[Midsomer Murders]]'', it'll probably be treated as camp fun at best.
 
== Real Life ==
* Realism is this trope itself. Naturalism is this trope [[Up to Eleven]], though not always. Modern art averts this more or less,; same with certain arts with itstheir highly formalized cultural specific styles, anfor example [[Ancient Egypt|Ancient Egyptian]]ian art (Oror what has been preserved forof usit).
 
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