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Student ID: 2187303

Film: The Impact of Imagery

The first film was made in 1878. A series of photos were played in quick succession to

give the illusion of a galloping horse (“What Was the First Movie”). Seventeen years later, the

Lumiére brothers hosted the first film screening. The brothers showed their own movie titled

Sortie des Usines Lumière à Lyon (Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory)​ which ran for about

fifty seconds stretched out across seven meters of film. One of the other films shown was titled

L’Arrivée d’un Train en Gare de la Ciotat (Arrival of a Train at a Station)​ (“Impact of Movies”).

The film was meant to depict part of everyday life. Although simple, the film had a profound

impact on the audience, resulting in an urban legend saying that “when the film was first shown,

the audience was so scared by the image of a life-sized train barreling toward them that people

screamed and ran to the back of the room” (“What Was the First Movie”).

Not only did these films start the art of filmmaking, they laid the foundation for a

medium capable of societal impact. Possibly the most impactful art medium for promoting

societal change, film’s range of influence has evolved over the past 141 years. The industry

continues to grow with each year as more and more people join, wanting to spread their message.

Wanting to change people’s minds. Wanting to change society.

I have been watching movies ever since I can remember. The visuals, characters, worlds,

and emotions painted on the screen enchanted me. I love that films have the power to promote

change by making the audience feel emotions deeply. Because of my passion, I wanted to delve

deeper into how films can influence people. This led me to the question: How does film impact
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society? There are two parts to the question: What qualities of film enables it to have a strong

influence on its audience, and how has American society been influenced by film in the past?

Film is one of the greatest persuasive mediums. Unlike facts and statistics, film can tell

stories. Film can tell the story of a young boy struggling to make friends. Film can tell the story

of a family’s experience living in a wasteland left by a war. Documentaries can show a dolphin

entangled in a fishing net, or a family of bears losing their home to deforestation. No other

medium can show this with such intensity. Photographs can capture a story; however, people

understand a story more through moving images. According to Dr. Paul Zak, “we cry at the

movies because oxytocin [a chemical that makes us feel positive emotions] in the human brain is

imperfectly tuned. It does not differentiate between actual human beings and flickering images of

human beings. Either one is enough to kick oxytocin into high gear and impel our empathy”

(Zak). Words can tell the stories as well, but not with the same impact. People feel more when

there is moving imagery present rather than just reading words. Actually seeing a dolphin

struggling to escape a fishing net, or people fighting to survive after a war, has a much more

profound impact than words.

Film can grab at people’s hearts with pathos. Pathos, as defined by the ​Merriam Webster

Dictionary​, is “an element in experience or in artistic representation evoking pity or compassion”

(Merriam Webster). Film is one of the greatest users of pathos out of all artistic and

entertainment mediums because of its temporal nature, according to Eliot Bessette, who is

currently a PhD candidate in Film and Media at the University of California Berkeley. He

previously earned his masters degree in Cinema and Media Studies at the University of

California Los Angeles. After multiple publications, Bessette is writing his dissertation on “the
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philosophical relationship of fear and thought elicited by horror films and theatrical haunted

houses” (“Eliot Bessette”). In person, Bessette’s kindness radiated, making the Berkeley café

feel welcoming. Despite his studies in horror, he was very upbeat. It was clear from talking to

him that he thought the art mediums with the highest potential for using pathos are “time based

mediums, which is to say anything that has temporal duration and isn’t all there in the moment”

(Bessette). Art mediums such as film, theater, and literature are time based since you cannot

observe all of it at once (Bessette). Bessette thinks that the longer the audience views the art, the

better chance it has to communicate its message to the audience.

There are two main types of film when categorized in terms of influence: narrative films

and documentaries. Narrative films tell a story in a more traditional story arch manner.

Documentaries are educational and informative films without a story arch. In an email interview,

Campolindo High School Video Production teacher Justin Seligman stated his views about

narrative films versus documentaries: “I think narrative films have the highest potential for

influence - they allow the viewer to draw their own conclusions based on the characters, dialogue

and situations - rather than being explicitly told what to think,” he said. “We like this - it makes

the viewer become a part of the story through our engagement with the narrative.” A story, as

opposed to feeding someone with information, grabs the audience’s attention and remains in

people’s memories for much longer than static information. Seligman said that people apply the

stories to themselves, causing them to analyze and resonate more with the narratives (Seligman).

According to Tiška Wiedermann, “data alone typically doesn’t reach the part of our brains which

can reach complex issues, intuit connections, engage lateral thinking, or move one to action: the

emotional brain. ‘Story’ speaks to our emotional brain. Data can tell us ​WHAT​ to do; but ​Story
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usually tells us ​WHY​ we should do it” (Wiedermann). Wiedermann is both the head of academics

and the Programme Director for the Raindance Postgraduate Film Degree (“About Tiška

Wiedermann”). What she is saying is that statistics merely tell us what the issue is, but stories

convince us as to why we should help, which is much more powerful when trying to convince

someone to help a cause. When people learn about what they should do, their next thought is

“why should I do it?”. While the ​what​ is important, the ​why​ grabs people’s attentions so they will

then want to find out how they can help. The ​why ​is the pathos; the thing that tugs on people’s

emotions.

Film is an incredibly popular form of art. The movie and television industries continue to

grow and show no signs of slowing down. In 2000, 478 movies were made in the U.S. and

Canada. In contrast, 871 movies were made between the U.S. and Canada in 2018 (“Number of

Movies”). This is almost an 80% increase in just eighteen years. Popular films are also seen by a

large number of people. A total of 177,390,689 people saw the film ​Black Panther ​in 2018. That

is about 2.4% of the world’s population (Sunny Mui). This continual growth is one of the reasons

film is one of the best ways to spread a message and to leave an impact on society.

Film has been proven to influence people through numerous studies. One such study was

done by associate professor Dr. Michelle C. Pautz who had people watch ​Argo​ and ​Zero Dark

Thirty.​ Prior to and after having the subjects watch the two movies, she asked them to answer

questions about their government views:

She found that after watching the films, 20 to 25 percent of the participants changed their

opinion — and generally more favorably — on a variety of questions about the

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government. Their trust in government increased, for example, as did their general

optimism about the direction of the country. (Guida)

This is clear and indisputable evidence that film can influence people’s opinions, even on

something as big as government.

Racism is one of the main and recurring social issues to which film brings awareness.

Many films tackle the issue of racism to prompt change and to document history in order to not

repeat previous atrocities. These films have performed wonders in the advancement of racial

equality. Some of these films are documentaries, which explain the racial issue as a whole. Other

films tell individual stories, using pathos to enhance the film’s impact.

Roots​, a television series from 1977 brought the story of slavery in America to an

audience who had never really learned about the topic (Major Dan). About 50% of the U.S.

population watched the 8 episode miniseries. Urban League President Vernon Jordan said,

“[​Roots ​was] the single most spectacular educational experience in race relations in America.”

Because of the show, many African Americans wanted to learn more about their identity, their

ancestors’ struggle through slavery, and life in Africa. During the years immediately following

the miniseries, travel by U.S. citizens to Africa increased (“Roots: A Cultural Force”).

Multiple films helped break the barriers between interracial relationships. A prominent

example of this is the 1958 film ​The Defiant Ones​. The film was about a pair of prison escapees,

bound together by their shackles, who work together to gain their freedom (Garner 136). This

story of collaboration between an African American man and a white man was monumental at its

release date considering it was at the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement.
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Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner​ is another prime example of how films can break racial

barriers and spread equality. This wildly popular film promoted interracial marriage. This film’s

release date, 1967, was an important time because earlier that year, state laws that banned

interracial marriage were struck down. Later that same year, race riots broke out as a result of the

assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The director of the movie, Stanley Kramer, was

threatened by many white people opposed to interracial marriage (Fleishman). Film can have

such a large impact that it can cause people to threaten others. There is no denying that this film

touched a nerve in the audience.

Films have also brought about awareness for many other social issues such as animal

rights, health, and the environment. ​Blackfish,​ a film about orcas in captivity at SeaWorld,

sparked public outrage about SeaWorld’s treatment of orcas. This forced the company to change

their orca program. Furthermore, SeaWorld lost a lot of money because of the film: “In the years

following its release, the documentary took its toll on the company’s reputation, visitor numbers

and share price (which dropped from $39 in 2013 to $18 at the time of the SeaWorld

announcement)” (Thomson). That was not the only financial trouble the film caused SeaWorld.

According to The Telegraph, “the company reportedly spent $15 million attempting to counter

the $76,000 film’s message” (O’Hara). The film also prompted many celebrities to speak out

against SeaWorld (O’Hara). This single film caused Seaworld to lose not only a significant

amount of money, but their public image as well. Many orcas were saved from harsh

imprisonment and treatment as a result of this documentary.

Super Size Me​ was a film created to battle McDonald’s Super Size menu. The director,

Morgan Spurlock, exclusively ate from the McDonald’s Super Size menu for a month and
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documented his experience. Obviously, Spurlock’s health took a dramatic toll: ​“After the

experiment was over, he had gained 25 pounds, his cholesterol levels had shot up, and his doctor

said he had the liver of an alcoholic… A few weeks after the film was released, McDonald’s

ditched its super size option and started introducing healthier items to its menus” (Thomson).

This film impacted the entire fast food industry, which feeds many people every day. For the

people that eat fast food a lot, this documentary showed the impact that fast food has on one’s

health. By attacking the fast food industry, this film promoted healthier eating.

Global warming was the topic of a few films in the mid 2000s. ​The Day After Tomorrow

is a science fiction movie released in 2004. The film was scientifically inaccurate, but still

spurred a lot of fear and awareness of global warming: “A survey… by Anthony Leiserowitz, a

researcher from Yale, revealed that 83 percent of people who saw the movie said they were

‘somewhat’ or ‘very concerned’ about global warming, while only 72 percent of people who

hadn’t seen it agreed” (Englehardt). Even with an obviously inaccurate premise, the film had a

major impact. A few years later, Al Gore released a documentary called ​An Inconvenient Truth​.

Unlike ​The Day After Tomorrow​, Al Gore’s film is nonfiction and scientifically accurate. Pew

Research Center conducted a survey which revealed that only 41% of Americans believed that

humans cause global warming before the release of the documentary. After the release, the

number rose to 50% (Cook). These two films brought some necessary coverage to an incredibly

important issue.

Another film with a lot of impact was Disney’s hit movie ​Bambi​. In the film, hunters kill

a baby deer’s mother. This left such an impact on people that deer hunting was reduced by fifty

percent. The effect was amplified through the film’s visuals and storytelling: “The psychological
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effect that comes from anthropomorphizing “cute” animals got its own informal name from the

movie: the Bambi effect” (Englehardt). The film’s use of pathos with Bambi’s reaction upon

hearing his mother being shot, proves the point that film is the strongest persuasive medium

because of the visuals it provides. The term “Bambi effect” is still used today when discussing

people’s moral views on animals (Blaine). Something as big as people’s views of animals have

been altered by a single movie. Furthermore, this film added a new term to America’s lexicon.

Film impacts society through its ability to persuade physiologically and emotionally. Its

range of influence is enhanced by its popularity and accessibility. In the past, film has combated

a wide variety of issues ranging from racism to animal cruelty and global warming to health.

Nearly every major societal issue within the last seventy years has been addressed by films. Film

is and forever will be important because it can and has changed society as a whole. Society’s

obsession with film mirrors my own. Through researching this topic, I have learned that if I have

a message to spread, film is the way to do it. When a person watches movies, they are not only

being entertained, but are also participating in American cultural experience. Movies will

continue to be a large part of entertainment and social change in the United States, which is why

it should matter to you. Film has the power to change society, and to bring people together in

doing so.
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Works Cited

“‘Blackfish’: The Documentary That Exposes SeaWorld.” ​SeaWorld of Hurt,​

https://www.seaworldofhurt.com/features/blackfish-documentary-exposes-seaworld/.

Blaine, Valerie. “The ‘Bambi effect’: a look at deer culling and residents’ reactions.” ​Daily

Herald​, Paddock Publications,

https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120210/submitted/702109745/.

Bessette, Eliot. Personal Interview. 12 March 2019.

Cook, John. “Ten years on: how Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth made its mark.” ​The

Conversation US​,

https://theconversation.com/ten-years-on-how-al-gores-an-inconvenient-truth-made-its-m

ark-59387. Accessed 21 April 2019.

“Eliot Bessette.” ​Department of Film and Media UC Berkeley,​ UC Regents,

http://filmmedia.berkeley.edu/student-profile/2267147-eliot-bessette. Accessed 21 April

2019.

Englehardt, Natasha. “Film and Society: How Films Impact Society and Popular Culture.” ​Platt

College​, https://platt.edu/blog/film-society-films-impact-society-popular-culture/.

Fleishman, Jeffrey. “‘Guess Who's Coming to Dinner’ is 50 and racial tension still a problem in

America.” ​Los Angeles Times,​ 2017,

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-ca-guess-dinner-anniversary-20170131

-story.html.

Garner, Joe. ​Now Showing: Unforgettable Moments from the Movies.​ Kansas City, Andrew

McMeel Publishing, 2003.

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Guida, John. “How Movies Can Change Our Minds.” ​The New York Times Company,​ 2015,

https://op-talk.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/04/how-movies-can-change-our-minds/.

“Impact of Movies on Society.” ​UK Essays,​ 2017,

https://www.ukessays.com/essays/film-studies/influence-of-movies-to-society-film-studie

s-essay.php.

Major Dan. “10 Most Influential Movies on American Society.” ​History and Headlines​, 2016,

https://www.historyandheadlines.com/10-influential-movies-american-society/.

“Number of movies released in the United States and Canada from 2000 to 2018.” ​Statista,​

https://www.statista.com/statistics/187122/movie-releases-in-north-america-since-2001/.

Accessed 20 April 2019.

O’Hara, Helen. “SeaWorld vs Blackfish: the film that introduced the world to the plight of

Tilikum.” ​The Telegraph,​ 2017,

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2016/06/04/seaworld-vs-blackfish-the-film-that-saved-

the-whales/.

“Pathos.” ​Merriam-Webster​.

“Roots: A Cultural Force That Changed the Nation.” ​The New York Times Company,​

https://www.nytimes.com/paidpost/history/roots-a-cultural-force-that-ch

anged-the-nation.html.

Seligman, Justin. Personal Interview. 4 March 2019.

Sunny Mui. Comment on “How many people watched Black Panther? Is it worth watching?”

Quora, 22 May 2018,

https://www.quora.com/How-many-people-watched-Black-Panther-Is-it-worth-watching.
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Thomson, Stéphanie. “10 movies that changed the world.” ​World Economic Forum,​ 2016,

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/08/10-movies-that-changed-the-world/.

“What Was the First Movie Ever Made?” ​Boys’ Life​,

https://headsup.boyslife.org/what-was-the-first-movie-ever-made/.

Wiedermann, Tiska. “About Tiska Wiedermann.” ​Raindance,​

https://www.raindance.org/author/tiska/.

Wiedermann, Tiska. “Impact Filmmaking for Social Change.” ​Raindance,​ 18 Sept. 2017,

https://www.raindance.org/impact-filmmaking-social-change/.

Zak, Paul J. “Why We Cry at Movies.” ​Psychology Today,​ Sussex Publishers, 3 February 2009,

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-moral-molecule/200902/why-we-cry-mov

ies, Accessed 21 April 2019.

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Works Consulted

Jones, Oliver. “The 15 most significant social impact films of 2018.” ​USC News​, 2018,

https://news.usc.edu/153288/the-15-most-significant-social-impact-films-of-2018/.

Mohan, Rohini. “Movies and Its Deep Impact on Society: An Issue No One Talks About.”

Entertainism,​ https://entertainism.com/movies-their-impact-on-society.