With the shifting terrain of media, the shift from analog to digital technologies has affected production, exhibition, and consumption of media. This transition is explained by the term “New media” and can be seen in the transformation from traditional theater to VHS, DVD, CD, Blu-ray, and now online streaming, with it further developing CGI in post-production. David Rodowick argues that Digital images lack a inherent connection to preceding reality, making them less effective in conveying a sense of temporal authenticity. This is because there is no essential link between digital images and any preceding pro-filmic reality [Rodowick, 2007].

The film, Avatar (2009) supports his argument. With the development of technology, the film industry has since become increasingly reliant on digital tools in order to create films that are surreal. This reliance has created a large issue of the disappearance of realism. It is most apparent in the realm of science fiction, a genre that is highly intertwined with technological innovation.

When attempting to depict the unreal, such as aliens and monsters challenges arise. The genre creates questions about what constitutes realism when creating beings that defy our lived experiences. Unlike genres that are based on life experience, Sci-fi relies on speculation rather than direct links to reality. Characters like extraterrestrials and fantastical creatures cannot be based on firsthand experience, leading to a disconnect from the realism inherent in analog representations.

This lack of a direct link to reality poses a widespread issue in the film industry. When exploring the uncharted territories of the unreal, the very essence of realism becomes questionable. How can we define realism when the canvas extends beyond our tangible, analog world, venturing into the digital realm of speculative creation?

We are unable to define realism in media as the canvas extends past what is tangible. However, the human species is one that evolves past with the use of technological innovation. As time goes by, what is acceptable or realistic will evolve with what humans are exposed to.

By : Amal Wahliye – Edited 17/11/2023

References

• David Norman Rodowick (2007). The virtual life of film. Cambridge ; London: Harvard University Press.

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