Abstract
An invisible cinematic fourth wall separates the audience and the performances. A new approach to film appreciation that capitalizes upon the dissolution of this celluloid fourth wall is the “filmist” approach. For filmists, the stimulus (movie) fades into the background, and their responses (appreciation) take center stage. Films stir life, like modern day fairy tales, to provide templates for living. Using special guidelines, filmists relax, focus, and, later, discuss their reactions with others to magnify the value they receive from film viewing. Movies, like magic, cinematically “color in” for clients’/students’ imagined happy futures – filling in the fairy-tale ending typically left to fantasy with the phrase “ … happily ever after … . ” Postmodern critics of positive psychology command adding the pessimistic realism of “ … or not … ” to the traditional romanticized fantasy ending. The many chapters in this edited volume illustrate particular themes to assist therapy, coaching, or teaching that is amplified with the filmist approach to breach the cinematic fourth wall for “happily ever after … or not.” Cinematic artistic expression infiltrates clients’ and students’ lives, melding fantasy with reality. The range of what is possible expands with both the integration of celluloid realities into actual living and also the mirrored reflection of real living in cinematic performances and portrayals. Cinema mirrors reality, and reality contours cinema.
Dedicated to my husband Christopher Gregerson for his instrumental interest and support during the years this book evolved, and to my friends, family, and pets Takahata (Tips) and Suburo (Andy) for their loyalty, companionship, and inspiration.
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Gregerson, M.B. (2010). Story Board: The “Filmist” Fall of the Cinematic Fourth Wall. In: Gregerson, M. (eds) The Cinematic Mirror for Psychology and Life Coaching. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1114-8_1
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