Real|Reel Journal

Films have astonished and delighted audiences for over one hundred years. They do this by forming relationships with their viewers, communicating ideas, spreading emotions, creating fashions and revealing new ways of looking at the world. But a worrying amount of journalism presents film simply as a commodity, a product that is either ‘good’ or ‘bad’ – something that you should buy or avoid. Viewing film simply as a commodity is to ignore its ongoing relevance and importance. So what happens when we watch films? How does film affect our perception of other people and the world around us? These questions, and many others like them still need to be answered. We believe that a reasoned and articulate approach to film will reveal its true allure and return film to its proper place as an object to be loved and studied.

The most effective way of bringing the full depth of film culture back to journalism is by broadening film discussion. Film academia is overflowing with insightful approaches that are rarely seen, but the cost and density of academic writing drastically reduces the potential readership. Incorporating these academic insights into film journalism, whilst remaining exciting and approachable, results in new forms of conversational and investigative writing that aren’t straight reviews or challenging theses.