How films and TV shows help us cope with the stress and anxiety of life, inspire us, and help us find community
By: Aditi Roy
To cope with the substantial amount of pressure in our lives today, we find mechanisms that help us destress and relax. For many, this method is consuming content like films and TV shows.
Watching a funny TV show or an action-packed drama allows you to be in the present. While you're watching such forms of entertainment, your mind stops juggling your endless responsibilities and focuses on the plot of the movie or TV show. It's almost like a reward that we look forward to after a long day of studying or work. A good film or episode can be like a comforting hug that we all need and desperately crave.
This is evident as the average Canadian aged 18-24 spends around 10.6 hours watching TV a week, and this number does not include watching entertainment on online platforms. Telefilm Canada also reports that more than 50 per cent of Canadians watch at least one movie a week.
Believe it or not, using TV shows and films can also be considered a form of therapy. Cinematherapy is a form of self-help that has many benefits. Being aware of cinema and the content we consume can shape the way we deal with life. Movies can help us realize how to approach and deal with hardships and make sense of our own lives.
Gary Solomon is the author of Reel Therapy: How Movies Inspire You to Overcome Life's Problem's and The Motion Picture Prescription: Watch This Movie and Call Me in the Morning, two books focusing on cinema therapy. Solomon recommends that to reap the benefits of this nontraditional therapy, you must select the content that reflects your current situation in life and consume them. This way, you learn how to tackle your problems. This form of therapy is also gaining recognition in Canada, with Kelowna College Of Professional Counselling offering a three-week-long introductory course as well as a full-length course on this subject.
While films and TV shows can help us contextualize our lives, fan culture works to bring people together and create a tight-knit community. As defined by Grinnell College, fan culture is the phenomenon that occurs when communities are built around a shared enjoyment of a pop culture aspect. In some cases, fan culture can become toxic and obsessive, but for the most part, such culture helps and profoundly impacts the lives of many.
Conventions, Discords, and clubs are formed when people come together and truly appreciate the same piece of work. Being a fan gives you people to identify with, as being around people with the same interest as you can influence your life positively. A feeling of involvement and belonging kicks in when surrounded by like-minded people.
A study conducted asked 198 cosplay members why they chose their costumes; the anonymous reply was because they were excited to portray their favourite characters. They couldn't wait to represent their love through elaborate costumes and attire. This feeling of euphoria is undeniable when you are so invested in such projects.
The Fan Expo Canada event is probably one of the most prominent examples of fan culture. It is a four-day experience dedicated to celebrating iconic movies, anime series, and comic books. This event is truly a time where Canadians get to enjoy the company of other film and TV junkies and engage in honest conversations.
Sometimes films can inspire us to such a great degree that we may even pursue them as our careers. You would be surprised at how many directors, producers, and cinematographers were inspired to embark on their path because of impactful shows and films.
Denis Villeneuve, Canadian academy award nominated director studied film and graduated from Université du Québec à Montréal. The director of films like Blade Runner 2049 (2017) and Dune (2021) credits his inspiration to films like Children of Men (2006) and Vertigo (1958). The director also states that he greatly admires the work of Christopher Nolan.
David Cronenberg, known for creating the body horror genre, was influenced by a film to such a degree that he chose to change his career after he attended the University of Toronto to earn a BA. The film Winter Kept Us Warm (1966), directed by David Secter, inspired him to pursue his love for cinema. Cronenberg went on to found the Toronto Film Co-op along with Iain Ewing and Ivan Reitman.
I think we can all agree that entertainment in the forms of films and TV positively impacts our lives. Such projects can touch our hearts, make us cry, laugh or even cringe. But film evokes emotion and allows people to gather together. Discussing our favourite plot twist in a show or recreating film looks and reciting iconic lines is a part of our modern-day culture and society. We become strangely analytic as we tear apart content and develop our theories and ideas about what it truly meant.
Though some may view entertainment as wasted time, such projects have the power to change the way we look at life and influence our behaviour. Movies and TV shows are an endless world waiting to be explored.