1. Verisimilitude
(style/narrative)

2. Verisimilitude, in a narrow sense, is the
likeness or semblance of a narrative to
reality, or to the truth. It comes from Latin:
verum meaning truth and similis meaning
similar.

3. Verisimilitude
• Verisimilitude is a philosophical or theoretical notion that
distinguishes truth and falsity of assertions or hypotheses.
The problem of verisimilitude is the problem of articulating
what it takes for one false theory. To be closer the truth
than another theory.
• Verisimilitude is described in storytelling by the way the
audience contributes to their experience by their willing
acceptance that even when events or people in a movie
are not realistic, if the filmmakers’ vision is consistent it
gives us the sense that in THAT world these things
COULD HAPPEN.

4. Verisimilitude in Film
• Verisimilitude means the appearance of truth. Within film this
is obviously crucial.
• Todorov identified two types of verisimilitude: generic
verisimilitude and broader social or cultural verisimilitude i.e.
what is normal in a genre of film and what is normal in normal
life.
• Neale argues that generic verisimilitude allows filmmakers to
ignore or sidestep realist aspects and still make it feel true to
audiences, giving the examples of the musical.
• He also argues that certain genres depend far more on
culture verisimilitude: gangster, war, police films compared to
science fiction, gothic horror or slapstick comedies.
• Least cultural verisimilitude aspects are what attract
audiences the most.

5. Cinéma vérité

6. • In contrast to traditional documentary, cinéma vérité
documentary attempts to capture experience in an
unobtrusive, unedited manner as possible.
• These documentaries consist of long takes with little
editing or commentary.
• There are also far fewer interviews in favour of having
participations converse with each other.
• Events are portrayed as they unfold, without having the
presence of a camera influence those events or any
staging or playing for the camera to shape those events.
• The less-obtrusive, light-weight 16-mm camera, zoom
lens, fast film stocks, and superior recording equipment
in the 1960s led to the rise of cinéma vérité
documentary during that time.