Every Great Story’s Secret Weapon — Catharsis Explained

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Catharsis Defined — In this video, we take a look at a pivotal element of storytelling: catharsis.

What is Catharsis in Film? ►►
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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to Catharsis in Film
00:55 - Catharsis Definition
02:37 - Chapter 1: Tragedy
07:35 - Chapter 2: Triumph
10:42 - Chapter 3: Writing Tips
15:16 - Takeaways

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CATHARSIS DEFINITION

Most movies aim to make you feel. That feeling may be joy, fear, sadness, or something else entirely. But no matter the kind of emotion, the biggest emotional moment in a film is typically the catharsis. The term “catharsis” has been around for millenia, coined by Greek philosopher Aristotle. It refers to the purification or purging of emotions, typically in works of art. In this video, we look at how catharsis is created, and what it looks like in different contexts.

CATHARSIS ROLE IN TRAGEDY

The traditional use of catharsis referred to the ending of tragedies. Aristotle argued that tragedies should “arous[e] fear and pity,” allowing the audience to expel these negative emotions and feel better in their day-to-day life. The philosopher discussed four ways catharsis could be created in tragedy, relying on two axes: knowingly and unknowingly, and completed or stopped. In other words, the four kinds of endings are knowingly completed, unknowingly completed, knowingly stopped, or unknowingly stopped.

CATHARSIS EXAMPLES IN TRIUMPH

Today, catharsis can reach far beyond tragedies. If you haven’t noticed, Hollywood isn’t a fan of sad endings, and yet, most great movies have finales that move us. That’s catharsis in a triumphant setting. This type of catharsis relies on tension– the audience must understand the stakes and want them to be resolved. Catharsis in triumph doesn’t need to be obvious; in fact, some of the greatest endings have very subtle cathartic moments.

CATHARSIS EXPLAINED

No matter the genre, catharsis can be split into two parts: the set up, and the pay off. The set up is the entire movie up until the point of the catharsis. This is where the stakes are set, we see the character’s arc, and we understand the themes. The catharsis then is the pay off, where these various elements are resolved, or at least utilized.

Catharsis is an extremely powerful tool which can act as an emotional gut-punch. Pull it off, and your audience may never forget the feelings you made them feel.


#FilmTheory #VideoEssay #Filmmaking

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♬ SONGS USED:

"Divider" - Chris Zabriskie
"Mercury" - Alon Ohana
"New World" - Ian Post
"The Swan" - Alon Peretz
"When the Sunrise (Instrumental)" - Yehezkel Raz
"Can You Hear The Music" - Hans Zimmer
"Point Blank" - Cho Young-Wuk
"This Is My World" - Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL
"Is She Still With You" - Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL
"Top Gun Anthem" - Harold Faltermeyer
"End Credits" - John Williams
"Sunny Side Up" - The Night Train
"Subdivide" - Tinker Material
"Elysium" - Gavin Greenaway, The Lyndhurst Orchestra, & Lisa Gerrard
"The Sounds of Silence" - Simon & Garfunkel
"Main Titles" - Vangelis
"O Come Let Us Adore Him (Instrumental)" - Salt of the Sound
"My Heart Will Go On" - James Horner & Celine Dion
"Life's Journey Begins" - idokay
"Gonna Fly Now" - Bill Conti
"Blood Will Have Blood" - Carter Burwell
"A Moon Walk (Instrumental)" - Yehezkel Raz
"Theme from Schindler's List (Reprise)" - John Williams
"Unwind" - Mansij

Music by Artlist ►
Music by MusicBed ►

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