Stretchingthe truth in works of fiction and true life events
@eclecticsteve (253)
United States
March 18, 2007 10:14pm CST
Whenever I read or go to a seminar about writing, whether it is novels or screenwriting, the one bit of advice always given is to make the story accurate because if I don't some reader/viewer will spot it and I will lose credibility. Yet, I always find some inaccuracies in novels and movies. I know some of it is artistic license to make the story more dramitic, but does anybody have any guidelines on how much to "stretch the truth" on works of fiction or even historical events. I just saw 300, and my knowledge of history got in the way of enjoying it more than I did, yet no one really seemed to be bothered by some of the inaccuracies (besides the Iranian government).
3 people like this
4 responses
@mjgarcia (725)
• United States
19 Mar 07
I think the details need to be as accurate as you can, but you usually can stretch the truth with the characters as long as it doesn't change the storyline. I've seen books where they say that certain characters are a composite of several real people to make the story more interesting and concise. Plus, what a character experiences, feels and thinks are usually open for interpretation.
3 people like this
@eclecticsteve (253)
• United States
20 Mar 07
Thank you. Characters are where the drama takes place and that is where most of the stretching can take place - I guess there are times when the facts can be embellished, but only if they are undisputed.
@unusualsuspect (2601)
• United States
19 Mar 07
For something like 300, accuracy is irrelevant. It's a fantasy movie based on a comic book. We don't expect accuracy from either one. In a novel, it depends what you're trying to achieve. If you're going to talk about real places and name them, you have to be accurate. If you're dealing with character, you need to make that believable. Basically, it comes down to what works and what doesn't. I don't see how there can be any hard and fast rules.
@eclecticsteve (253)
• United States
20 Mar 07
Thank you. I agree that there are no hard and fast rules, and a lot of it is subjective based on the reader/viewer. What got me thinking about this was that inaccuracies bother me in some movies, but not in others. But in this case, what gets me is that so many people I talk to think that outside its Lord of the Ring attributes, that the facts are real. I guess I can't forgive its inaccuracies because so many people accept it as fact.
@ArsonCuff (3114)
• United States
19 Mar 07
Whoever taught your writing seminar sounds like a quack...accuracy is not on the list of importance when it comes to movie making...high concept originality along with marketability are what matters in that forum. As far as book writing it need only be accurate if it is claimed as non-fiction..otherwise the realm of fiction should be...fiction
1 person likes this
@eclecticsteve (253)
• United States
20 Mar 07
Actually, I think I've figured it out - and it applies to logic as well as accuracy. It is subject to the viewer. But the key is not to "lie." And for me, I guess this movie passed the threshold of acceptability.
@AnythngArt (3302)
• United States
19 Mar 07
I agree with the UsualSuspect on this one. Making a story true for the reader is not the same thing as making it historically accurate. However, if you set the story within a particular historical context, then you have to have a degree of accuracy or those who are familiar with the event will take issue with the story and basically lose interest. One of the things that seems to happen a lot is that people watch something that is fiction and believe it is true. For example, people watch a movie like "JFK" or "Malcolm X" and think that everything in the movie is based on historical accuracy, when it's not.
@eclecticsteve (253)
• United States
20 Mar 07
Bingo. This was my feelings when watching 300. I like the characters and I like the story, but I took issue with the accuracy of the events. What bothers me is that everybody I talk to believes it's all true aside from the monsters and ogres. I guess it depends on the reader's/viewer's knowledge of the events.
