Don't break the 4th wall, just make it disappear

Summary

This video explores the concept of breaking the fourth wall, originating from a literal separation between actors and audience, and evolving into modern storytelling techniques. It discusses how art evokes emotions, either through empathy or direct experience, using examples from various media, including Naruto and the series 'Furin.' The video highlights how subtle storytelling techniques can dissolve the fourth wall, enhancing emotional connection and investment in characters, ultimately enhancing the viewer's experience.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Breaking the fourth wall refers to addressing the audience directly or showing meta self-awareness.
• 📜 The term 'fourth wall' originates from French philosopher Denis Diderot, describing the invisible wall between actors and audience.
• 🎭 Modern definitions of the fourth wall include any degree of separation between the audience and the art.
• 🤝 Emotion in storytelling comes from empathy and connecting with a character's world, often experiencing emotions alongside them.
• 📺 Examples include scenes in 'Naruto Shippuden' where the audience experiences emotions along with the characters.
• 🎮 Video games and virtual reality also remove the separation between the audience and the story.
• 📚 Stories use mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors to reflect back on life, see new perspectives, or deeply engross the audience.
• 🧠 Human responses to art are influenced by cultural norms and biological instincts, affecting our emotional reactions.
• 🎵 Music and visual art evoke emotions through cultural familiarity and instinctual responses.
• 📈 The psychology of art shows that humans have inherent biases, like a preference for the left cheek in faces or comfort in lighter landscapes.
• 😨 Horror movies and high-stakes storytelling can evoke real fear and relief, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
• 🧙‍♂️ In the series 'Frieren,' the subtle breaking of the fourth wall enhances the connection and emotional experience with the story.
• 🧠 Art evokes emotion through both embodied feelings and cognitive empathy, often intertwining these experiences.
• 🌟 Long-running series like 'One Piece' and 'Naruto' build deep emotional connections over time, allowing frequent emotional peaks.
• 📚 'Frieren' uses subtle fourth wall techniques to create a shared experience between the audience and the characters.
• 🧑‍🏫 'Frieren' employs the educational concept of the zone of proximal development to show character growth and development.
• 👩‍🏫 Effective teaching in 'Frieren' involves pushing characters slightly beyond their limits to foster growth.
• 🏆 The series 'Frieren' is praised for its animation, writing, characters, world-building, and subtle storytelling techniques.

Q & A

What does the term 'fourth wall' originally refer to?

The term 'fourth wall' originally refers to the invisible wall between the actors and the audience in a theater, as attributed to French philosopher Denis Diderot.

How does the video argue a modern definition of the fourth wall?

The video argues that the modern definition of the fourth wall represents any degree of separation between the audience and art, extending beyond direct address or meta self-awareness to include other ways of removing the barrier.

What example from 'Naruto Shippuden' is used to illustrate experiencing emotion alongside a character?

The example used is the scene where Shikamaru is mourning the loss of a close one, where the audience doesn't just empathize with him but experiences the emotion alongside him.

How are mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors used as metaphors in storytelling?

Mirrors allow people to reflect on their own life, windows offer a view into someone else's perspective, and sliding glass doors let the audience step into the story and experience emotions alongside the characters.

What is the core purpose of art according to the video?

The core purpose of art, according to the video, is to evoke emotion.

How does the video describe the two ways people feel emotion in art?

The video describes the two ways people feel emotion in art as 'embodied feeling,' which comes from instinctual and bodily responses, and 'cerebral feeling,' which comes from empathizing and putting oneself in a character's shoes.

What are the 'five elements of storytelling' mentioned in the video?

The five elements of storytelling are characters, conflict, plot, setting, and theme.

How does the video describe the character of Fain from the series discussed?

Fain is described as a long-living elf mage who functions as a safety net in the story, making it feel like a slice of life with rarely any substantial real risk.

What educational concept does the video relate to Fain's teaching methods?

The video relates Fain's teaching methods to the 'zone of proximal development,' where growth occurs just outside one's comfort zone but not so far as to cause panic or giving up.

Why does the video argue that making the fourth wall disappear enhances storytelling?

The video argues that making the fourth wall disappear enhances storytelling by allowing the audience to experience emotions and events alongside the characters, creating a deeper connection and investment in the story.