Everyone does it, just watch a funny cat video app in between companies in which a cat falls from a cupboard or demonstratively pushes glasses off the table. On October 4 (Animal Day) these videos will move from your phone screen to the cinema screen, because all over the country the Cat Video Fest 2019 will be external linkorganized. We asked media scientists Dr. Tom Slootweg external link, connoisseur of amateur film and home videos, and drs. Franca Jonquiere external link, connoisseur of animals in film: Why do these films get this kind of attention?
Human traits
Jonquiere: “People like to watch funny, short films at all; they require little investment and quickly give satisfaction in the form of a funny punch line. Animal videos are an extra favorite; partly because we like to attach human traits to animals and their behavior. This gives us a sense of recognition and identification, where we can safely laugh at their misbehavior. But also partly because animals have no shame, so you hardly need to feel guilty if an animal does something stupid and you have to laugh about it. ”
Natural movie star
Why cats are so popular, and to a lesser extent dogs, and not hamsters or rabbits, for example, is due to their attitude, according to Jonquiere: “cats have an attitude of: what does the world care about? Then it is extra funny when they do something that fits perfectly with that attitude, or when that goes terribly wrong. Dogs are much more obliging, and always busy pleasing their owners. This submissive attitude is completely foreign to cats, which makes them fit better in the role of movie star. ”
Our fascination for animals and wanting to view and observe animals has always been there
Edison’s cat video
The cat plays a role from an early age in film history. Jonquiere: “For as long as moving images have existed, animals have played a central role in recordings. Cats have always been part of it, for example, there was a kind of ‘cat movie’ by Edison in 1894, but there is no special subgenre about cats in film history. Our fascination for animals and wanting to view and observe animals has always been there ”.
Amateur movies
“Online cat videos, as a separate genre, can certainly be seen as a recent appearance in the history of amateur film and home videos,” says Slootweg. “In any case, there is a wide variety of forms of amateur film. In essence, they are all about capturing everyday life. In addition to filming the family, home and holidays, pets are also part of this. In particular, recording the laughable behavior of these animals, including often cats. ” This type of media has really taken off in recent decades, according to Slootweg: “Whereas previously artists and filmmakers in particular explored the limits and possibilities of film or video in everyday life, the smartphone has had a democratizing effect. Everyone now has a camera in their pocket, to capture everyday life at any time. Including the sometimes hilarious behavior of your house cat. ”
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The smartphone has had a democratizing effect. Everyone now has a camera in their pocket, to record everyday life at any time. Including the sometimes hilarious behavior of your house cat.
The cat as a reflection of ourselves
This digitization of our environment also explains another aspect of the cat film according to Slootweg: “What is so special about the popularity of cat videos in the digital age is the role they play in our everyday tactics to occasionally seek distraction. in a busy world driven by technology and surveillance. The idiosyncratic nature of cats, and the fact that they often don’t realize that they are being observed, makes them appear authentic and headstrong in a world where we are constantly looking for these qualities ourselves. ”
Cats and the sense of community
In any case, it is special that with the Cat Video Fest this fascination is moving from the pocket to the cinema. Jonquiere: “Sharing a common interest or passion can be very pleasant and give a sense of community, also think of watching a football match with a group of fans or watching the latest episode of Game Of Thrones together . That also applies here. ” Slootweg adds: “Film scientist Julian Hanich calls this the audience effect, where emotions are experienced even more strongly through collective viewing, but can also be contagious. When you watch cat videos on Instagram or YouTube, you can of course also share your experiences, but in the end sitting together, in a cinema room, is more tangible as a shared experience where other people’s excitement and entertainment also spills over to you. ”