"Based on a True Story" is one of the most frequent title cards to appear in a film trailer, as true stories are often the inspiration for dramatic Hollywood storytelling. The psychology behind it is simple: Audience members prefer something that could be true to a plot that they've seen before, and the idea that a film is in some way based on or inspired by a real event adds a dramatic weight to what normally would be fictionalized. Though the terms "inspired by" or "based on" a true story are used loosely, there are ways in which screenwriters and directors can use real events to create a great film.
Most importantly, a film should adapt the real events and show them in a way that is inherently cinematic. Some of the best biographical films, like Braveheart or A Beautiful Mind, are very loosely based on a true story and change much of what actually happened. Though historians may disapprove, making a film based on a true story is similar to adapting a novel or comic book; elements of the story will have to be changed in order to make the film more dramatic, or make it flow better as a three-act structure.
A historically-based film is not a documentary, and narrative should sometimes come before accuracy. Some of the strongest "true story" films, such as Moneyball or Invictus, are quite inaccurate when it comes to the facts, but master filmmakers Bennet Miller and Clint Eastwood make exciting films by using what actually happened as loose outlines for great stories.
While the actions of historical figures are instrumental to the story, they should also be worth investing in as characters. 2013's Captain Phillips and 12 Years a Slave are great examples of these, as the films both capture the essence of the historical event and give us relatable leading characters in Mark Phillips and Solomon Northup.
Even in situations when the protagonist isn't necessarily relatable, filmmakers can transform them into more bizarre or exciting versions of their actual personas, such as Jessie Eisenberg's portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network or Leonardo DiCaprio's role as Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street. Audiences should be able to root for, or against, a character in a true story film in the same way they would in a purely fictitious story.
Additionally, true story films should very much fit into their respective time periods. While some films capture the period through the simplest of details, such as Steven Spielberg's intricate recounting of Abraham Lincoln's final days in Lincoln or the holocaust in Schindler's List, others capture the cultural elements of when the film takes place, such as the racial conflicts in Selma or the post-9/11 sentiments of American Sniper.
Great historical films do best in embracing the time in which they are set, and the effect of that era's culture on the events of the film's story. Gladiator might not be the most historically accurate portrayal of its events, but it does a great job at capturing the spirit of Roman culture and the effect of Maximus' (Russel Crowe) actions within the empire.
True stories are and endless inspiration for on-screen adventures and will always provide windows into the past that can be explored in the medium of film. This year's upcoming true story films, which include Bridge of Spies, Steve Jobs, Truth, Trumbo and Joy will do best by telling their naturally cinematic stories, getting audience investment and capturing their era. Realism is an element of film that Hollywood sorely requires, and it can easily be found within the a real-life event.
