How cinema changes social reality: The social impact entertainment

Introduction.The article deals with the analysis of media concepts that describe, justify and reinforce the social infl uence of the fi lm content. Cinema can change not only social psychology, but directly determine social action, just as advertising determines consumer behavior. Theoretical analysis. The author examines the theoretical and practical origins of the concept of “social impact entertainment”, starting with the theoretical generalizations of M. Sabido and his experience in introducing the concept of “Entertainment-Education” into the production of commercial melodramatic series. The author pays special attention to the rethinking of the Sabido methodology by the American non-profi t organization Population Media Center and its modernization. She establishes a range of social problems for which the PMC methodology is eff ective: prevention and treatment of socially signifi cant diseases, birth control, treatment of addictions, reduction of discriminatory behavior. The structure of the research cycle accompanying the development and distribution of media content produced according to the “social impact entertainment” model leads to a synergy of eff orts of higher education, academic researchers, fi lm business, experts and masters of the fi lm industry. Conclusions. The author comes to the conclusion that in the conditions of hybrid media consumption, the “social impact entertainment” model goes beyond the boundaries of cinema and is applied to the development and promotion of content of all mass digital media of an entertainment nature. Documentaries, video content, computer games, streams, TV shows use direct motivation of recipients to be included in specifi c types of social actions. The integration of ad mechanics into the storytelling narrative of digital content solves a wide range of problems related to social engagement, from adaptation in social movement communities to overcoming fears of novelty.