Film Case

Film (and photography in general) presents a single image -- no binocular info to render the body in 3-D. And early film and photography required such intense lighting, it tended to wash out shadows. The result -- a flat image which made the person look larger. This is the source of the old adage "the camera adds ten pounds." Thus, to compensate, actors and (especially) actresses would try to be under-weight.

The second cause is a sort of run-away evolution. (This is actually a naturally observed phenomenon in many animal species.) If being ten pounds underweight is good, then being 11 pounds under must be better, and being 13 under better still.

And of course, these underweight people are then presented to us, over and over again through TV, larger than life in the movies. It's only natural that many of us want to emulate them.

Film (and photography in general) presents a single image -- no binocular info to render the body in 3-D. And early film and photography required such intense lighting, it tended to wash out shadows. The result -- a flat image which made the person look larger. This is the source of the old adage "the camera adds ten pounds." Thus, to compensate, actors and (especially) actresses would try to be under-weight.

The second cause is a sort of run-away evolution. (This is actually a naturally observed phenomenon in many animal species.) If being ten pounds underweight is good, then being 11 pounds under must be better, and being 13 under better still.

And of course, these underweight people are then presented to us, over and over again through TV, larger than life in the movies. It's only natural that many of us want to emulate them.