History Main / BasedOnATrueStory

** {{Mockumentary}}: A fiction or parody that takes the form of a genuine {{documentary}}, but unlike a DocumentaryOfLies is not inteded to be taken at face-value.

* InspiredBy and SuggestedBy: Alternatives to the phrase "Based On A True Story" (or "Based On The Novel", or "Based On The Legend", or...) that imply the [[VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory Very Loosely]].

* InspiredBy and SuggestedBy: Alternatives to the phrase "BasedOnATrueStory" (or "Based On The Novel", or "Based On The Legend", or...) that imply the [[VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory Very Loosely]].

** BiographyAClef: The inversion, where instead of fiction serving as a "key" to real-life events, the real-life of artists is presented with a key via their interactions with the inspirations for their fictional creations.

** {{Mockumentary}}: A fiction or parody that takes the form of a genuine {{documentary}}, but unlike a DocumentaryOfLies is not inteded to be taken at face-value.

* RomanAClef:
** A true story, just [[Franchise/{{Dragnet}} with the names changed, to protect the innocent]]. Perhaps you will call the hero "Daniel Light" and write dialogue for the bits which weren't televised, but he'll still just find the Declaration and sell it.

** Compare DocumentaryOfLies, which purports to be {{Nonfiction}}, but is [[VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory Very Loose]] or BlatantLies.

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<<|TruthAndLies|>>

* RomanAClef: A true story, just [[Franchise/{{Dragnet}} with the names changed, to protect the innocent]]. Perhaps you will call the hero "Daniel Light" and write dialogue for the bits which weren't televised, but he'll still just find the Declaration and sell it.

<<|TruthAndLies|>>

* {{Documentary}} (and {{Nonfiction}} in general): "A true story", no "based on" -- something like the Snopes.com page above, only told with interviews, StockFootage, and narration. Elements can still possibly be exaggerated via ManipulativeEditing or use re-enactments to visualize him finding the painting.

* RomanAClef: A true story, just [[{{Dragnet}} with the names changed, to protect the innocent]]. Perhaps you will call the hero "Daniel Light" and write dialogue for the bits which weren't televised, but he'll still just find the Declaration and sell it.

A StockPhrase in fictional works of all kinds. Popular, partly because you can get away with more outrageous elements if you say "ButItReallyHappened", and partly because some works [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin happen to be based on true stories]].

* ButItReallyHappened: The use of "BasedOnATrueStory" as an excuse to dwell on prurient, morbid, or otherwise nasty aspects of the tale.

As an illustrative example, we will use the story of [[http://www.snopes.com/luck/declare.asp Donald Sheer finding an original copy of the Declaration of Independence at a flea market painting and auctioning it for US$2.42 million]].

As an illustrative example, we will use the story of [[http://www.snopes.com/luck/declare.asp Michael Sparks finding an original copy of the Declaration of Independence in a thrift-store painting and auctioning it for US$2.42 million]].

* RecountedByTheMainCharacters: Where the creator pretends that a work of fiction is a "true story" or a {{Dramatisation}}

* LiteraryAgentHypothesis: When fans theories that a work is based on actual events, which are published as fiction.

* LiteraryAgentHypothesis: Treating a work of fiction as a dramatization of the "true story" while acknowledging the "true story" is itself fictional.

* {{Documentary}} (and {{Nonfiction}} in general): "A true story", no "based on" -- something like the Snopes.com page above, only told with interviews, StockFootage, and narration. Elements can still possibly be exaggerated via ManipulativeEditing or use re-enactments to visualize him finding

* {{Dramatization}}: Changes are made, but largely for the [[PragmaticAdaptation sake of telling the proper story]] instead of adding drama / conflict to the proceedings. Such changes might make the painting be bought at a yard sale or three seperate appraisers are [[CompositeCharacter merged into one]] specialist to avoid redundancy. The actual term {{Dramatization}} can refer to any of the other types, depending on how it is used.

* {{Dramatization}}: Changes are made, but largely for the [[PragmaticAdaptation sake of telling the proper story]] instead of adding drama / conflict to the proceedings. Such changes might make the painting be bought at a yard sale or three seperate appraisers are [[CompositeCharacter merged into one]] specialist to avoid redundancy.

* {{Documentary}} (and {{Nonfiction}} in general): "A true story", no "based on" -- something like the Snopes.com page above, only told with interviews, StockFootage, and narration.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: The idea came from the story, and you can tell it did if you look at the original story, but characters and events are invented, conflated, distorted, etc. etc. etc. For example, the painting may be bought at a yard sale, and a plot added of the previous owner suing Daniel for a share of the auction money.
** Note that any of the above can be or include {{Dramatization}}, even though said term has Very Loose Basis connotations.