* It's a fictionalized account: The movie is based on the true story of the Titanic, but it incorporates dramatic license and fictional characters. While it attempts to be historically accurate, it's not a direct record of events.
* It relies on primary sources: The filmmakers used primary sources like letters, diaries, and accounts from survivors to inform the story. However, they ultimately distilled and interpreted this information for the screen.
* It's created after the event: The Titanic sank in 1912, and the movie was made in 1997, meaning it was created long after the event.
Primary sources are direct, firsthand accounts of an event. Examples from the Titanic include:
* Survivors' testimonies: Interviews, letters, and diaries written by survivors.
* Ship's logs and records: Official documentation from the Titanic.
* Photographs and artifacts: Objects recovered from the wreck site.
Secondary sources are interpretations or analyses of primary sources. The Titanic movie, while drawing on primary sources, is ultimately a secondary source because it's a creative work that interprets and re-imagines the events.