THEME

HOW TO IDENTIFY THEME


WRITE DOWN THREE MOTIONS PICTURES THAT HAVE BEEN MEANINGFUL TO YOU.

A WAY TO THINK ABOUT THEME.

A THEME IS SOMETHING ACTIVE AND HAS A SENSE OF PROGRESSION

IT’S WHAT WE LEARN FROM THE FILM OF HOW LIFE WORKS.

FILM – MODEL OF LIFE: (UNIVERSE) THEMES AND TRUTHS WILL EMERGE.

A SPECIFIC THING THAT LEADS TO A CERTAIN OUTCOME.

WE’RE LOOKING FOR THEME IN ACTION. WHAT LEADS TO WHAT.

MOST COMMON

CRIME LEADS TO PUNISHMENT
LOVE LEADS TO HAPPINESS.
FEAR LEADS TO FAILURE
HUBRIS (PRIDE) LEADS TO FALL

TAKE A QUALITY AND SEE WHERE IT LEADS.

THEME IS RELATED TO THE END OF THE MOVIE. HOW IT TURNS OUT AFFECTS THE THEME.
_____________ LEADS TO ____________________

HUMAN QUALITY OUTCOME
CHARACTERISTIC STATE OF AFFAIRES
BEHAVIOR CONSEQUENCES
METHOD ENDING


THESE ARE LESSONS WE CAN APPLY TO THE WORLD.

FILMMAKERS HAVE TAKEN SPECIFIC DRAMATIC STORIES AND OUT OF THE THEMES FLOWS UNIVERSAL TRUTHS OF LIFE.

OUT OF THE SPECIFICS COME UNIVERSAL TRUTHS.

THEMATIC CONSISTENCY—WHEN MORE THAN ONE CHARACTER LEADS TO THE SAME OUTCOME

EXAMPLES:

WIZARD OF OZ: ADVENTURE LEADS TO APPRECIATION OF HOME

PRIVATE RYAN: WAR LEADS TO A WASTE OF LIFE

GODFATHER: EXCESSIVE TRIBAL LOYALTY LEADS TO DESTRUCTION

TAKE YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE AND SEE WHAT THEMES EMERGE.

THEN DO IT WITH YOUR SCRIPT.


ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THEME:

_____________ VS. _____________________________



LOOK AT WHO WINS.

VERY OFTEN IF THERE IS ONE STRONG CHARACTER VS. ANOTHER.

STAR WARS: GOOD VS. EVIL
ROCKY: HEART AND DETERMINATION VS. SKILL