I just read this article by Scott Meyers, who lays out a good lesson about what story theme means. To put it succinctly, what's the message of your screenplay? For example, in *The Wizard of Oz* movie, a bored, Midwestern teenage girl named Dorothy goes on an incredible journey only to realize "there's no place like home." Or to take it a step further:
*There's the family you're born into, and the family you choose. The Wizard of Oz puts both of them front and center. Dorothy has the flesh-and-blood family she's trying to get back to, and while they may be a little stone-faced, they certainly do care about Dorothy. They're definitely worth fighting to get home to, and their memory keeps her going even when the freaky nightmares start closing in.*
~Schmoop
This got me to thinking, how much do I consider themes when writing? The answer is hardly at all. And, if I think about most of my works, themes always seem to emerge without too much deliberation. Honesty, I typically don't set out writing a script with an exact theme in mind. An example of how my themes emerge is my screenplay called *The Immortal Jack the Ripper*, a story I envisioned as a big budget reimagining of the Ripper story, a la Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes. Before writing this project, I wrote an outline summary and this logline:
*A New York detective investigates a series of prostitute murders in the Five Points, loses his suspect and finds him again twenty years later in London, having not aged a day.*
But after completing the second draft of this screenplay, this far more thematic logline emerged:
*A rich young physician accidentally enters a pact with a voodoo God, who demands payment in blood in exchange for immortality, which transforms the doctor from unwilling participant to unrepentant monster.*
As you can see, there was really no definitive theme in the original logline. But the second one offers a solid thematic statement about the transformation of the main character.
So my question for forum dwellers is how do you approach theme. Do you think of it in advance of writing your screenplay or not? What's your method?
Here is the link to the Scott Meyer article about theme.
https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/what-is-theme-d2cb4c929c91 lcklst.com/what-is-theme-d2cb4c929c91
Uncle Phil - my answer to your question is both yes and no. I don't always have a specific theme in mind when I begin a story but it's pretty well evolved by the time I'm rewriting and polishing. The theme of the short I'm taking to production soon is 'Young men are naturally naive to the ways of women.' I'm starting a new short soon (Forever!) that embodies a theme of 'Be careful what you wish for.' Themes are usually not specifically stated in the script but hover around in the audience subconscious. Basically it's an audience magnet.
Fiona: Some of the things you mentioned seem more like obstacles and challenges for your characters. For example, in my script, the aforementioned The Immortal Jack the Ripper has a tally of murder he has to complete in a fortnight to achieve immortality. And, he has to do that every twenty years. However, the overall theme is not the charactersm obstacles or goals. It's his transformation the main character makes.
In one of your recent screenplays, your main character Duggan goes on a journey across the highway and finds another family to care for and also another female companion. He learns to value Celia more than Pam, who he's infatuated with in the beginning of your story. He has a series of challenges along the way, such as helping his mates find food. But your story ends with the central theme of Duggan grasping who his real friends are. And, that instead of Pam, perhaps his real love was always right in front of him, and that she helps him when the chips are down, eh? From my perspective, the central theme of FS is the nature of true love and friendship. And everything else in the story are the challenges, obstacles and lessons that Duggan learns along the way.
Really great question Phil. Theme for me is the driving force. If I don't feel the driving force, then I actually physically can't write a single word! As I've gotten into writing, I now focus on imagery A LOT to develop the theme. I agree the theme should not be stated, but rather experienced by an audience
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S.J.: Thanks for your feedback and I admire writers good with imagery.
Owen:
Yeah!!
I'll echo the previous comments about the importance of theme. I view it as the over-arching umbrella that guides and protects the story's parts and pieces.
I changed my theme 2-3 times in fleshing out my notes on my current project. The early attempts seemed either shallow or missing something. What was the essence of the message and story I wanted to tell? When I answered that question, the theme came forward. Good question Phil.
Every/most story I develop is ignited by some thematic spark but that theme is kinda squishy. It tends to drift and morph as the tale evolves but usually remains anchored to the initial. I view movies (shorts or FL) first as a source of entertainment - my obligation as a screenwriter.. They are not my bully pulpit from which to preach or teach.