Aspiring screenwriters often realize they need a script theme but don’t know how to express it…
In this article we will Uncovering the Mystery of Chaos About a screenplay topic and show you how to present it in your screenplay. We’ll use three different methods to accomplish this. But first…
What is a script theme?
Simply put, the theme of the script is dramatic question. This is writer’s point of view They wish to express a particular theme. Be it love, money, humanity or whatever.
For example, in when harry met sallythe theme is not only “love”, but also a dramatic question: Can men and women just be friends forever?
The author’s personal answer to this question forms the theme of the play. In this situation, men and women cannot be friends, which is demonstrated in the climax when Harry and Sally finally become a couple.
You may have heard that screenplay themes can be expressed in many different ways. Maybe through images, dialogue, background, etc.
So, here are The three most powerful methods Include script themes in your script.
Screenplay Theme Method #1: Express it through your character’s actions.
When learning how to convey the theme of a screenplay through characters, first understand that the three most important characters are the protagonist, the antagonist, and the stakes character.
Each character represents a side of the author’s argument and therefore the theme of the play.
• main character It represents the “unknown” side of the author’s argument, that is, the side that still needs to be determined.
• Opponents Represents the “bad” side of the argument.
• Bet roles (usually a love interest) represents the “good” side of the argument.
Throughout the film, the protagonist is present Which side to choose The topic argument he or she wishes to discuss.
Then, at the climax, either the villain or the characters with stakes prevail, winning the thematic argument.
Example of script theme: Fargo.
The theme is Fa Ge It can be expressed as an argument:
Does happiness require money?
If we applied the formula above, using each character as an expression of the script’s theme, it would break down like this:
•Jerry Is the protagonist.
• kidnappersKarl and Gayle are rivals.
• policewomanMaggie is the key character: the only character who already knows the answer to the thematic question.
Maggie’s simple outlook on life and peaceful and warm marriage represent the argument that “no, money does not necessarily mean happiness.” All the unnecessary carnage in the film supports her point.
In the end, Carl and Gale are either caught or killed, and the protagonist Jerry loses if he is also caught. This again supports the argument for the stakes role.
But overall, the protagonist is most important person in the script. This is because they are usually the ones who change the most through learning Theme class.
Script Theme Method #2: Express it through dialogue.
The second most powerful way to express a screenplay’s theme is through dialogue. This is usually done by having each of the three main characters (protagonist, antagonist, and stakes character).express one’s opinion About the topic.
However, it’s important not to go too far and let your characters talk about the subject matter, otherwise their dialogue will feel unnatural.
Let’s use Fa Ge Here’s an example again. After the climax, Maggie asks Gale if all the killing was worth it “for a little money.” The theme of “money is not necessarily happiness” is expressed at key moments throughout the film.
3. Script theme method #3: Express through objects.
Here’s a more advanced screenwriting tip on how to convey your screenplay’s theme: Give your protagonist an object they carry with them and/or agree. This should symbolize themselves and/or their struggles in the film.
Think of this object as a visual subject. It can be anything from a necklace to a burrito, and should be highlighted in the chosen scene as symbol of growthand the theme of the script derived from it.
For example, at the beginning of the comedy, lonely jimJim (Casey Affleck) comes to his parents’ house, depressed because he has run out of money. As they fussed around him, he tearfully asked for water.
Then, throughout the film, there are several key references to Jim and water, as he rejects local nurse Anika (Liv Tyler) while waiting to leave town.
[Spoiler alert!] In the final scene, after deciding to stay and break off the relationship with Anika, her son gives him a bottle of water. Then we see him drinking to his heart’s content for the first time.
in other words, Subject object For Jim in this film it is water, which represents his “life force” or “spiritual energy”. At the beginning of the film, his dehydration symbolizes his “emotional dehydration.” He was exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally.
But when he finally drinks the water, it’s an expression of the play’s theme that he’s “reborn” by finally making the right choices in life.
add a symbolic object into your protagonist’s world, like Jim’s water, or Ryan Bingham’s suitcase up in the air Add an extra layer to your script theme.
These thematic details are often added over multiple drafts as the script begins to really take shape.
Express the theme of the play: Conclusion.
When thinking about the theme of your screenplay, it’s easier to think of the theme as tug of war A disagreement between three opposing views on the same subject. And at the climax, the winner is the author’s own personal perspective.
This setting should give your script a clearer direction for your theme. It should make it easier to add additional thematic dialogue and objects to make your script stand out from the competition.
We recommend that you start thinking about your script’s topic as soon as you’ve written your concept and synopsis. It can save you a lot of work later. This is because once you know, you can only make your character behave in a certain way Why That’s what they do.
In other words, once you know how they feel about the subject of the script.
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What do you think of these three ways of expressing the themes of a play? How do you understand the true theme of your screenplay? Let us know in the comments section below.
Like this article? Read more about the topic and how to write a script…
Character Arc: Showing the Secret to a Hero’s Growth
How to Write a Screenplay: Secrets to Beyond the Ordinary
16 Essential Screenwriting Tips to Make Your Screenplay Stand Out
[© Photo credits: Unsplash]
