  Drama
This week: Theme in Movies Edited by: Joy  
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"A film is - or should be - more like music than like fiction. It should be a progression of moods and feelings. The theme, what's behind the emotion, the meaning, all that comes later."
Stanley Kubrick
"It's not what a movie is about, it's how it is about it."
Roger Ebert
"It's interesting that these themes of crime and political corruption are always relevant."
Martin Scorsese
"It is an example of what films can do, how they can slip past your defenses and really break your heart."
― David Gilmour
Hello, I am Joy , this week's drama editor. This issue is about the theme in movie-making.
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Welcome to the Drama newsletter
Theme in movies or in fiction is the affirmation of the human condition. It is not the plot itself, but the meaning behind it. We can’t even call it the moral of a story since the theme doesn’t have to be moral at all. For example, one movie’s theme may be the truth is always the best while another just as successful movie’s theme may be the truth isn’t always the best.
Theme is not the conflict either; although some writing teachers show it as such, especially in the man against himself, man against nature, man against society etc. list, which in its essence alludes to the conflict and not to the theme.
Yet, the theme may make itself evident through all those things: the conflict, the plot, and the moral. Theme is something the viewers take away without noticing, even if they are annoyed by something or other in the movie. For example a movie may show the brotherhood and cooperation among the members of the mob, even though the viewer may feel uncomfortable watching crime in action.
What a theme deals has to be true in terms of what is included inside the story and possibly not in the real world. A theme also tends to be universal and serious even if the story is a comedy.
Although not every book or film will have a theme or may have an ill-formed theme, knowing the theme ahead of time before starting to make the movie or writing the book would help the success of it.
In a good screenplay, theme is the most important element as it is the intention and the message of its writer. It is not important if the theme is love is better than anything or if it is love hurts, as long as it unifies the plot, subplots, conflict, characters, and dialogue. In the Chariots of Fire, although both runners are competing against each other and with their different religious beliefs in mind, the theme of the movie is not about competition but about the human being validating his worth.
Themes can be old ones, reworked old ones, or brand new ones, and they can be shown boldly or stated subtly. In a movie with a good strong theme, the rule of the thumb is:
 The protagonist is the one best able to prove the theme.
The antagonist is the one best able to work against the theme, therefore strengthening it.
The subplots and characters are the elements that best align or work against the theme.
The dialogue helps the theme when the characters hold their ground along the roles the theme grants them.
In addition, a character’s insight at the end of the story can also point to the theme.
Many moviemaking tricks can help to show the theme as well. For example, if the theme is to be communicated visually, the lighting around the character more positive to the theme could be brighter; however, since we are writers, at this point, it is a good idea to leave such tricks to the producers and directors.
Until next time! 
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 This Issue's Tip: When the focal point of the theme of a script is connected to the main character's foremost desire, that movie will become a success.
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Feedback for "Action and Narration to Reveal Character"
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Shannon 
Aw, thank you so much for featuring my short story "Wanted" [18+] in this week's newsletter, Joy! I am honored. Thank you. 
You're welcome. It was a reading pleasure.
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Drama: December 09, 2015 Issue [#7345]
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