A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director’s TED Talk

Andrew Stanton is one of the key members of Pixar’s ‘braintrust’ whose screenwriting credits include Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, Wall-E and Finding Dory which he also directed [along with A Bug’s Life, Finding Nemo and Wall-E].

Back in March 2012, Stanton delivered a TED Talk: “The Clues to a Great Story.” Given his Pixar connection and the deep insights Stanton provided in his talk, I produced a transcription of the entire 19-minute presentation along with analysis of his comments.

Today: Part 8.

Before I decided to make storytelling my career, I can now see key things that happened in my youth that opened my eyes to certain things about story.

In 1986 I truly understood the notion of story having a theme. That was the year they restored and re-released Lawrence of Arabia. I saw that thing seven times in one month. I couldn’t get enough of it. I could just tell there was a grand design under it — in every shot, every scene, ever line. Yet on the surface, it just seemed to be depicting his historical lineage of what went on. Yet there was something more being said, what exactly was it. It wasn’t until one of my later viewings when the veil was lifted. It was in a scene where he walked across the Sinai desert and he’s reached the Suez Canal, and I suddenly got it.

[Scene from Lawrence of Arabia where a driver from across the Suez Canal calls out to Lawrence twice: “Who are you?”]

That was the theme: “Who are you?” Here were all these seemingly disparate events and dialogue that were just chronologically telling the history of him, but underneath it was a constant, a guideline, a road map. Everything Lawrence did in that movie was an attempt to figure out his place in the world.

A strong theme is always running through a well-told story.

A few things:

• “I saw that thing seven times in one month”: You want to be a successful screenwriter? That is the kind of passion you need for the craft, to see a movie seven times in thirty days.
• “That was the theme: ‘Who are you?’”: Literally dozens of memorable scenes in Lawrence of Arabia and I don’t even remember this one. Yet Stanton is right: There’s the central question of the movie, tied to the Protagonist’s issue of self-identity, torn between two worlds. Two points here: (1) Keep your eyes peeled because you never know where you might find something of enormous meaning and potential value to you as a storyteller. (2) I think it’s fair to say that most movies have as a key dynamic the question of a major character’s identity, their attempt to discover who they are.

“A strong theme is always running through a well-told story.”

Absolutely. But then again… what does he mean by theme? What does anybody mean when they use that word? In my years of learning, practicing, and teaching this craft, I have found that theme is perhaps the single most confused and confusing aspect of what we do.

Here’s my take: Theme = Meaning.

Plot answers the question: What is the story about?

Theme answers the question: What does the story mean?

How do you determine that? Here’s a tip: Ask yourself, “What does the journey the Protagonist takes mean to them?”

Another way of asking that: “Why does THIS story HAVE to happen to THIS Protagonist at THIS time?”

As Joseph Campbell said: “The journey the hero takes is the journey they need to take.”

Spend time with those thoughts in relation to your Protagonist …

That’s where you’ll find the meaning of the story … and its central theme.

For Part 1 of Stanton’s TED Talk, go here.

For Part 2, go here.

For Part 3, go here.

For Part 4, go here.

For Part 5, go here.

For Part 6, go here.

For Part 7, go here.

Tomorrow: Part 8.