Theme as Moments

“It should not be surprising that what we most often and most vividly remember about a movie are its key moments. It should also not be surprising that moments are almost always imbued with a story’s themes, one of the reasons they are memorable.”

Theme = Meaning

That is the principle I teach in my screenwriting classes. Plot answers the question, What is the story about? Theme answers the question, What does the story mean?

But how to zero in on a story’s themes?

Sometimes we need to think about theme in a simple way, narrow the field of possibilities, clear away the clutter, and allow our story to convey to us its essential meanings.

In other words, we need moments.

What is a moment?

In terms of a movie or screenplay, moment has a precise meaning:

A specific point in time, the present time, that is of particular importance in the overall series of events in a story.

Let’s parse that out:

• A specific point in time: A moment can be constituted by a scene, but most often it is a sliver or slice, if you will, of a scene, a matter of mere seconds.
• The present time: Whereas an entire screenplay is written in the present tense, therefore creating a sense that what is happening is happening now, a moment represents an intensification of that experience. What is happening now is really happening now. Time seems to slow, even stand still for the characters — as well as the reader.
• That is of particular importance in the overall series of events in a story: Why does what is happening in a moment seem to be really happening now? Because what is happening is something significant, something influential, something that impacts character and plot.

It should not be surprising then that what we most often and most vividly remember about a movie is its key moments. It should also not be surprising that moments are almost always imbued with a story’s themes, one of the reasons they are memorable.

Let us consider three movie moments covering a range of genres and moods to see how those moments convey a sharp, clear articulation of the story’s themes.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

In this classic opening scene, we meet Indiana Jones as he enters an ancient temple in a quest to recover a precious golden idol, leading to a pivotal moment in the story:

The moment to focus on is when the polished stone drops “five inches,” the “aural chain reaction” and the “huge mysterious mechanism rumbles into action.” For this not only precipitates a series of eye-popping events and one of the most memorable action sequences to start a movie, it also conveys a key theme: Indiana Jones is smart, quick, and brave, but he also gets himself into trouble. We see this over and over with his character, and screenwriter Larry Kasdan sets that theme into motion from the very beginning of the first movie in the Indiana Jones franchise.

Takeaway: If you are having trouble zeroing in on the most fundamental themes in your story, look at the way you introduce your Protagonist. What is going on in the scene, scenes or sequence? What does the action say about the Protagonist? If you have put together a well-crafted opening involving your Protagonist, that should set into motion not only the Plotline, but also at least some of the story’s key themes.

Rear Window

Who can forget the moment in this classic Hitchcock film (screenplay by John Michael Hayes) where Jeff [through his apartment’s window ] watches Lisa snooping around in Thorwald’s apartment, only to see Thorwald return and enter through the front door:

One of the key themes of Rear Window is the helplessness Jeff feels cooped up in his apartment with a broken leg, and nowhere is that feeling more palpable than at this precise moment.

Takeaway: If you are having trouble zeroing in on the most fundamental themes in your story, consider the most dramatic or emotionally laden moment in your story. What are the emotions in play there? How are the emotions tied to the Protagonist and other characters? What your characters are feeling in a moment of heightened drama should point you in the direction of key story themes.

Casablanca

It is one of the most memorable moments in cinematic history: This exchange in the climactic airport scene.

Note: This dialogue appears in no version of the script I can find.

This represents the moment where Rick finally commits to getting off the sidelines of life and in so doing rejects his cynicism, reconnects with his idealism, and rejoins the battle for good against injustice. Laszlo says as much later in the scene:

In subsuming his want [to be with Ilse] to his need [to reclaim his humanity], this moment serves as a window into Rick’s soul and a magnifying glass on the story’s central theme.

Takeaway: If you are having trouble zeroing in on the most fundamental themes in your story, go to the Final Struggle, specifically the moment where everything hangs in the balance. How does it resolve? What is the Protagonist psychological connection to that resolution? If your story is clearly articulated, the moment should not only work as an effective Plotline point, it should also be a direct conduit into some core thematic material. If the theme is not clear in the moment, perhaps it is a sign you have some more work to do on your characters and plotting.

Summary

A tried and true way to surface a story’s themes is to pick out key moments in time and explore what is going on in them — psychologically and emotionally.