What's Your Theme?

You Gotta Have Heart

Woo hoo, 2 weeks in a row and back with another tiny blog!
This week on Instagram, fellow scriptwriting coach Heidi Lauren Duke and I talk about the importance of a script having a theme. Take a look at our Instagram Reels  if you want to see me rock a Hawaiian shirt and hear Heidi Lauren's wise words.   
Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

First, let’s define what I mean by “theme”. The plot of your movie or TV pilot is what happens, but the theme is what the story is really about. And yes, pilots can have themes too. They are likely a little less obvious or definitive than a feature, but the seeds are there to keep growing as the series goes on.

Take “How to Train Your Dragon,” for instance. IMDB describes it as, “A hapless young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons becomes the unlikely friend of a young dragon himself, and learns there may be more to the creatures than he assumed.” While not exactly the most masterfully written logline, it fairly accurately sums up the events that take place in the movie.
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So why did that movie resonate with a huge worldwide audience? How relatable is hunting dragons or struggling as a hapless young Viking for that matter? What am I supposed to learn from that?

The secret is that the theme is stop trying to be something you’re not because you’re pretty incredible the way you are. Now that’s something we can all relate to, right? Thinking we’re not good enough, smart enough, tall enough, etc. and we can all use a reminder that it’s okay not to be like everyone else.

That’s what the heart of the movie is, and why it’s so important. If you’re writing a period piece, make it clear what a contemporary audience is going to take away from it. If I wanted a history lesson, I’d watch the History Channel. A fine channel, no offense meant, but when I watched “The Boys in the Boat,” I wasn’t looking for a lesson in how to boat, or a rundown of the 1936 Berlin Olympics. That’s what newsreels are for. The heart of the story wasn’t about rowing or even how to win a race, it’s about teamwork and trust, even when you come from different backgrounds. Those are the ideals that make you cheer them on and maybe even shed a tear or too.

Before you type “Fade In”, be sure you know what your story is about, so every single sentence, every scene, works in concert to quietly, secretly, drive your message home.
Comment and let me know if there’s a topic you’d like Heidi Lauren and me to discuss!