What Is Theme? - Michael J. Epstein
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- čas přidán 2. 10. 2022
- Michael J. Epstein is a filmmaker, writer, musician, and scientist. With his production company, Launch Over, he has made theme-driven genre shorts and features that have played more than 75 film festivals and have been distributed worldwide. Prior to his film career, Michael toured and recorded with indie bands The Motion Sick, The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library, Neutral Uke Hotel, and Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling. He has also published more than 40 book chapters, papers, and abstracts in the auditory and psychological sciences and has written books on crowdfunding and the logical structures of science, mathematics, and statistics.
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Here is our full interview with Michael - czcams.com/video/AGXF9gco6fg/video.html
I agree- for a writer there’s no point unless you are exploring the themes you are passionate about, culture, addiction, loss, love, relationships, human selfishness, sin, power, greed, environmental issues- wrap them into a genre you get off on, with your own unique story world, add a-lot of R&R and hey presto it’s worth writing. It’s your legacy. What’s the point otherwise. 😊
Your legacy is every life (person) you've touched.
the way i understand theme relates to subtext. subtext is the information that is conveyed in a conversation, that no one literally says, but the listener can understand. theme is the idea(s) conveyed over the course of the film, book, or whichever, that no one literally explains, but that the viewer can understand.
Nicely put.
His attitude is the one I've taken up in the past couple years: "if I have nothing to say, then why bother?" A great concept is a wonderful thing to have, but it still becomes laborious if there is no avenue that I want to explore and express.
I just finished a short script on the idea of death and moving on.
Entered it in a few contests and hoping it does well, but either way I’m proud of how it turned out
Great that you take pride in your work. I wish you much success.
Definitely keep us posted
@@carrieorsel1340 thank you!
Congrats on completing the script! Keep creating!
@@filmcourage thank you!
it was refreshing hearing a writer essentially say 'it's not all about character'. i understand the importance of character but i do not believe having a solid interesting character is what actually makes a story stand the test of time. there are a ton of forgettable indie films that are solely based on character that do not capture the imagination of the masses. to me, it's what that story is saying, what message is it conveying and how is it using the characters and events to convey that message.
think of the most impactful and purposeful stories from ancient civilizations (mythological/biblical). they had messages and lessons to be learned concerning that specific culture/civilization/life, that were being conveyed for the edification of that local community.
I still believe that is the way the most enduring stories resonate today. Star Wars had deep themed issues (especially that of The Force) that resonated with ppl. The Matrix had a theme of life being an illusion and the question of do we truly have free will or are we under the control of a greater force. Neo was a basic character, to me, what made that story interesting is he was a pawn in a game of chess between free will and determination and we were interested to see him grow and fulfill his identity and what would that identity ultimately end up looking like. we are then encouraged to take hold of our own lives and fulfill our identity
Great stories are based on themes then use characters and events to hook you and bring you into that argument. But the story resonates because it is telling us something or we learn something about ourselves/life through the 'dialogue/argument' of the theme
I think theme is important because it allows us to distill simple ideas and truths out of the chaos of life. It's not exactly "realistic" but that's the point. To me, art is about communication and if there's one thing communication should be, it's elegant. Not too simple so as to be boring, but not so complex as to be incomprehensible.
I like to start a story by thinking deeply about a simple but broad topic. I ask a question and consider 3-5 possible outcomes. Then I pick one outcome and ask another question which generates it's own series of possible outcomes. I end up with something like a family tree. Then the story is about a character navigating their way through this same maze if choices and coming to their own conclusion. The final step is to make sure that the events of the story are exciting on their own so that the audience doesn't catch on immediately to the theme. It's like a magic trick. The surface level stuff serves as sleight of hand to distract the audience so they don't catch onto the trick, but you also need to set up the expectation and pay it off in the end. That's the thematic through line. Start here. Tell us where we're going. Take us somewhere in the middle.
I look forward to each new episode. Quality, informormative content.
Thanks Carrie, we appreciate you visiting with us.
There are such an insane number of writing techniques. It seems that different techniques work better for, or are favored by different writers.
As a studying writer (21), this is very true. When I was a kid I wrote short stories but stopped for years. Now that I’ve picked it back up I realized I needed a strategy. I found FilmCourage and began simply listening to the opinions of professionals, taking notes on the facts and deciding whether or not I agreed with their opinions. I listened, and developed opinions and a unique writing style based on those facts and opinions. It’s worked wonders for me and has helped me determine the kind of writer I want to be as well as allowed my writing to control the actions of the director incase I end up not directing something I’ve written. This is because when I write, I begin based on what I see in my mind. A director taking the written version of my vision, basically turns my process on its head because they’re creating a visual version of my writing; which I believe has too much potential to pervert or corrupt the idea.
@@amateur-madman3047 If you could choose any living director that you wanted, are there one or more directors that you would trust? As a writer I think there are a ton of directors who would help my writing and my projects overall, but I’m curious to know if there is a living director that you could put your faith in?
@@amateur-madman3047
One thing you have to come to terms with is that once you sell your script, it is not yours anymore (unless you can get a contract that specifically gives you that power). If a director or producer wants to change your writing, they'll change it. There's no way you can write something in a way that can prevent that. And if you think your idea can't be perverted or corrupted, then you don't know Hollywood. lol
This guy elegantly put to words so much of what i love about film and his opinions closely aligned with mine even with regards to particularities about themes and how they had more priority in the 70s. however i do think he is too quick to write off character drama and other forms of storytelling. it seems as if he sanctifies the analytical and thematic approach (common in both modern era thinking and among neurotypical demographics) while writing off the dramatic one, despite drama being the single driving factor for nearly all storytelling for centuries. Shakespeare and so many of the greats operated with many wide-stretching and disparate themes which came secondary because the primary focus was of compounding drama and tension. So I think his approach is quick to disengage with large bodies of storytelling like that. Overall, great insights here.
I believe a story should be a layered cake, where the thematic approach is underneath for those who like to really dig in, while the character drama is on top for the simpletons. That way everyone can have fun.
@@Lilliathi
I wouldn't insult people who are only in it for the character drama. It's always a bad idea to insult your audience or look down on them as that creeps into your writing. What they want and enjoy is their preference.
@@G360LIVE don't think they were making that point...
Learned a lot from the video. Many many thanks!
For a lesson on them, I'd say look at the movie UP. The main theme was moving on after death.
It does seem important and meaningful to think about what the audience takes with them while building a story. What could they learn, what perspective could be given a new angle, or how could the film impact them? Is there a call to action?
Ms Film Courage? How do we know if we know a protagonist well enough? Especially in terms of a series. Because you can keep adding things about them. How do we know we know enough!?
I assume this is about creating a character? I would say we know well enough when we can imagine the character walking and talking and also reacting to situations how this person would, acccording to the attributes given. Also, too much background and endless lore makes a creation boring.
Picture your character as your imaginary friend in everyday life. Whatever situations or conversations you find yourself in, ask how your character would react in that situation or what they would say in that conversation. If you can do that, if you can spend real time with your character (even in quiet moments such as sitting down and having lunch with your character), then you're getting to know your character pretty well. And if you want a story to go in one direction but your character reacts in a certain way or says certain things that push the story in another direction -- if your writing follows the character rather than your character always doing what you tell them to do -- then you are really knowing your character well. In short, allow your character to express themselves. You can always add likes and dislikes and facts about a character, but who the character is really comes out in how they react in situations or in conversations. Or maybe they don't react, maybe they're more introverted, and that helps you to get to know your character more.
Funky style with smart advise. PS Karen, I'm going to have start working on a second book.
I saw 'Phantasm' an age ago.
this guy is a genius
I searched for a full version of this interview and can't find it. If it's out there, hit me up...
Hi Ricardo, great to see your interest in our full interview with Michael! This is the first segment we have published. We roll out clips slowly. Much more to come in the coming weeks.
@@filmcourage thank you
i need this shirt XD
I think popular films are ONLY theme; Tony Stark and Steve Rogers are not characters, they are archetypes asking questions about heroism, sacrifice, love, war, duty, sometimes motherhood or grief or trauma. That's personally why I don't like them: I prefer character driven affair like a Game of Thrones or a Breaking Bad or a Taxi Driver.
Amen amen amen ****
How will someone define theme in real time film making? Like: Vlogs maybe.
Do you need to know the theme before you begin writing?
No. Only a genre. Genre (e.g. comedy, suspense, etc.) guides my path. Themes are optional for me but genre in my writing is a core necessity.
Yes, it is directly connected to genre. You try to make the audience answer a moral question which can very in depth and complexity. Without theme, there is no cognitive dilemma, no connection to character.
@@Damacles9 Thank you for sharing your thoughts. In your opinion, what is the theme of the movie Caddyshack? Maybe it has a heavy theme other than comedy and I’m just missing it.
@@cobymarcum1442 - I haven't seen it since it debuted, but if I remember correctly Caddyshack had very distinct theme regarding class differences: the protaganist is poor and feels inferrior to the rich, but learns that the upper class can be assholes and idiots -- or good guys like the Chevy Chase character.
@@PaulRWorthington I watched Caddyshack again recently because I think the movie is hilarious. If I had to pick a theme it would probably be male competition (Czervik vs Judge Smails) as they try to tear each other apart, embarrass, and best one another throughout the movie, but I think they’re still just a “MacGuffin” for comedy. And a very effective one at that. If a person wishes to watch a “moral question” type movie I encourage them to watch “Ace in The Hole,” 1951, Kirk Douglas, 36K ratings and holding strong at 8.1 on IMDB. If I remember correctly, Larry David said concerning the writing of “Seinfeld” that characters don’t grow or change in Seinfeld. The only rule was “is it funny?” If it’s funny, keep it. If it’s not funny, throw it out. There are comedy movies that have a MacGuffin of morality or a MacGuffin of a moral dilemma, but they’re throw away situations that are used to move the plot through the jokes, which are the most important part of a film like Caddyshack. “Ace in The Hole” on the other hand is centered around a moral dilemma and the movie falls apart without it. I feel like there are no rules in filmmaking or writing, but not boring the audience is a good guideline if a person wants to be able to have funds available for future projects. However I do enjoy reading comments and having conversations on CZcams with writers and filmmakers. I learn so much from others on CZcams and it helps to keep my mind sharp. But in all seriousness if there is a moral story In Caddyshack and I’m missing it I’d like for someone to point it out to me because there is something in every film that I miss that someone else catches.
Cool guy.
i would recommend ATTACK ON TITAN if you want examples of theme playing out, alot of anime explores themes in a heavy handed way but still enjoyable, watch more anime
Totally agree. They do it again and again without even being boring.
There is something oddly selfish about the way this guy approaches themes. It seems to be less about exploring themes are more what I personally think about the theme and how I feel about it. There nothing really wrong with that but I feel that it is a approach that a lot of people have nowadays.
*_"If I don't have something to say, why am I making the movie? Why bother to make a movie if you've got nothing to say?"_*
Why does a movie have to have something to say? Why can't a movie just be for fun?
You know why some people watch movies? To live vicariously.
"Look at the adventure those characters are having! That looks like a blast! I wish I could have an adventure like that!" is a huge draw for movies.
Who _wouldn't_ want to fly a spaceship, slay a dragon, save a bunch of people from disaster? Well, you can't...and that's why we have movies and video games and comics and books: the have the kinds of adventures that real life cannot provide.
No Theme Required™.
I have to fundamentally disagree that a movie has to have something meaningful to say to be worthwhile. That's what he's personally looking for and I fully understand and relate to the broader idea of wanting something that's genuinely thought-through and you can sink your teeth into, my own works involve explorations of certain meaningful topics and what can be said about them (and what isn't said enough of in particular). But consider why we're watching a movie or similar media as opposed to a TED talk or the like; there's plenty of such talks that can outright change someone's life in a 20 minute span, but we're watching a movie for the overall experience and entertainment first. Whether it has something meaningful to say is a welcome but secondary aspect.
It's particularly hypocritical to say that movies without a thematic message are basically just emotional manipulation, when trying to convince someone to be introspective about such a message is itself still emotional manipulation. It also forgets that the entire reason we're watching those movies is to *be* manipulated. You don't hop on a rollercoaster with the intent of dictating what it does and what it means to you, you're hopping on so you can be along for the ride in a literal sense, and a movie or other medium is just that in a figurative sense. We're watching it for the experience it brings to us, and we know it's a fictional series of events playing out on the screen, the point is an entertaining suspension of disbelief. How it entertains can be a myriad of ways, and it'll also be up to each individual person what they take away from that entertainment or attempt thereof, but not all of it's meant to make you think. Sometimes a good time's just a good time, and that's all it's really gotta be.
Funny that he says that religion is a shortcut and storytelling is a better way to explore these questions when religion largely consists of storytelling.
I heard shane stanley is jealous that he has not been asked back on film courage 😳
What? Heard from whom lol
He's mostly right, but not when he says the writer should side with a character. At that point you're just a preacher or a propagandist. Present your theme, and let your audience think for themselves.
He's talking about perspective. To not judge your character and to see the world from their point of view.
@@Chongamon
From the context of what he says after, it's clear he meant that you should use one character as your mouthpiece.
Read the book "INSIDE STORY: The Power of the Transformation Arc." by Dara Marks, it'll give you a better prospective on Theme and Characters.
@@demetriusdion286
If it says what this guy just said, no thank you.
An author siding with one character doesn't take away the audience's ability to think for themselves. Sounds like in the context he spoke about this, he brought up having different characters all with their own points of view and thought processes regarding a theme, including *_contrasting_* conceptions of the characters. When he said to "side with the character" to allow the author to express her/his own ideas through that character in connection to the theme, he's talking about how the author should be able to put her/himself into the shoes of that character in relation to the theme, and using the comparative and contrasting attitudes of each character regarding the ideas of the theme.
However he does go on to say that he uses characters to present his own thesis on the meaning of the theme to make a persuasive argument of his own opinions on the theme, which seems to be more lecturing to the audience than inspiring free thinking. He even acknowledges the academic nature of this.
Some of the best stories ever told had authors who rarely, if ever, put any concious effort into the theme(s) of his/her story, since usually themes tend to be more subconscious by nature since themes tend to be vague or ambiguous concepts. What exactly is the theme of life and death? It can be many different things to many different people.
lol who TF even is this