Finding the Theme in a Film

Let’s Start With What We Know!

What does theme mean when it applies to literature? THEME SUBJEC T TONE PLOT

Explain the differences among these literary terms Subject Tone Plot Theme THEME SUBJECT TONE PLOT

Subject Who or What the story is about

Tone The mood or attitude the author creates in the story

Plot The sequence of events that happen in the story

Theme A “big idea” or opinion about life, human nature, or society that the writer wants to share with the reader Usually not directly stated, but inferred or implied

What is NOT the theme? What IS the theme? Subject Tone Plot What is the author’s “big idea” about life, human nature, or society? Does the title of the story give us a clue? Is there a significant place in the story where the big idea is state? How we Find Theme

What is a theme in Night? a) Elie gets sent to a concentrations camp, goes through awful experiences with his father, gets moved to different camps, his father dies, and he is freed. b) Sad, depressing, hopeless. c) People are capable of great evil and inhumanity. d) Concentration camps during the Holocaust

What is a theme in AMSND? a) Silly, Funny, Comical b) Helena is in love with Demetrius, but he doesn’t love her back. c) A story takes place in Athens, The Woods, and The Play. d) Love can be transforming and magical or blind and foolish.

How do we find theme in a film? By looking at different Film Elements that support a theme :  Costume  Music  Setting  Subtext  Camera Frame  Character Relationships  Dialogue  Plot

Costume Can show status in society Can show characterization Change in costume can mean a change in a relationship

Costumes

Music Music can add to the theme by indicating tone What are the lyrics of the song? What do they tell you about theme? Is the music upbeat? Slow? How does that add to theme? How does the music set the tone of the scene?

Music So much more than this provincial life 5:00 Tale as old as time Start at 1:00 Wolf Scene - Beginning Instrumental

Setting Where the story takes place How does the setting affect the tone and the theme? Describe the setting:  What’s the weather like?  Are the characters inside or outside? What does it look like?  Are the colors in the scene bright or dark?

Setting

Subtext What emotion are the characters showing the audience? How are their emotions connected to theme?

Scene Frame Everything the audience can see in the frame of the camera

Close up Close up: When the director focuses in on smaller aspects of the setting; fills up the entire frame of the camera Why would a director choose to zoom in on a character’s face? How does that help to show a theme?

Long Shot When the camera zooms out; the audience can see everything in the scene in the camera shot Why would a director choose to include more parts of the setting in the camera shot? How might this help us understand the theme?

Framing/Subtext feature=related feature=related

Character Relationships How do relationships between characters help us to understand the theme?

Dialogue Conversations that happen between characters How does dialogue help us to understand the theme?

Dialogue Thank you, for saving my life Prologue Start at 2:00 Beast lets her go JyoT6RCQ8&feature=related JyoT6RCQ8&feature=related

Plot Name the parts of the plot diagram!

Plot Name the parts of the plot diagram! Exposition: Setting, Characters Rising Action: Introduce Conflict Climax Falling Action Resolution

Themes in Beauty and the Beast?