If you have no Theme, you're "spineless!" Let's turn story upside down and see that Theme isn't the high ceiling above your tale, it's the very floorboards!
Date: March 8th
Time: 17:00
Room: Streamed online only
The spine in a body is the lattice where all the main bones and central organs connect. This is true of story as well. Various schools of screenwriting define a story’s “spine” in differing ways. Some link it to a palette of unified and defining character decisions made throughout the script, some like Pixar Studios have their own proprietary recipe. But one definition unites them all: the spine is the central throughline of your story and how it achieves unity of purpose.
In this session, we are going to examine how to unify and strengthen your story’s spine by way of Theme. When a story is architected around a central defining theme, let’s say “be careful what you wish for,” then you can use this theme as a compass needle to constantly orient your story on a clear and compelling path. Deciding on a theme to build your story from the ground up is a wonderfully freeing practice, not a confining one! It allows your creativity to flourish within a bordered structure where you know you are never veering off course– because all character choices, events and outcomes continue to weave a unified tapestry of thematic statement.
Don’t miss this game-changing session where we’ll examine Theme not as some surprise destination of your storytelling, but rather the fundamental leaping-off point with a clear map for where you’re going to land!
Speakers In This Session
Jason Eric Perlman // Screenwriter and Director
Jason Eric Perlman is a filmmaker and screenwriter specializing in smart, high-stakes thrillers for film and television.
