DZ-41: Theme and Worldview

How can your characters’ worldview dramatise your theme?

In this episode, Stu and Chas tackle one of the more esoteric topics in screenwriting (and writing in general): theme! To help us tackle this topic, we decided to look at television pilots, because we felt that television requires the theme to be more explicit. Our zig-zagging (and long) discussion covers thematic engines, music themes, thematic loglines, punishment vs reward, and – perhaps most of all – the worldview of characters.

So we take a look at the opening and closing scenes (and middle scenes, too) of some of our favourite shows: HOUSE OF CARDS, CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND, TRUE DETECTIVE, FARGO and TRANSPARENT. We also make passing reference to SPEC OPS: THE LINE, GAME OF THRONES (its Stu’s new Star Wars), and BOJACK HORSEMAN.

In backmatter, we talk about the difference between the written scripts of these pilots and their released versions.

Audio quotations used for educational purposes only. Timestamps indicated below. Chapter markers included in the mp3.

It should go without saying but – SPOILERS AHEAD.

• DRAFT ZERO – Related Episodes
  • DZ-24: Forging story rules in TV pilots
  • DZ-15: World Building Rules, Okay?
  • DZ-34: Game of Choices – Decision Making and Character Implications
• BACKGROUND MATERIAL
  • /r/screenwriting: [QUESTION] How do I find my theme/moral/the point I want to make with my story? 
  • Game Maker’s Toolkit: Morality in the Mechanics
  • Game Maker’s Toolkit: Telling Stories with Systems
  • YouTube: SpecOps the Line – White Phosphorus Scenes
  • PopMatters: Morality and Karma Systems
• HOUSE OF CARDS [@ 24m 33s]
  • Script: HOUSE OF CARDS by Beau Williamson
  • YouTube: Francis Underwood’s first monologue
  • YouTube: Tyrion and Varys Discuss Power
  • Find it on JustWatch
• CRAZY EX GIRLFRIEND [@ 42m 23s]
  • Script: CRAZY EX GIRLFRIEND “West Covina” Written by Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna
  • YouTube: “West Covina”
  • YouTube: Bojack Horseman
  • Find it on JustWatch
• TRUE DETECTIVE [@ 01hr 07m 27s]
  • Script: TRUE DETECTIVE “The Long Bright Dark” by Nic Pizzolatto
  • YouTube: Rust & Martin Car Conversation
  • YouTube: Six Feet Under – Elephant Art vs Termite Art
  • Find it on JustWatch
• FARGO [@ 1h1 35m 40s]
  • Script: FARGO script by Noah Hawley
  • YouTube: Lester Nygaard talks to Lorne Malvo about Sam Hess
  • Find it on JustWatch
• TRANSPARENT [@ 1hr 52m 46s]
  • Script: TRANSPARENT by Jill Soloway 
  • YouTube: A Big Change
  • Find it on JustWatch
• WRAP UP MATERIAL [@ 2hr 01m 05s]
  • Slate.com: Against Subtlety: The Case for Heavy-Handedness in Art.
• BACKMATTER [@ 2hr 21m 29s]

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