Every good movie ever made has a strong theme, and that theme is the story’s DNA; it’s the overlaying idea that defines and drives your story, the characters, plot, and dialogue. You must be able to narrow your film down to a specific theme and stick with it from beginning to end. A theme can be a lesson or the underlying moral of the story.
For example, one of the key themes of The Dark Knight can be found buried within a specific line of dialogue: “Some men just want to watch the world burn;” the theme for When Harry Met Sally is “man and woman can never be friends; sex always gets in the way;” Chinatown, “You can get away with murder if you have enough money.” Ideally, you should be aware of your movie’s theme early on and keep it in mind as you write your characters, and the plot thickens.
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