You're a great director, so,
you know your film's theme, right?
Right?
Directors must be able to articulate
what their films are about,
not just in terms of plot,
but on a thematic level,
what does it mean?
What are you trying to say?
Why are you making this movie?
Knowing your storie`s themes
it will inform every decision
you have to make as a director
from the color of a
character's wardrobe
to a shot`s depth of field.
And it'll provide you with
insight into today's topic.
Creating Visual Motifs.
A motif is any recurring element
that has symbolic
significance in a story like,
the rose petals in
"American Beauty"
or water in "Chinatown."
Visual motifs are
an essential part
because the ensure the
story is able to operate
on more than one level.
We're going to break down
one of the biggest motifs
in Jonathan Demme's "The
Silence of the Lambs."
It's about a young
female FBI agent
who needs to win the trust
of a guy that eats people.
"I ate his liver
with some fava beans
and a nice Chianti."
So they can stop a
guy that skins people.
But "The Silence Of The
Lamb" is about so much more.
It's about the inversion of
the American Myth for one.
Ah, hey, look at the main colors on
that movie poster, red, white and blue.
What do you know?
Ah, maybe, it's a coincidence.
Maybe.
Let's look at Demi's intentional use
of the visual motifs of Americana
throughout "The
Silence of the Lambs."
And later on, I'll show you exactly how
to break down motifs in your own script,
so you can ensure your project carries
the same kind of weight and depth.
All right, let's go.
Before we jump in,
make sure to subscribe below
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so you don't get left in the dust.
To begin our exploration
of the visual motifs,
let's look at the main villain
in "The Silence of the Lambs"
Buffalo Bill.
"It rubs the lotion on its skin
or else it gets the hoes again."
But before there was
this Buffalo Bill
there was the real
Buffalo Bill Cody.
You can't get more
American than this guy.
He was the quintessential
hero of the American Wild West
a symbol of American freedom,
masculinity, strength and heroism.
But in this story,
he wears makeup,
texas donger between his legs and
listens to manly the New Wave.
It's not just a snarky
play on the name,
it's a deliberate inversion
of an iconic American figure.
And it directly addresses
the film's core statement,
America Is Not Innocent.
There is a uniquely American
sickness at play in this movie.
Demi very consciously brought the
motif to the forefront of a storytell.
Look at that massive American flag
draped over the car in the storage unit.
And there's an American flag,
up on Buffalo Bill`s wall of terror.
Oh, there's an interesting
choice of graphic
on the news segment about
Katherine Martin's disappearance.
Somebody had to design
that from scratch.
I wonder who directed
them to do that?
Now, speaking of poor Catherine
before she put the
lotion in the basket.
"Put the fucking
lotion in the basket."
She was driving
around, listening to
to Tom Petty's "American Girl."
That is way too expensive
a choice to be random.
And good directors,
they don't traffic in random.
Visual motifs should be
amplified with audio motifs
to something that
always watch out for.
Okay, so I made my point,
there's a bunch of Americana
stuff in "Silence of the Lambs"
that maybe you didn't notice
before, so what?
Well, that's what makes
something a great work of art.
You can come back to
it over and over again
and find greater
and greater depth.
So how do you do that
in your projects?
Let me show you how.
When you're doing
your script breakdown,
don't just look at
what's on the page,
ask yourself,
"Why it's on the page?"
And if something else
could or should be there?
Here, the script describes
a car covered in a tarp.
As a director, ask yourself,
"Why is the car covered in a tarp?"
Can it be something
else something better?"
Let's remember our
theme, why not a flag?
That's what we'll do.
Highlight the word "Tarp"
select the category props because
the actor interacts with it.
But then rename the element
an American Flag (tarp)
And now the prop
department knows
that they need to provide you with
a flag large enough to cover a car.
And that you're a
visionary genius.
While at it, for clarity,
under the scene notes will
just add something like
"Visual Motif: Tarp
is an American Flag."
And I can add an image.
And embed a video.
Got an idea for
music for this scene.
Hey, you can identify that too.
So that everyone`s
clear about the vision.
The idea is to make the most
of every moment your movie.
Every element is an opportunity
to communicate your vision.
All right, let's recap.
The attention to detail in
"The Silence of the Lambs"
whether you're catching it
on a conscious level or not
is essential to the
elevation of the material.
Target these possibilities
when breaking down your script.
A name, a location of prop, an article
of clothing, what car a character drives.
All of these, they are opportunities for
defining motifs that serve a larger theme.
These are the elements
that make a good screenplay
into a great movie.
Did I miss any nods to the US of
a in "The Silence of the Lambs"?
Are there other recurring motifs
in the film that you've noticed?
Hint. There are.
Got a motif for your film?
Hint. You should.
Leave it throughout your work
and look for every opportunity you
can, to bring the idea home.
Check the description to
sign up for StudioBinder.
It's free to get started.
Which brings me
to my last point.
Don't forget to share your
breakdown with your teammates.
Maybe they have some ideas
you haven't thought of.
Even if they don't,
having access to your intention
will give them a sense of direction.
I mean, you are the director.
Set them and yourself
up to succeed.
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Is it too subtle?
"Yes."
What are some movies you'd
like us to break down next?
Tell us about it
in the comments.
You fly back to school
now, "little Starling.
Fly,fly,fly."
Fl- fly.
It`s over.
See you.
[Music]
