Subtext

Caught "Up in the Air" tonight. Avatar, in IMAX 3D, was a visual experience. Sherlock Holmes was a raucous action adventure. Up and Away was a story that delivered snappy dialogue, fine acting, and an emotional hook. From a writer's perspective I could ramble on all day about the value of contrast and subtext in writing. I was particularly entrigued by the films' contrasts and subtext. No spoilers here. Go see the movie.

Contrasts can be minor or severe. In Up in the Air, some of the contrasts include geographic differences. In one scene sequence the Clooney character goes from Miami to wintery Detroit. Miami is warm--emotionally and climatic. Detroit is cold, grey and miserable. The office building in Detroit is early Sixties functionality.  Contrasts in the film are meant to be extreme. The writer and director want to show the differences between a sedentary life and the lonely life of an extreme road warrior.

Subtext is the audience intepretation of what is not said. I learned about subtext from Linda Seger at the 09 Creative Screenwriting Screenwriters Expo. I am blown away when I catch good subtext delivered in a film. Subtext is like a bite of good dark chocolate with a full bodied red wine. When the combination mix in my mouth I lean back, make a yummy sound, and say "man that is good."

Contrast and subtext are crucial considerations in the creative process.  My creative expression is screenwriting. In screenwriting, contrast and subtext enhance a film's emotional impact. A film experience lasts 90 to 120+  minutes. Artists of other mediums like musicians, painters, sculptors etc don't usually have the benefit of a two hour captive audience. Their goal is the same...create an emotional experience for the audience.