Theme is the quiet engine of every good film. It is the question your story asks and the truth it tries to answer. Below I show you how I pick a theme, how I thread it through character and plot, and how I make sure the theme remains honest and simple for audiences who speak my dialect. This is practical — not theory. These are the steps I use on set and at my desk.

What I mean by “theme” (short and useful)

When I say “theme” I mean the central idea or question the film lives inside. Not a moral lecture — an emotional truth.

Simple examples of themes:

• “Can a man forgive himself?”
• “Is tradition stronger than hope?”
• “What price do you pay for silence?”

In my films: Temple Abasi asked about faith under pressure; Ette Joe asked about respect and pride in small communities; Ubiong Utom Eka explored motherhood and sacrifice. The theme guided every scene I wrote and shot.

How I pick a theme — a three-step test I use

When an idea comes, I test it quickly with three questions. If it passes, I keep it as the theme.

1. Is it personal? — Can I say why this matters to me? If I cannot answer in one sentence, it is not strong enough.
2. Is it simple? — One clear question or statement beats a dozen smaller ideas. Simple themes are memorable.
3. Is it visual? — Can I show it with images, not only with speeches? If not, rewrite until it becomes visual.

Example: with Temple Abasi I asked, “What happens when faith is challenged by practical need?” That was personal, simple, and allowed visual scenes — a man praying, a broken roof, a choice at a crossroads.

Turn theme into a logline and spine

I create a one-line theme statement and then a spine — the single sentence that describes the protagonist’s journey toward that theme.

Theme statement: a short sentence that captures the film’s idea. Example: “Faith is tested when a family must survive.”

Story spine: who wants what and why does the theme make that difficult. Example: “A simple man tries to save his home, but must choose between tradition and survival.”

Every time I write a scene I check: does this scene move the spine forward or reveal the theme more clearly? If not, the scene is cut or rewritten.

Embed the theme into character — my character-template

I don’t attach theme to exposition. I attach it to people. Here is the short character template I use before writing a single scene:

NAME — simple label (age, one-line)
Want: what they want (active desire)
Fear: what they fear most (this opposes the want)
Lie they believe: a false idea the character holds
Moment of truth: where they must choose and face the theme
    

Example (Mother in Ubiong Utom Eka):

MOTHER — 45. Want: protect her children’s future. Fear: being shamed. Lie: "silence will save us." Moment of truth: she must speak and risk everything.
    

This template keeps characters motivated by theme, so their choices naturally show the idea instead of someone explaining it in dialogue.

Symbols and motifs — how I pick them and use them

I use motifs (small repeated things) as shorthand to remind the audience about the theme without saying it.

My rules for motifs:

• Keep them simple (a sound, a prop, a location).
• Introduce them early so their repetition becomes meaningful.
• Let them change by the end to show growth.

Theme in action — three scene-types I write to test theme

If you want a practical method, write these three scenes early:

1. The Origin Scene: shows why the theme matters to the protagonist (a short memory, a rumor, a small loss).
2. The Temptation Scene: puts a clear choice before the protagonist that tempts them away from their stated moral or belief.
3. The Consequence Scene: shows the immediate cost of the choice — good or bad — and forces a deeper decision later.

I write these three scenes before filling the rest. If they feel true, the theme will hold through the full script.

Dialogue that carries theme without preaching

My dialogue rarely states the theme directly. Instead I make characters reveal their beliefs and lies through small sentences, local proverbs, or pauses.

Practical rules I follow:

• Avoid long speeches about “what is right.” Let action show truth.
• Use local sayings or a repeated line that echoes the theme.
• Let silence do work — a pause can say the theme louder than a paragraph of speech.

Pacing theme with plot — when to reveal and when to hide

I stagger theme reveals to keep the audience engaged. I reveal half-truths early, confuse intentions in the middle, and force clarity in the final act.

Practically, I place reveal moments at act breaks or big beats:

• End of Act 1 — a complication that shows the theme’s real stakes
• Midpoint — a reversal that reframes the theme
• Act 3 — a final test where the protagonist accepts or rejects the theme

This structure gives theme room to grow with the character rather than feeling like a lecture.

How I use subplots to deepen theme

Subplots are small mirrors. I choose one tight subplot that echoes the main theme in a different way (friendship, village politics, a child’s struggle). My rule: every subplot must either complicate the theme or illuminate it.

Example: if the main theme is “silence costs you,” the subplot might show a young couple whose secret causes a small but telling harm. That subplot shows the theme on a smaller scale.

Testing theme on table reads — what I listen for

During table reads I listen for three things:

1. Does the audience feel a single question or idea at the end?
2. Do repeated images or lines register as meaningful?
3. Are emotional beats arriving where they should?

I record table reads and highlight moments where people laugh, fall silent, or ask questions. Those moments often mark where the theme is working (or failing).

Simple checklist I run before I shoot

Before I call a scene ready for shooting I ask:

• Does this scene show a choice related to the theme?
• If I remove dialogue, would the scene still hint at the theme visually?
• Is there a motif present or did we lose one here?
• Will this scene change the protagonist in some small way?

How to avoid the two biggest theme mistakes

From my experience the common errors are:

1. Preaching: when characters tell the audience what to feel instead of letting action show it. Fix: remove lines that explain the theme and replace with visual beats.
2. Vagueness: when the theme is fuzzy or tries to be everything. Fix: return to your one-line theme statement and force every scene to answer it.

A short practical exercise you can do today

Take one of your short ideas and do this quick exercise:

1. Write a one-line theme statement.
2. Create a 3-card outline: Origin, Temptation, Consequence.
3. Write a 1-page scene for each card that uses a repeated motif (a sound, a prop, or a proverb).

If the three scenes feel connected you have a theme that works. If they feel disconnected, adjust the theme line and try again.

One external resource I use when I study theme

If you want a quick, clear explanation of theme and how it functions in storytelling, I often refer to practical guides and craft essays online. A concise resource I recommend is this MasterClass article on theme in fiction for a quick conceptual sharpen: What Is Theme in Fiction — MasterClass. Use it to sharpen your one-line theme statement before you begin writing.

Final thoughts — keep theme small, human, and repeatable

My films are small stories with big hearts because the theme is simple and human. Theme does not need to be grand to be powerful — in fact, the smaller and more personal the theme, the more it will connect with people who watch in our language and places.

When you work a theme this way — choose it, test it with cards, attach it to character, and repeat motifs — your film becomes honest and tight. That honesty is what audiences remember.