Read Time: 4 minutes
Many people struggle to craft narratives that captivate audiences.
But understanding human psychology gives you a creative edge.
Here are 10 psychological levers iconic films use to transform stories into influence.
1/ Dialogue:
The audible and unspoken ways in which characters interact showcase their personalities, relationships, and motivations.
Dialogue and non-verbal cues add meaningful depth, escalate tension, and uncover hidden emotions.
Examples:
- Pulp Fiction: Quirky, dark dialogue defines characters and delivers iconic moments, like Jules’ Ezekiel 25:17 recitation.
- The Dark Knight: Joker’s erratic, thought-provoking lines expose his twisted philosophy, challenging Batman and viewer ethics.
- Wall-E: Minimalistic, expressive sounds forge Wall-E’s emotional connection with EVE, captivating viewers through unspoken language.
2/ Archetypes:
Character archetypes tap into universally recognized human emotions and personas.
This sense of instant familiarity accelerates engagement, fostering a deeper emotional bond with the story.
Examples:
- The Avengers: Each superhero embodies a distinct archetype—Captain America is the virtuous leader, Iron Man the intellect, Thor the valiant warrior, and Hulk the controlled savage. This range enables immediate diversity creating more opportunities for audience connection.
- Harry Potter series: Characters like Dumbledore as the guiding sage, Snape as the conflicted enigma, and Voldemort as the embodiment of malevolence offer relatable touchpoints that encourage emotional investment.
3/ Pacing and Rhythm:
The speed at which events unfold affects viewers’ reactions.
Varied pacing—from rapid action to contemplative moments—keeps people on their toes and wondering what happens next.
Examples:
- Mad Max-Fury Road: Breakneck action and car chases fuel a sense of urgency and nonstop peril.
- Dunkirk: A three-pronged timeframe structure yields distinct rhythms, reflecting the characters’ varied experiences and modulating audience tension.
4/ Color Impact:
Colors do more than just decorate a scene, they communicate messages and elicit specific emotions, serving as a form of subliminal comms.
- Red: Excitement, urgency, danger
- Blue: Trust, calmness, stability
- Yellow: Happiness, optimism, caution
- Green: Growth, nature, relaxation
- Purple: Luxury, mystery, creativity
- Orange: Energy, enthusiasm, warmth
- Black: Power, elegance, formality
Examples:
- The Matrix: Green tones create a unique atmosphere and hint at the digital, unreal nature of the Matrix. In contrast, the real world uses blue and gray to signify stability and reality.
- The Sixth Sense: Red serves two roles, signaling the supernatural and preparing the audience for upcoming twists.
5/ Symbolism:
Symbols and motifs enrich films by conveying multi-layered meanings and stirring emotions.
Whether it’s a recurring object or theme, its interpretation can vary, offering new dimensions to the story.
Examples:
- Inception: The spinning top teases the boundary between reality and illusion, leaving viewers in a state of lingering doubt.
- The Shawshank Redemption: Andy’s rock hammer embodies hope, tenacity, and liberation, culminating in his painstaking yet triumphant escape.
6/ Lighting and Contrast:
Strategic lighting choices alter a setting, direct viewer focus, and trigger specific feelings.
Low-key lighting invokes mystery, while high-key lighting brings out a cheerful, optimistic mood.
Examples:
- The Godfather: The use of low-key lighting and shadows creates a dark, moody setting that reflects the covert nature of the mafia and the moral ambiguity of the characters.
- Blade Runner: The use of neon lights and shadows creates a futuristic, dystopian atmosphere that reflects the film’s themes of humanity and artificial intelligence.
7/ Camera Angles and Shots:
Camera angles and differing shots shape viewer perception, magnifying emotion with close-ups or establishing context with wide shots.
Examples:
- The Shining: Danny’s tricycle ride, captured in tracking shots, creates tension and isolation, hinting at lurking surprises.
- Jurassic Park: The famous shot of the T-Rex’s eye through the car window creates a sense of vulnerability, emphasizing the creature’s size and power.
8/ Foreshadowing:
Foreshadowing infuses stories with subtle cues, ramping up anticipation and spawning curiosity for what’s to come.
Examples:
- Fight Club: Cautious hints scattered throughout tease the revelation that the narrator and Tyler Durden are the same person, keeping viewers intrigued and piecing together clues.
- The Prestige: Intermittent nudges hint at both cloning and twin twists, captivating the audience as they decode mysterious signs.
9/ Flashbacks and Nonlinear Narratives:
Such storytelling devices add intricate layers, either by revealing pivotal backstories or offering different viewpoints.
Examples:
- Memento: Flashbacks mix with present-day scenes to slowly reveal the main character’s past and condition, complicating situations while keeping the audience guessing.
- Arrival: The film uses a nonlinear setup and flashforwards to challenge how the audience thinks about time and communication.
10/ Music and Sound:
Music and sound effects affect the mood and emotions of a scene.
A fast-paced soundtrack can build tension, while a slow melody can create a sense of joy or nostalgia.
Examples:
- Jaws: John Williams’ menacing theme heightens drama, evoking a sense of impending danger whenever the shark is near.
- Star Wars: Williams’ opening theme instills a sense of heroism and adventure, setting the film’s tone.
Unleash Your Inner Film Analyst with AI:
Now that you know 10 psychological strategies behind iconic films, use ChatGPT or your preferred AI chatbot to dig into your favorite stories.
ChatGPT Prompt:
// edit bold text in [brackets] //
Imagine you are a seasoned film analyst with expertise in psychological narrative techniques. You’re currently examining the film [Insert Film Title Here].
Perform a deep dive based on these fundamental elements:
• Psychological Core: What psychological themes or theories are evident in the film? How do they enrich the story and make it iconic?
• Character Dissection: Pick a character from the film. What psychological principles govern their behavior and decisions? How does this psychological depth make the character unforgettable? How does their psychology contribute to the film’s overall impact?
• Defining Moments: Identify key scenes in the film that epitomize its psychological depth. What makes these moments stand out and how do they serve the film’s psychological agenda?
• Plot Layers: How do the psychological elements layer into the overarching plot to elevate the film into the realm of iconic? Are there moments where the plot directly challenges psychological norms? How do these layers create tension or resolve conflicts?
• Audience Reaction: Given the psychological elements, how is the audience meant to feel at various stages of the film? What emotions are targeted and what is the psychological mechanism behind them?
• Genre Bending: Does the film use psychology to subvert its genre? How does this add complexity and depth? How does this blend create a new viewer experience?
• The Takeaway: Summarize how the film’s psychological elements contribute to its iconic status. Could it have achieved this without them? Why or why not? Could another psychological element have been more effective? Why or why not?
• Your Own Twist: If you were to add a scene to amplify the film’s psychological depth even more, what would it be and why? How would this new scene affect the character arc or the audience’s psychological engagement?
That’s it for this Saturday.
If you’re finding value in TSS, consider sharing it with a fellow storyteller.
See ya next week!
— Dave