Script Analysis: “The Invitation” — Part 4: Themes

Read the script for the acclaimed indie thriller and discuss this week.

Reading scripts. Absolutely critical to learn the craft of screenwriting. The focus of this bi-weekly series is a deep structural and thematic analysis of each script we read. Our daily schedule:

Monday: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Tuesday: Plot
Wednesday: Characters
Thursday: Themes
Friday: Dialogue
Saturday: Takeaways

Today: Themes.

I have this theory about theme. In two parts. First, a principle: Theme = Meaning. What does the story mean? Second, while there is almost always a Central Theme, there are multiple other Sub-Themes at play in a story. Therefore the question, What does a story mean takes on several layers of meaning?

Time to ponder themes in The Invitation. You can download a PDF of the script here.

Written by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi.

Plot summary: While attending a dinner party at his former home, a man thinks his ex-wife and her new husband have sinister intentions for their guests.

Writing Exercise: Explore the themes in The Invitation. What is its Central Theme? What are some of the related Sub-Themes?

Major kudos to Joni Brainerd for doing this week’s scene-by-scene breakdown.

To download a PDF of the breakdown for The Invitation, go here.

For Part 1, to read the Scene-By-Scene Breakdown, go here.

For Part 2, to read Major Plot Points, go here.

For Part 3, to read Characters, go here.

Tomorrow we shift our focus to the script’s dialogue.

Seize this opportunity and join in the conversation!

I hope to see you in the RESPONSE section about this week’s script: The Invitation.