Is it bad to change the theme of a story for the budget? at DVinfo.net

Ryan Elder · January 7th, 2024, 07:44 PM

For a crime thriller script, I would also like to produce myself, I am trying to make changes to save on budget. The theme at the end of the story is how the police detective protagonist feels guilty about getting other people killed and harmed in the third act, such as a SWAT team he was working with, as well as his own wife, becoming one of the hostages.

However, in order to save on budget, I was thinking of cutting out the SWAT team and the wife character, from being there, which just makes it, the protagonist vs. the antagonists only, but no supporting characters now.

But removing those characters does change the theme and now the theme would be that the MC was successful in getting the crooks, and it all worked out with no damage to innocent cops or bystanders.

So it goes from a feeling guilty of violence begetting violence theme, to the system worked, and justice was served more so, theme. But is that theme very different and I am wondering is changing the theme of a story to save on budget a bad thing most likely therefore? Or will there just be an audience for this different theme, and that's okay, perhaps even better?

Rainer Listing · January 8th, 2024, 04:12 PM

Ryan - good to see you back, keeping the forum alive, and looks like I'm going to be the first to comment on judging by previous, what's going to be a long thread.
The issue you raise is one very commonly encountered by producers. A starry eyed writer with a reasonable script needing, in its native state, an unreasonable budget. The goal will be to keep the writer happy and see reason. You have to reduce the costs without altering the takeaway, which invariably includes keeping theme intact. Cutting costs is mostly cutting the numbers, and personnel numbers is often the biggest cost so see where you can cut there. Sometimes two people can stand in for thirty. Sometimes just one person can report for a team. Maybe your protagonist can just be on the phone to the SWAT leader. Loads of possibilities. I consider stock footage as a last resort, but there are bound to be neutral scene SWAT teams swatting, or whatever. BTW, without knowing the specifics, your theme could be "remorse" rather than "guilt".

Ryan Elder · January 8th, 2024, 07:42 PM

Thank you very much for the input! I considered not showing the SWAT and just hearing it over the radio, but I was told this would be awkward since it's the climax and in climaxes, you almost allways see them happen rather than just hear them, if that one reader had a point there?

January 7th, 2024, 07:44 PM	#1
Ryan Elder also known as Ryan Wray Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Saskatoon, Canada Posts: 2,880	Is it bad to change the theme of a story for the budget? For a crime thriller script, I would also like to produce myself, I am trying to make changes to save on budget. The theme at the end of the story is how the police detective protagonist feels guilty about getting other people killed and harmed in the third act, such as a SWAT team he was working with, as well as his own wife, becoming one of the hostages. However, in order to save on budget, I was thinking of cutting out the SWAT team and the wife character, from being there, which just makes it, the protagonist vs. the antagonists only, but no supporting characters now. But removing those characters does change the theme and now the theme would be that the MC was successful in getting the crooks, and it all worked out with no damage to innocent cops or bystanders. So it goes from a feeling guilty of violence begetting violence theme, to the system worked, and justice was served more so, theme. But is that theme very different and I am wondering is changing the theme of a story to save on budget a bad thing most likely therefore? Or will there just be an audience for this different theme, and that's okay, perhaps even better?

January 8th, 2024, 04:12 PM	#2
Rainer Listing Major Player Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Nowra, Australia Posts: 440	Re: Is it bad to change the theme of a story for the budget? Ryan - good to see you back, keeping the forum alive, and looks like I'm going to be the first to comment on judging by previous, what's going to be a long thread. The issue you raise is one very commonly encountered by producers. A starry eyed writer with a reasonable script needing, in its native state, an unreasonable budget. The goal will be to keep the writer happy and see reason. You have to reduce the costs without altering the takeaway, which invariably includes keeping theme intact. Cutting costs is mostly cutting the numbers, and personnel numbers is often the biggest cost so see where you can cut there. Sometimes two people can stand in for thirty. Sometimes just one person can report for a team. Maybe your protagonist can just be on the phone to the SWAT leader. Loads of possibilities. I consider stock footage as a last resort, but there are bound to be neutral scene SWAT teams swatting, or whatever. BTW, without knowing the specifics, your theme could be "remorse" rather than "guilt".

January 8th, 2024, 07:42 PM	#3
Ryan Elder also known as Ryan Wray Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Saskatoon, Canada Posts: 2,880	Re: Is it bad to change the theme of a story for the budget? Thank you very much for the input! I considered not showing the SWAT and just hearing it over the radio, but I was told this would be awkward since it's the climax and in climaxes, you almost allways see them happen rather than just hear them, if that one reader had a point there?