Are the Coen Brothers Obsessed with Desks? — How to Create Themes with Motifs

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Theme, symbolism, motifs — these can be difficult concepts to wrap your head around. In filmmaking and film theory, though, they are also elements that create layers and depth in your storytelling. It goes beyond the usual shot reverse shot. The Coen Brothers understand the power of theme, symbolism and motifs, and we can see it at work throughout their career. In this video essay, we’re going to focus on just one of these visual motifs that can be found in nearly every Coen Brothers movie: desks.

For most people, desks are simply a piece of functional furniture. But in the Coen Brothers Universe, they seem to mean something else entirely. In films like Fargo, No Country for Old Men, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, The Big Lebowski and others, desks become symbols of power. In many, many instances, the Coen Brothers gravitate towards scenes that take place across the desk. One character wants something and the person behind the desk has the power to give it to them (but usually doesn’t). These are characters looking for control over their lives but often find themselves denied by the man behind the desk.

But there is a flip side to this idea: sometimes, the man behind the desk finds themselves losing their power. For these characters, the desk becomes an illusion of power. So, how does this point to theme?

The motif of desks and the symbolism of power leads us to consider the overarching theme of not just isolated Coen Brothers movies but their entire filmography. Because most characters in front of and behind desks are likewise searching for control over their lives, we can argue that “no one is in control of their lives.” This is a powerful theme, created by motifs and symbolism, that illuminates the depth and meaning behind the Coen Brothers work. Their sometimes silly and cartoonish dark comedies are really pointing to something much larger than any one film can address. And this is a valuable lesson in screenwriting, directing and filmmaking in general.

#filmmaking #filmtheory #screenwriting

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