Sometimes stories are just a meaningless jump from one set piece to the next. Action movies tend to be this. MacGuffin, suspense, adrenaline, Hero's Journey.
When characters have emotional arcs and growth, you see a little more depth and humanity. The characters might have secret intentions or desires, unresolved internal conflicts, and often these are put in opposition with other characters. Sometimes the characters will say and do things that don't reflect how they feel. Dramas and romcoms tend to have this.
Sometimes pieces of the story contextualize or contrast against what a character is experiencing. You can play these themes in unison or dissonance as an instrument. It tends to shine when it's left unsaid, in the subtext. These stories tend to have a "meaning" that the author or director had in mind. Look for films with a lot of critical awards or accolades to find good examples.
The more a work aspires to be art, the more analogies are loaded in. You're meant to subconsciously feel a certain way or unpack that meaning with some thought or consideration.
Information can be conveyed in so many ways. Camera direction, lighting, tone, composition, pacing, music, editing, set and props, unspoken intentions, unpredicted actions, and more. And when the director embraces "show, don't tell", all of this can add up to a beautifully layered composition that transcends what the characters actually say and do.
When characters have emotional arcs and growth, you see a little more depth and humanity. The characters might have secret intentions or desires, unresolved internal conflicts, and often these are put in opposition with other characters. Sometimes the characters will say and do things that don't reflect how they feel. Dramas and romcoms tend to have this.
Sometimes pieces of the story contextualize or contrast against what a character is experiencing. You can play these themes in unison or dissonance as an instrument. It tends to shine when it's left unsaid, in the subtext. These stories tend to have a "meaning" that the author or director had in mind. Look for films with a lot of critical awards or accolades to find good examples.
The more a work aspires to be art, the more analogies are loaded in. You're meant to subconsciously feel a certain way or unpack that meaning with some thought or consideration.
Information can be conveyed in so many ways. Camera direction, lighting, tone, composition, pacing, music, editing, set and props, unspoken intentions, unpredicted actions, and more. And when the director embraces "show, don't tell", all of this can add up to a beautifully layered composition that transcends what the characters actually say and do.