What's a Premise?

My understanding of storytelling ebbs and flows. Some days I think I've got it. Other days it is a complete mystery. I think it's because of all the words associated with screenwriting and all the different definitions for each of those words.

A couple of years ago, I read Lajos Egri's The Art of Dramatic Writing. I was three quarters finished with the book when I thought, "Ooh, ooh, I think I get it. You start with the premise, then you create characters who will illustrate that premise by putting them in conflicts that are somehow related to the premise... Wait, what's a premise?" I felt like complete understanding was just outside my grasp, like that word that dances on the tip of your tongue. I went back and read chapter 1 PREMISE again. Aarrgghh! My near revelation farted, flew and fell like a balloon at a kid's bithday party.

I searched other books and websites and discovered that no two people in the universe agree on what a premise is. I put the screenwriting books away, got off the internet and got out my Webster's New World Dictionary.

Premise - n. a previous statement serving as a basis for an argument.

Not much help unless you think of your story as an argument. Hmm, that sounds vaguely familiar.

After reading everything I could find on the subject of Premise, I was still lost. So I went to work on Theme.

I came across this article where Terry Rossio talks about:

"A unified, worthwhile theme. Some compelling powerful truth that makes the
movie worth making."

"...each character can, in some way, reveal a facet of the overall theme."

"... let the villain articulate the theme."

"... let the subplot state the theme."

I'm getting that feeling again. I can almost touch it. After a few more chapters and a few more articles I was able to come up with my own definition of theme.

The Theme is your story narrowed down to one word.

... more or less. It's the broad universal idea or subject at the heart of you story that you, the writer, want to explore. The theme can usually be summed up in a few words, often just one. Many facets of the theme should be explored to avoid preaching or making a one-sided argument. (Hmm, there's that word again)

To explore the Facets of the Theme, I re-read Robert McKee's Story. Chapter 14 discusses contradictory values, contrary values, and the negation of the negation, what ever that is. I understood the general concept but the language gave me a headache, so after some thought, I came up with this. If you've read Story, you'll recognize some of the following.

The Theme and its Facets
Is your thesaurus handy?

#1 What is the Theme or subject of the story? It usually has a positive value, but it doesn’t have to. If you choose a subject with a negative value, keep that in mind as you complete the rest of the facets. Since many words have similar meaning, but different connotations, brainstorm the subject until you come up with the word that works best. Try to narrow your subject down to one word, but use any words that apply for the other categories.
(Ex. Free will, Liberty, Independence, Autonomy, Sovereignty, Emancipation, Freedom - I'll choose Freedom)

#2 What is the opposite of your the subject? If your subject is positive, this will be negative.
(Ex. Oppression, Restraint, Slavery, Imprisonment, Force, Restriction, Captivity, Bound, Incarceration)

#3 What is in between the two, neither positive nor negative?
(Ex. Rules, Freedom in some areas and restrictions in others)

#4 In a perfect world, what is the most positive value you can give the subject? This goes one step better than your subject. It may help to dig down deep inside yourself (Self-love, Self-truth, Self-made) or to think globally (Justice for all, Elimination of poverty,
(Ex. Complete Autonomy, Self-ruling)

#5 Under the worst conditions, how bad can the opposite get? Putting the word "self" in front of the opposite may help. (Self-hate or Self-deception) To lie or be lied to is bad, but it's even worse to lie to yourself. You can also start with the opposite, add the words "perceived as" or "masquerading as" then add the subject. (Failure perceived as Success - Selling out , or Hate masquerading as Love) You can defend yourself against Hate, but how do you defend yourself against Hate masquerading as Love?
(Ex. Self-enslavement, or Slavery masquerading as freedom)

Having your characters and subplots represent a different facet will assure that 1) your characters are not all made from the same mold, 2) that your Protagonist is faced with varying conflicts each related to the theme, and 3) the the theme is fully explored.

Also, while re-reading Story, I came to page 120 where he says, "In creating the dimensions of your story's "argument," take great care to build the power of both sides." "In other words, do not slant your "argument." There it is. The story IS an argument.

(In the margin of that same page I had written, "Don't preach- Tell both sides zealously, but end on your side." I must have been quoting someone, zealously is not a work I use very often. I don't know who said it, I couldn't find that McKee said it, but it's good advise and worth repeating.)

Armed with a working understanding of Theme and Facets, I took another look at Webster's definition of Premise.

The Premise is a statement (or a question) that serves as a basis for an argument.

Okay, so the Premise takes the general, universal Theme by the shoulders and points it in a particular direction by asking a question or making a statement about it. The story, the characters, the conflicts will all argue the validity of the statement or question until every side or facet has been evaluated and a conclusion can be drawn.

The Premise, then, is like a thesis statement in an essay. You make a thesis statement, usually in the first or second paragraph. Then every paragraph and every sentence that follows should work to prove your thesis. If it doesn't, it doesn't belong in your essay. The same is true for a premise. Every character, every conflict, every subplot, every bit of dialogue should work to answer the question or prove your point. Unlike a thesis statement, however, a Premise is implied through the actions and dialogue of the characters and not generally spoken outright. Remember, don't preach.
(Ex. How far will one go to maintain their freedom? Or Freedom at any cost.)

So how does all this work? Let's use Thema and Louise as an example.

You start with the general Theme:
Freedom

For the Premise, you make a statement or ask a question about that theme:
How far will one go to maintain their freedom? Or Freedom at any cost.

You assign each character or subplot a facet of the theme to be explored:
(Starting with the first goal of getting away for the weekend to be free, Thelma's oppressive husband, the forceful rapist and elimintaing his freedoms, then the second goal of making it to Mexico where they can remain free, the hitchhiking thief who steals their money and makes freedom impossible, the FBI guy who wants to incarcerate them and take their freedom for the next 20 or 30 years, the cop they forced and restrained in the trunk so they can be free, the rude trucker they just can't free themselves of, and ending with them on the ultimate road to freedom.)

Story, characters, goals, conflicts, subplots all tied to the theme, all becoming more challenging as the story progresses, and all working to answer the question or prove the point of the premise.

I could also argue that the Premise is "Men are pigs," since almost every scene works to prove that point, but I won't go there. Hey, don't yell at me, I didn't write it.

That's the way I see it anyway, feel free to disagree.

Well, there they are. My definitions of Theme and Premise. Today, anyway. Tomorrow I may ebb again and come up with brand new definitions to add to the thousands already in play.