Subtext in a Screenplay: More than Meets the Ear

The creative manuscript for this thesis is a screenplay titled Air Tax. It is a dystopian story set in a western society where the ruling power has created two classes of people. Where one class is part of the elite, the other must watch their activity level as they are taxed on the air they breathe. A rebel group works to overthrow the rulers with the hope of equality and ultimate good for all. The question becomes whether the ideal will last if all guidance is human based. One way to reveal the need of guidance beyond human understanding for the good to last is through subtext. Subtext can be used in many ways to reveal deeper messages in a story. One of the most vital uses of subtext in Air Tax is the continuous appearance of a thick book. The book’s first appearances on the screen are meant to draw attention to its importance before a character ever states the importance. Even when its value is stated, the name of the book is not revealed until the end. The power of subtext provides a deeper meaning and in Air Tax that meaning will point to the only Guide leading to success.