Motif in Film

Motif 

A motif refers to any recurring element in a film which has some sort of symbolic meaning relevant to the story being told. Using visual motifs ensures that a film is able to operate effectively on more than one level and convey messages to the audience without the need for dialogue or other verbal explanation. 

By including small details and motifs in a film, you create something which the viewer wants to come back to over and over again, in order to find new a level of depth and understanding of the themes and story line of a film which they may not have had before. The most effective way of utilising and creating motifs as a director is not to ask what is happening in a scene, but why it is happening. Giving meaning to even the smallest of details adds depth to a film.