When handled oafishly, it can be obvious and insulting, but one of the keys to making a good film a great film is understanding the use of symbolism. Whether it’s religious jewelry or something less obvious, the use of symbols can help communicate the power and meaning of a good film.
My favorite example of symbolism done well is James Cameron’s Titanic. The main symbol was hands and it showed up several times over in the film, both in dialog and in imagery on the screen. Since hands are often the body part most artists struggle the most to get right, among other things the hand symbolism came to represent Cameron’s own struggle to perfect such a daunting, challenging picture to make.
