The ‘When’ of the Story
The time period is the temporal component of a film’s setting. It is the specific era in which the story unfolds, and this choice has a massive ripple effect on every aspect of the production. The time period dictates the available technology, the style of clothing and architecture, the social and political attitudes, the language the characters use, and the very nature of the problems they face. A story about a woman seeking independence in the 1890s is fundamentally different from the same story set in the 1990s, as the societal rules, opportunities, and obstacles would be completely different.
Filmmakers must decide whether their story is a period piece, set in a specific historical past; a contemporary piece, set in the present day; or a futuristic piece, set in a speculative future. Each choice comes with its own set of opportunities and challenges. Period pieces require extensive research to achieve historical accuracy, while futuristic films demand immense imagination to create a believable vision of what is to come.
The Influence of Time Period in Film
The choice of era is a powerful tool for shaping a film’s story and themes.
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Production and Costume Design: The time period is most visibly expressed through the film’s aesthetic. Films like Marie Antoinette (2006) or Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) are defined by their unique and immersive visual styles, which are direct products of their 18th-century French or post-apocalyptic future time periods, respectively.
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Defining Character Conflict: The social norms of a specific era can be a primary source of conflict. In Hidden Figures (2016), the story of three brilliant African-American women at NASA is set in the early 1960s. The racism and sexism of that time period are not just background details; they are the central obstacles that the protagonists must overcome.
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Creating Allegory and Commentary: Setting a story in the past or the future can be a powerful way to comment on the present. Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, set during the Salem witch trials of the 1690s, was written as a clear allegory for the anti-communist McCarthyism of the 1950s. Similarly, dystopian science fiction films often use their futuristic settings to critique contemporary social or political trends.