Grid of Nine
Themes, Concepts, and Ideas vs. Media
Think of themes, concepts, and ideas as the “what” (the meaning or message), and media as the “how” (the format or medium used to express that message).
Themes
Themes are generally the broadest. They are big universal messages.
Examples of broad themes, concepts, and ideas that would need to be narrowed down with more detail and specificity include, but are not limited to:
Afro-futurism
Animals
Belonging
Commerce
Control
Education
Engineering
Ethics
Freedom
Futurism
Humanity
Information
Love
Loss
Materiality
Memory
Music
Nature
Networks
Power
Resilience
Ruins
Science
Sexuality
Sports
Surveillance
Systems
The Object
Technology
Time
Transformation
Concepts
Concepts are more refined versions of a theme that add structure or a specific point of view.
Examples:
Afro-futurism (Theme: Technology & Identity)
The Hero’s Journey (Theme: Growth & Transformation)
Dystopian Surveillance (Theme: Power & Control).
Ideas
Ideas are even more specific. This is where your personal and unique perspective come in.
Example:
If “Afrofuturism” is the concept, your idea might be “A speculative fiction story where a future African city thrives on solar technology and ancestral wisdom.”
Media
Examples of media are, but not limited to:
Animation
Board Game
Book
Comics
Film
Graphic Novels
Interactive Installations
Motion Graphics
Photography
Sculpture
Sound
Video Games
Wearables
XR (VR/AR)
Here's a simple analogy relating all four
Theme = e.g. Food
Concept = e.g., Soul Food traditions
Idea = Your unique dish (e.g., a fusion of Southern and Caribbean flavors).
Media = The way you serve it (e.g., a plated meal, a cooking show, a recipe book, or a VR cooking experience).”
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