Symbolic Motifs Recurring motifs can give a video coherence and depth. For Takeuchi Riri, motifs might include mirrors (identity and reflection), trains (movement, transition), analog technology (tapes, film — memory’s physical traces), and handwritten notes (intimacy in the age of ephemeral text). These motifs can function both visually and thematically, linking scenes across time and imbuing the mundane with layered meaning.