Writing Wednesday: Lost in translation - show v/s tell in movies and books

Over the past few days I've watched a few movies. When your brain is mush from hearing too many screams and game-related fights, you want something to take your focus off everything. You actually want to turn into that vegetable lying on the couch and with flickering images reflecting off the glasses she wears.

So I saw Valentine's Day and Love and Other Disasters. Good flicks, but for the second one, I just couldn't get into it. Why? Because that story is about an American intern at British Vogue and her posse of friends, especially her gay roommate. A lot happens, you see it all, but the movie did not cut it for me because it seemed like a story better suited for the book medium rather than the screen. I wanted to 'be' those characters, be in the their POV and heads. Not just see them doing things.

Is there a difference between screen and book? Basically, both are stories, right? To tell a story you relate what you see - like you're watching a movie and it's a blow-by-blow visual of what's happening on the screen. That's your story, innit? You as the writer would be able to convey everyhting, right?

Wrong! You're supposed to write, not relate!

That's where it seems a lot of writers go wrong - they write a story with the same viewspan and attention span as watching TV or a movie. It's like they're saying, you watch a movie, get it? Start, middle, end, you show what's taking place in the story. There you go - story written!

Sure you go. You've written a story with start, middle, end and it even holds the line! But wait a second too - you're giving me the movie version, not the book one!

I'll take an example. Twilight movie v/s Twilight book. Each has start, middle, end, the same story, same people, same setting, same plot, same whatever. Where's the difference then?

This is what's different - I watch the movie while I read the book. Not making sense? Okay - the book gives you an addtional layer to the movie version, because you are not seeing the characters but you are the characters!

That's why you cannot 'watch' a book, you need to read it. Reading means you open a total different world for the reader, one where it's almost a virtual reality simulation without the gadgets because the reader uses his brain as the simulator and your words as the connection.

Still not making much sense? Okay, let's try another approach. How many times have we as writers heard this line - show, don't tell! It's almost become a mantra that switches on automatically when we get to the keyboard. But how much are you really showing?

Bear in mind the virtual reality simulation again. You need to show something to your writer. Say, for example, your heroine is angry after a tiff with her lover. So, in show and don't tell mode, you go - Megan fumed inside, and as she went out, banged the door behind her.

Made your point, innit? She's so angry she bangs the door. You showed! Actually, no. Sorry to burst your bubble, but you didn't show me this. You gave me a visual, which is basically what one would watch in a movie. But in the movie, you'd see the expression on the actress playing Megan's face. You'd see her bunch her fists maybe, bite her lip extra hard, stomp her heel. Where have you shown this in the above line?

Also, is this door-banging in character with her? What makes her bang the door? Exasperation that her man is taking her for granted/has brushed her off again? Is it completely unrelated, as in this tiff with him not understanding that he needs to pick his socks off the floor, is it simply the drop that made the vase overflow? Is she maybe feeling irritated by everything and nothing because it's a hormonal time for her?

All of this you would give your reader to connect with if you showed not just her movements but what's in her head too.

And this is the difference between watching movies and reading books. You watch a character on the screen, whereas you relate from the character's POV in the book. You become her, you experience what she is feeling, it's a virtual reality simulation for you!

You can call this Deep POV; you can call this being in her shoes; you can call this TMI, but this showing part is definitely lacking in books nowadays. If we wanted to watch a movie, we'd watch a movie. Where's the thrill in reading, in being taken to that other world with all your senses involved (not just eyes and ears), that reading is supposed to give a reader?

Remember that this connection lies in your hand, you the writer. It has to flow from your pen, to be able to whisk your reader away. Otherwise, why bother to read your work when he/she can watch a movie?

I'd love to hear your take on this question. Feel free to discuss!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Tidbit Tuesday: A touch of sweetness...

My life is currently going on 'insane' right now. Try as much as I want, I cannot undo the dial from this position. So 'insane' I'm stuck on. Not to mention that there's always something to do. You grab the list, cross something off, and when you get back to your reduced-number list to tackle the next item, you find that 2-3 tasks have magically appeared at the bottom of the page. If you're lucky, the list is still 1-page long. But who counts on luck, eh?

Similarly, who counts on men being darlings?

That's when the man in your life will totally surprise you. You know, he goes out to work every morning, spends the whole day there with not a minute to spare, and when he's back home in the early evening, he has to rush out again on kids'-related errands (ju-jitsu lessons, private tuition, etc). By the time he gets back by my side it's already dinner time, and by then I am beat (echo the replicating to-do list somewhere in there). Not to say he doesn't help, and after all, it's thanks to his efforts at slugging into the corporate world that I'm able to be at home, pursue further studies, write. Not many in his shoes would've told their wife when her stint in corporate ended in disillusionment to 'do what you want to do with your life, 'coz that's the only way you'll be happy'.

I know, he's my own real-life hero. Yes, he leaves his clothes/wet towel almost everywhere. He's careless at the sink and I end up with a bombed-out warzone when he's in the kitchen. Yes, he snores sometimes (a good elbow poke in the ribs and he'll turn over). But he's my man, and he makes everyday of my life Valentine's Day.

Hmm, I knew you were wondering why the movie's poster was up there! Well, my darling knows I'm dealing with kids 24/7. He knows I'm home but not able to get much done. He knows I'm not really writing 'coz of the tiredness lately and that without my writing fix, I'm a basket case. So what does he do? When out to get something I forgot on the grocery list of Saturday shopping, he stops by the DVD shop and gets me not just 1, but 2 movies. One is Valentine's Day, the other is The Ghost Writer.

Valentine's Day was for the sweet, cuddly love feeling (better than chocolate at times!). The Ghost Writer because, a) Pierce Brosnan stars in it (and I'm a goner for the man!) b) it's about writers c) I recently got 'into' mysteries and thrillers and this one fits the bill.

What more can a girl want/ask for, eh?

Side note - just saw Valentine's Day (cuddled up with the man. Yes, he even watched it with me!!). Totally sweet and cute movie, and loved how all the characters were connected in a big web of relationships. Made me think of Love Actually and He's Just Not That Into You, but VD had a little something special to it. It was just sweet. And the parting line from the narrator, "these 3 words we all want to hear:..." Priceless!
Check it out if you're looking for a nice, cute, romantic flick. It doesn't disappoint!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Random Thoughts' Monday: Work load and other considerations

And we're already in August. Half the year has already gone by, and it looks like 2010 was just on the threshold of the doorway just yesterday. I know I love saying that time flies (it's like a broken record, really, I know!) but it is so damn true!! What on earth has happened in all this time?  What writing do I have to show for it?

I look at my WIP progress meter and go: Nothing to be proud of yourself, girl. But then I think back, upon those past 7 months, and I realise I have a 100K novel I wrote in the first trimester, and have a 16K revision I added to a 52K novel (that I wrote last year during this same June vacation period). All that might've been work from a previous lifetime, because the person I was at the start of this year is not the one you're seeing today. But deep down inside, it's my mind that wrapped these stories together, my imagination that brought these characters in their respective love stories, my fingers that typed their story onto the screen.

All this equals to - writing done by me!!

Is it time to cyber-dust these mss and plunge back in their world? H/h of the current WIP screaming to be heard, but the H/h of those other mss are shouting none less loudly. Who will win?

 

Another thing starts today - university semester. I'm on my next-to-last semester before completing my BA Communications Science degree. Misleading title actually, since the major might be comms science but the array of subjects studied vary from interpersonal and intrapersonal communication, industrial psychology, English and business/media writing, business management, media management, comms law, HR management, and marketing management. There's a total of 30 modules spread over 3 levels necessary to complete the degree. I've completed 27 of them. Got 2 this semester, and 1 left for 2011.

So what else is special about this semester? One of the modules is Distribution Management, especially in the retail industry. One glance through the study guide and I have notions of fashion houses and big department stores. I'll let you know further on if my initial impression lived up or not. :)

I also have to order my textbooks this week, and expecting my leather wallet to be totally skinned by the time I'm done with this purchase. Still, it's for the good cause (repeat like a mantra when you end up in front of the Mango shop and cannot afford to even go in to even look at price tags...)

Last week of kids' break. Think I can hold on for 7 more days? Gotta say the hubby is helping, being a real darling. He's taking afternoons off to be at home with us - just having him physically there even if he's doing nothing is great support. Kids less tempted to talk back and just ignore me. Sweetheart that he is, he even got me the DVD of Valentines' Day from the shop yesterday and sat down and watched it with me.
What more can a girl want, eh?

Writing perspective for the week - get another darn chapter down!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee