“One of the questions I am always asking when I’m writing is ‘How can I show it rather than say it?’ Characters are best defined through action, and in screenwriting in particular it is very important to find visual ways to convey character because, with the exception of voice-over, it is very difficult to get inside a character’s head and know what he or she is thinking.
This is why I often introduce one the favorite devices I learned in film school; the emotionally charged icon. This is very much what the phrase would imply: an object that has been charged with some emotional resonance because of what it represents. An obvious example would be a locket that contains a photo of a deceased loved one. If the owner of the locket suddenly got a blank look on her face and started to fiddle with the locket, we would know that she is thinking of her long lost loved one. It’s a fantastic way to shorthand a glimpse into a character’s psyche.
Two of my favorite examples of the emotionally charged icon are the wristwatch in Pulp Fiction and the harmonica in The Shawshank Redemption.”
Karey Kirkpatrick (Over the Edge, Charlotte’s Web)
Now Write! Screenwriting edited by Sherry Ellis and Laurie Lamson
page 130-131
Related posts:
Objective Correlative (Tip #48)
Show, Don’t Tell (Tip #46)
Show, Don’t Tell (Part 2)
Scott, First off, I love the photograph of Iowa. It makes me think of a scene from “Saving Private Ryan.” Your advice is good. While getting inside a character’s head may work in fiction, challenging the audience to figure out what’s going on through the actions of characters engages the viewer and holds its undivided attention much more so. It’s what builds tension and suspense. I think of Ben Afleck’s character in “Good Will Hunting” standing and knocking on the door of his friend’s house and no one answering. He looks through the window. The house is empty. He knows his best friend has finally decided to cash in that winning lottery ticket, a gift that he was born with. Though he feels his friend’s absence, he is happy for him and smiles.