On Tuesday evening, Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi of The Bookshelf Muse hosted a webinar focusing on how to show character emotion by using non-verbal communication. It was well worth my time. While much of what they covered I had learned in my creative writing class, refreshers are always appreciated. One thing they advised really caught my attention. It was to watch a movie - taking notes on how the actors react in emotional scenes. Does the actor/actress lean in? Where are their hands? What are they doing with their lower body? Are they tense? Relaxed?
Actors have the ability to bring the written word to life. I think about Nicholas Sparks' THE NOTEBOOK. I enjoyed the book. But the movie...what can I say? I've watched it countless times and still cry. The scenes between Gena Rowlands and James Garner are so moving - both beautiful and heartbreaking. It's like having permission to witness someone's most intimate moments.
And that's the great thing about watching a movie, you are free to watch for as long as you like and - unlike people watching - you can press rewind. You can focus on the little details without having to worry about a real life someone thinking you are a creeper.
-DS McKnight
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