Show 'n Tell

I was lucky enough to attend the New Voices competition workshop run by Heidi Rice last Friday and I thought it was interesting how often media images, actors (including Daniel Craig, left) and programmes were used either as tags for certain series or as thinking material for character conflicts.

So watching Desperate Housewives or The Mentalist may actually be good for your writing career, it's official :-)
Actually, it was while watching an episode of The Mentalist that I got a really good lesson on how to show a character's conflict through action, rather than introspection or dialogue. Even those of you who aren't fans probably know the basic story-line - Patrick Jane (played by Simon Baker) lost his wife and child in circumstances he can never forgive himself for. Finally at the end of series two we see him on his first date since they died. He leaves to go to the bathroom and once out of his date's sight his face instantly darkens, we don't hear him utter a single thought to anyone but after watching him pace, sweat and then finger his wedding ring we're in no doubt about his inner turmoil. And his character has been set up so well we know exactly why.

Just looking at the room he sleeps in shows us he won't forgive himself for what happened (see below) it's an extremely powerful image...

Since I've joined the Minxes I've been trying hard to get my telling under control and show instead and watching this scene challenged me to really think about how my characters move and what I can show through their actions, or indeed their rooms and offices.
Happening to like Simon Baker is purely coincidental to this lesson but if you'd like some homework and live in the UK you can view the scene I describe for yourself for free via Five on Demand

Seeing as it's Friday I've brought some more pictures to my show 'n tell (Henry Cavil, Gilles Marini and Carter Oosterhouse) Please feel free to study intently for research purposes ;-)