Hmmm...I'd argue with this one, because literature isn't just a screenplay. The written word can get into people's heads in ways that don't translate into "movie" form. Yes, the words can translate into visual images, but there can be effects from the structure of the words themselves. A substack author wrote an article about it:
Certainly when I read fiction there's a kinda movie playing in my head. The SFX budget being unlimited its often MUCH better than the actual movie version. Non-fiction is a bit different. It's more like a documentary with the author doing the 'voice over'.
Of course, thinking about it a bit more, one great thing that books can do MUCH better than movies is allowing the reader to 'live' inside another character for the length of time you're reading. I think there's been multiple studies that reading fiction increases people's empathy levels probably because of this aspect.
I've never been able to see pictures in my head when I read. I just see the words themselves. Kind of like a slideshow I guess? But not always, most times it is just me and the words on the page in front of me.
That must be so cool. On one hand I wish I could read that way, but on the other hand I might distract myself by wandering off into whatever I have imagined and then find something that's not part of the story, and forget about the book.
The words echo in my head as I am reading, if that makes sense?
I'd heard about it but had trouble getting my head around the idea. I guess its difficult for someone who does see pictures in their minds eye when reading to imagine seeing nothing instead.
True. I have always seen pictures in my head of whatever I read about. Maybe that's why I love reading so much and why I often don't like the film they make out of the book.
It was weird when I was reading 'Northern Lights' by Philip Pullman. When the character of Mrs Culter appeared I 'saw' her in my head as Nicole Kidman so was pleased (and a bit surprised/pleased) when she was cast in the role in the movie adaptation (The Golden Compass). What impressed me even more was that the author later said that HE saw Kidman as Culter when he was writing the character! [lol]
That sounds great. It never happened to me that way but often, the character is similar to what I thought. If not, they have cast the person wrong, not like the author described them.
14 comments:
Hmmm...I'd argue with this one, because literature isn't just a screenplay. The written word can get into people's heads in ways that don't translate into "movie" form. Yes, the words can translate into visual images, but there can be effects from the structure of the words themselves. A substack author wrote an article about it:
https://countercraft.substack.com/p/turning-off-the-tv-in-your-mind
Honestly, after I read that I realized how guilty I was of it in my own attempts at short fiction.
Certainly when I read fiction there's a kinda movie playing in my head. The SFX budget being unlimited its often MUCH better than the actual movie version. Non-fiction is a bit different. It's more like a documentary with the author doing the 'voice over'.
Of course, thinking about it a bit more, one great thing that books can do MUCH better than movies is allowing the reader to 'live' inside another character for the length of time you're reading. I think there's been multiple studies that reading fiction increases people's empathy levels probably because of this aspect.
I've never been able to see pictures in my head when I read. I just see the words themselves. Kind of like a slideshow I guess? But not always, most times it is just me and the words on the page in front of me.
WOW....! I think that would really challenge me. When I read a book, especially a novel, its like dreaming with my eyes open......
That must be so cool. On one hand I wish I could read that way, but on the other hand I might distract myself by wandering off into whatever I have imagined and then find something that's not part of the story, and forget about the book.
The words echo in my head as I am reading, if that makes sense?
Yup, I get that. I certainly hear the author narrating non-fiction like a documentary... and I 'hear' conversations in fiction too.
That is very sad indeed. I think they ought to read more, then they could do that, as well.
I'd heard about it but had trouble getting my head around the idea. I guess its difficult for someone who does see pictures in their minds eye when reading to imagine seeing nothing instead.
True. I have always seen pictures in my head of whatever I read about. Maybe that's why I love reading so much and why I often don't like the film they make out of the book.
It was weird when I was reading 'Northern Lights' by Philip Pullman. When the character of Mrs Culter appeared I 'saw' her in my head as Nicole Kidman so was pleased (and a bit surprised/pleased) when she was cast in the role in the movie adaptation (The Golden Compass). What impressed me even more was that the author later said that HE saw Kidman as Culter when he was writing the character! [lol]
That sounds great. It never happened to me that way but often, the character is similar to what I thought. If not, they have cast the person wrong, not like the author described them.
Oh... The number of films with poor casting decisions... ENDLESS!
Often, the actors are not really bad, just wrong for the role.
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