From Info to Action: Making Motivation Visible on Screen

Turning emotional truth into visible behavior

Let’s just get right into it, shall we? Today’s topic and lesson is SO very important, folks. Really. We have to remember that we work in a VISUAL medium. As a writer of film or television, we have to SHOW the emotion on screen. Novelists have the luxury of TELLING us how a character is feeling or what they’re thinking.

Screenwriters? We don’t have that luxury…and that’s a good thing!

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Here is one of the most common early-draft mistakes I see:

• Characters talk about what they feel…instead of showing us what they DO because of what they feel.

In other words, their motivation stays informational. We’re told what matters to them, but we don’t see it actively shape their choices.

This article is for paid subscribers and dives deep into how to spot that problem in your own writing, and how to turn emotional info into visible, meaningful behavior.

I cover this with every client I work with in my 1-on-1 coaching calls. If you’re wrestling with how to SHOW your character’s fear, desire, or flaw on the page, let’s work together:

👉 https://thestoryfarm.org/call-packages

And if you haven’t already, you can join my Story Farm Circle Community. It’s free to join, and if you’re wiling and able, it’s $27.50/month to take part in ongoing classes, office hours, and live workshops:

👉 https://thestoryfarm.circle.so/c/forum

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In this article, paid subscribers will get:

• A step-by-step “Info-to-Action Rewrite Pass” to apply to your current draft

• A list of the most common traps I see when motivation stays off-screen

• A simple tool for turning flat exposition into meaningful conflict

• 3 key questions to ask in every scene

• A final checklist for making sure motivation moves your story

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Motivation That Stays “Off-Screen”

Let’s say your Main Character wants to reconnect with their kids. You know this as the writer. So you:

• Show them looking at a photo

• Mention it in dialogue

• Maybe have them watch a video or stare longingly out a window

You’ve given us the information. But have you made us feel it?

Here’s the core issue:

Motivation must be dramatized, not stated.

Because film and TV are visual mediums, a character’s internal motivation must be translated into behavior - into conflict, resistance, and ultimately, choice.

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Motivation Is Only Useful If It Complicates the Present

Motivation isn’t backstory.

It’s not a memory or exposition dump.

It’s what the character believes they need to survive emotionally, and it must be visible in how they act.

• A character who fears abandonment might constantly test the loyalty of others

• A character who wants control might micromanage until it backfires

• A character who craves respect might pick fights they can’t win

These aren’t traits. They’re externalized behaviors, rooted in internal fears. Really think about that, please. It’s the essence of scriptwriting.

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Action = Structure = Drama

This is why I constantly emphasize writing and developing (and rewriting) with a top-down approach:

1. Concept

2. Character Development

3. Structure

4. Page Work

Because without motivation fueling structure, you’re left with scenes that function, but don’t matter.

Once you’ve clarified the motivation, ask:

• “How is this motivation creating conflict in every sequence?”

• “What is the character doing that reveals what they’re afraid of?”

• “What are they willing to risk to get what they want?”

This turns a character from informed to alive!

If you wish to receive more of these lessons through my Substack, consider upgrading to a paid subscription. I’m offering a 25% discount for a full year! You could also become a founding subscriber and receive direct feedback from me. Check it out.