Day 1: Belonging Together – SEABISCUIT

[Joan Butler]

The drama is built around breaking the horse.

These characters are great because they are so far apart that the audience is curious to know how they will come together.

Wound—These characters are fighting so hard because they have wounds.

Future—The trainer is living in the future as he links the horse and jockey and sees their potential.

Traits—Anger. Fighting. Courage

We know the horse and jockey belong together because:

They are both fighters.

The jockey said, “I’ll take you all on” while the horse was fighting off multiple men.

The trainer links them together when he looks at the jockey then the horse.

Breakthrough: I can show belonging in multiple ways.

[Robert Kerr]

Bob Kerr

Watch for the first time:

What causes you to believe these two belong together?

Both the horse and the jockey are independent, fierce and will not surrender to anyone no matter the odds.

Notice any similar emotions and actions:

The horse is resisting being controlled. He does not want to be dominated. The jockey is unwilling to accept the fate of a gang intent on street justice. These two are destined to be together as two spirits in search of an understanding and compatible partner.

Watch the second time:

What drama is this scene built around:

The trainer has placed his reputation, and perhaps his job, on the line on his evaluation of the horse and its potential. He needs to find a jockey that sees the same qualities in the horse that he does. He needs a jockey with spirit and fight and a barnyard brawl reveals a hidden opportunity for the trainer.

What profile items show up in these two characters:

Actually see there are three characters that show up. The trainer, the horse and the jockey.

Right Character: No one will quit. The horse, the jockey and the trainer. They are all in on the desire to win.

Traits: Independence, fierce, angry and hidden wound

Secret: The horse and jockey have been overlooked for whatever reason. The trainer may be on his last chance.

Wound: No one seems to care about the horse and the jockey. Perhaps their whole life has been one situation after another where they were overlooked or labeled as troublesome.

Future: If all that angry, independence and energy can be channel into one positive vision, there could be magic in the bottle for such a pairing.

What I learned from the rewriting of a scene/character is the need to build clues into the pairing (belonging together). Take the time and patience to build out the drama and respect the synergy that is real.

[Lynn Vincentnathan]

WATCH 1ST TIME FOR:

What causes you to believe these two belong together?

– Red and Seabiscuit are both pugnacious, with anger issues

– Both are willing to fight against all odds

Notice any similar emotions and actions.

– Red and Seabiscuit are full of fight and anger in their words (and neighs) and fighting, resisting

———————————

WATCH 2ND TIME FOR:

What drama is this scene built around?

– read the synopsis – Red and Seabiscuit are living in the future of being jockey and racehorse. They are being “rescued” by Charles

What profile items (right character, traits, secret, wound, future) showed up in these two character’s words and actions?

– anger, fight, willingness against odds, wounded past, winning future

———————

What makes this character great from a writing perspective

– emotion, anger, fight, willing to fight against bad odds

[Wilton Blake]

First Watch:

What causes you to believe these two belong together? This scene was a bit too “on the nose.” The glances the dude makes between the wild young jockey and the wild young horse make it obvious that they should be together. Everything the dude said about the horse immediately transferred to the jockey.

Second Watch:

What drama is this scene built around? The underlying drama is that the horse is an investment, and it must race to produce a payout. But the horse is too wild to race and win.

What profile items (right character, traits, secret, wound, future) showed up in these two characters’ words and actions? Stubbornness, boldness, independence

[Ann Marie]

At the moment, I am unable to view the video as it is unavailable to me for some reason, so after reading everyone’s insights, I’ll hopefully get to view the scene, it sounds great. If anyone has a youtube clip of it they could post, I’d appreciate it

Thanks, Ann Marie

[Mi Lock]

I’m in Paris and couldn’t access it neither, I changed my VPN to LA and succeeded to access the video (don’t know why?)

I looked for another link to the video that works here: https://youtu.be/urwf0k9Sjsw (clip should stop at 1:30 right before Tobey Maguire stands in the barn)

Hope it works for you too.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by  Mi Lock.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by  Mi Lock.

[Ann Marie]

Thanks Mi 🙂

[Mi Lock]

Video seems to be unavailable for me as well (France, not sure if there’s any “region limit”). Thx

[Patrick Malone]

Week 2 Day 1: Belonging Together – SEABISCUIT

1st Viewing:

• What causes you to believe these two belong together?

Seabiscuit is wild, he has a tantrum is his stall, fights off three handlers, and attacks the would-be jockey. The trainer sees Red fighting off four attackers. Both Seabiscuit and Red and spirited and fighters. The trainer sees that Red could be the kind of jockey to handle Seabiscuit.

• Notice any similar emotions, words, and actions.

The trainer says Seabiscuit has spirit and can be a little touchy. Red yells at his attackers, “Come on, I’ll take you all on.”, revealing his fighting spirit. Both the horse and Red are angry.

2nd viewing:

• What drama is this scene built around?
• The drama is built around the trainer needing a jockey who can ride Seabiscuit. The trainer wants to show the horse’s abilities to a potential new owner. The horse is not accommodating. Perhaps Red is the answer.
• What profile items (right character, traits, secret, wound, future) showed up in these two character’s words and actions?

– right character: horse and Red are spirited fighters

– traits: horse and Red are angry

– would/secret: Why is Seabiscuit so wild and angry? Why is Red being attacked?

– Future: Red will; become Seabiscuit’s jockey.

[Mi Lock]

Haven’t seen the movie but now I definitely have to. That scene really made me want to see more.

These characters are great from a writing experience because we understand as the scene goes, that both of them are similar: “got spirit”, have temper, uncontrollable, fight with others, provocative (the horse is banging very hard in the barn, then tearing the shirt of the jockey, “Red” is pushing the other guys into a fight).

I think that scene is BRILLIANT !!!! I LOVE it !! => BREAKTHROUGH

Without saying a single word, you can read the thoughts of the trainer and him understanding. To me, this is a GREAT MAGICAL MOMENT!

We, as the audience, are now eager to know what is going to unfold with these 2 characters (Red and the horse).

As for the trainer, we feel empathy for him as he might lose the competition or his job if he doesn’t get anyone able to ride that horse.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by  Mi Lock.

[Ann Marie]

(Thanks Cheryl)

These are two great characters from a writing perspective and the scene itself is a brilliant example of showing how two characters belongs together, using motifs like mirroring actions, emotions and using dialogue to express a connection between them.

Seabiscuit is an unruly horse, considered crazy by most. Red is also unruly, challenging anyone to try and take him on. Both are spirited and will not be controlled.

As Seabiscuit is surrounded by men trying to contain him, so also is Red, surrounded by men trying to get the better of him. Both showing an unstoppable spirit, will not be defeated or conform.

When the trainer looks from Seabiscuit to Red, we can see what he’s thinking…these two are alike….I wonder would it work….setting up a future for them together, a future that we the audience are invested in, curious to know, hopeful that it may work. This is great writing, getting the audience emotionally interested in the outcome of putting these two characters together. We are already invested in their relationship and they haven’t yet met…..so the expectation of their meeting is high.

The first jockey approaching Seabiscuit is arrogant, he thinks he’s ‘got it’ but he doesn’t at all.

Whereas Red stands outside Seabiscuits stall, sizing Seabiscuit up in his mind, listening to his frustrations, he understands his anger.

When he meets Seabiscuit, he tells him he’s not afraid of him, that he knows all about him..which, in the subtext, implies he feels the same feelings as Seabiscuit because they are kindred spirits. Seabiscuit feels it too… someone who understands him, because (I’m guessing) they’ve been through similar ordeals.

The writing uses many of the processes Hal has given us, wounds, the right characters, liginv into the future, belonging together, building relationships that makes these great characters be in a great scene.

I particularly liked Mi’s and Bob’s insights.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by  Ann Marie.

[Donna Stockwell]

These two (Red and Seabiscuit) belong together since they are both being treated the same by others, and retaliating responses to the others’ treatments in the same way… they both have similar outlook towards how the world treats them.
Right character – since the world is treating both Red and Seabiscuit the same, they have the same responses and outlook on life; the trainer has a keen eye and looking for a winning combination
traits – high spirited, driven, fend for themselves / fighters, anger ; the trainer is an enabler
secret – Red and Seabiscuit are each outstanding characters in their own right,
wound – how others treat both Red and Seabiscuit; the trainer will not let a horse beat him
future – they are meant to be friends; the trainer is destined to finally pair his horse with a jockey

Belonging together and the future can be shown by similar circumstances happening simultaneously to the two characters (humans or animals) who are destined to be together, in which they have similar or comparable responses.
And, the trainer’s simple action of viewing both Red and Seabiscuit in similar circumstances with a similar response, is the key to their future (all three characters).

[Elizabeth Koenig]

What I learned: partner characters who are very similar make powerful co-protagonists

What causes you to believe these two belong together?

Tom believes in potential/promise, and understands that you need harnessed ‘fight’ to win in this world. He literally sees— in mirrored presentation—both jockey and horse are willing to thrash against large numbers of ‘assailants,’ to the point of injury and maybe death. Tom realizes this grit can be trained for competition in both and understands that Red and Seabiscuit will come to see themselves in each other, providing the foundation for the deep respect and empathy from which a successful partnership can emerge.

Similar emotions: passionate and extreme ‘fight’ and confidence. Similar action: the wild thrash with which they resist.

Drama the scene is built around: Tom NEEDS to find a jockey who is willing—and able—to ride this horse. And the cocky jockey he’s found has just stormed away, calling the horse ‘nuts.’

Right characters: identical temperaments in horse and jockey

Wound: have they both been abused before? I can’t remember.