Day 12 Assignment

[Robert Smith]

Robert R Smith’s Seabiscuit Analysis Day 12

What I learned doing this assignment is the importance of individual character development of diverse characters that are drawn together to make a profound storyline and ending. In other words, I saw the value the pre-Seabiscuit backstories, even Seabiscuit’s! So, I learned the importance of telling backstories to build the story. In this case, the strange and unfortunate backstories lead to the unfolding profound story as the characters are weaved together when they encounter each other.

1. Howard (Bridges), Red (McGuire), and Tom (Cooper) and Seabiscuit are all given their own unique development before being gradually weaved together for the main story line and it is a set up for the profound way they impact one another as the story unfolds.

a. Tom Smith (Cooper’s) love of horses is profound. He has a calming, if not, hypnotic effect on them.

b. Seabiscuit and Red were made for one another it seems, they were of the same disposition and temperament. Intuitively, Smith senses this.

2. Use of archival photography and David (The Civil War) McCullough’s narration situates and contextualizes the story during the Depression, when the down and out needed hope and pride to rise above their impoverishment, which made them enthusiastic fans of the “underdog” Seabiscuit and his rider – a theme that is a part of the story throughout.

3. Dialogue: Howard: “The future is the finish line.”

4. Rather than fire Red after the loss of a race, Howard and Smith confront Red’s ‘anger issues’ that resulted in the loss of a race, because of a during-the race fight with an aggressive jockey that results in Seabiscuit’s loss. Red deals with his anger (although this is not explored as much in the film) but it is implicit when Red is more in charge of himself which leads to winning races. He would not have been able to do it without that unconditional love and support of Howard and Smith.

5. Dialogue: Howard: “We gave him a second chance. Lot’s of people know what I’m talking about.” He is speaking of both Red and Seabiscuit.

6. Howard forgives Red for concealing the fact that he is blind in one eye, a boxing injury. “Red will always be Seabiscuit’s jockey.”

7. They go on to race Seabiscuit in a match with his rival, War Admiral, and he wins! His victory is not only a success for Howard, Tom, and Red, but Seabiscuit and the nation.

8. As in “Remember the Titans” Howard is left without a Jockey or a horse due to their leg injuries. But Wolff can win on Seabiscuit and he does.

9. Howard was reluctant to race Seabiscuit again with a severely injured leg. He does not euthanize Seabiscuit but cares for him and makes Red a part of his healing process. But as we see the healing process of Seabiscuit we see the healing effect of Seabiscuit on Red. This arc was introduced by a shot of Seabiscuit and Red in their leg casts.

10. Howard is confronted with a decision as to whether or not he should pair up Red and Seabiscuit for the Santa Anita Handicap. Red is eager to race and claims he can do it especially with the new leg brace he created.

11. Howard asks Wolff to race him in the Santa Anita Handicap, but Wolff defers to Red. Howard says, “He might break his leg.” Wolff says, “Better to break a man’s leg than to break his heart.”

12. Red rides Seabiscuit to win the Santa Anita Handicap, as the dialogue ends with Red’s V.O. That Seabiscuit healed all of us, even the nation.” As he had become an inspiration to the nation suffering during the Depression.

• This reply was modified 4 years ago by  Robert Smith.

[Joshua Doerksen]

DAY 12 ASSIGNMENT #1 – PROFOUND MOMENTS – ACTION DELIVERS INSIGHT

Joshua Doerksen’s Seabiscuit Analysis

WHAT I LEARNED DOING THIS ASSIGNMENT:

Largely a reinforcement of the previous lesson where action on the screen (“show don’t tell”) presentation lends to a much more profound audience experience than dialogue alone.

PROFOUND MOMENTS:

1. Tom Smith saves a frenzied horse from being killed.

Tom looks into the soul of the animal through its eyes, and we the audience, experience empathy in the kindness of the act, the gentle heart of Tom that calms the horse in a moment of fear and crisis, the cruel reality of human nature, and a spiritual oneness with life in all forms.

2. Charles is brought wheels in the factory to repair and remarks at the poor quality while dreaming of a better life.

When Charles quips: “they ought to build a better spoke” and receives the retort: “then what would you do?” he is provoked to thought and forced to decision. He can play it safe to survive a life of mediocrity or he can embrace his inner-drive and risk failure to achieve a life of fortune.

The risk is profound where business is nil for Charles bicycle shop. The pursuit of success is evident in a profound risk to attempt a repair of the Stanley Steamer and improve upon its design without prior experience. The reward is profound in building a fortune on speed and racing.

3. The meeting of Tom and Charles by the campfire.

Charles asks Tom what he saw in the horse he had saved. The audience can experience the emotion that Tom has around his love of horses and his value of all life. It is evident here that Charles has the same value of life and a spiritual appreciation of Tom’s unique gift. The lasting impression in dialogue “You know, you don’t throw a life away just ‘cause he’s banged up a little” resonates with the profound truth of the movie – second chances.

4. Annie Howard leaves Charles after struggling to clean the porch of her son’s spilled blood.

The visual lifeblood of her son lends us to feel with Annie in her grief, pain, anger, and resentment over the loss of a child. Further, Annie looking back at Charles as she leaves the ranch forever is a moment we empathize with them both, and the ranch itself becomes a living metaphor for second chances.

5. Red Pollard is left with Mr. Blodget to utilize his gift with horses and an opportunity for a better life.

The Great Depression was a profound reality in the United States for many families and its impact is reflected here in the desperation of Red’s parents. A devastating decision to all, and one that aligns Red to the story’s profound truth.

6. Unable to watch, Charles leaves the bull fight for a smoke.

We empathize with Charles in the idea of death of the bull representing loss in both marriage and child, but we also find in the moment a value of life, not just of the bull but of a life lived. Charles second chance is profoundly found out on the balcony where he meets his true love, Marcella.

7. Tom realizes that Seabiscuit needs Red.

Tom sees the same fight in the heart of both Seabiscuit and Red as each fight off multiple men at the same time.

8. Red and Seabiscuit lose by a nose at the S.A. Handicap.

Red realizes with Seabiscuit that they can win.

Red recognizes that Seabiscuit’s second chance is also his second chance.

9. Charles arguing with the surgeon over Red’s shattered leg.

Charles can do for Red what he could not for his own son, yet his own personal drive to win and his wants for Red cloud his perception of the surgeon’s news that Red will walk again, despite him never being able to race again.

The profound truth of second chances is further aligned with Red when Seabiscuit himself injures a leg. From injuries to blindness, love, loss, fear… the movie supplants second chances with multiple chances and furthers the truth of the movie to endless possibility of spirit in the face of limitation.

10. Red builds a brace to again ride Seabiscuit.

The ending is profound here
in many ways, although not simply for the winning of a race. The movie does not
have the luxury of surprise here as this is a historical account and we do know
the ending. What I find profound is a cumulative win across the transformational
characters. Charles has found second chances in life, love, and family, as does
Marcela. Tom has found second chances in life and love from the humble life of
an overlooked horse caretaker to a professional racing coach with a family and
surrounded with love. Red and Seabiscuit have both found purpose through their
second and third chances and their transformation is not in perseverance alone,
it is in the unrelenting spirit, trust and love that propels them to victory
and inspires the country.

[Mark Smith]

Mark Smith/ASSIGNMENT 1/Seabiscuit Analysis

——————-

The assignment helped me see how important profound moments are to a story, impacting the audience and pulling the script together. I also see that many of the profound moments are done through action rather than only dialogue.

Watch the movie SEABISCUIT. As you do, look for the Profound Moments (any moment in the story that seems profound to you).

2. List the Profound Moments, then tell briefly what made them profound for you

Howard sits at campfire with Smith and asks him about injured horse. Smith tells him: “You don’t throw a whole life away just because it is banged up a little.”

Later, Red is beat at the finish line by a horse because he is blind in one eye. Smith demands that Howard fire Red for lying. Howard reminds Smith of their first meeting, quoting Smith earlier: “You don’t throw a whole life away just because it is banged up a little.”

The scene in which Smith is searching for the “right” jockey to ride Seabiscuit. Another jockey storms off after getting bit by the misbehaving, incorrigible Seabiscuit. As the out-of-control horse kicks and bucks with the staff trying to hold him, Smith turns and sees jockey Red fighting with four guys. He looks back again to the horse who also is fighting. Both are kindred spirits, angry and fighting and in need of a second chance. He has found his jockey.

In first race, when Red freaks out and gets into a fight on the final turn, losing focus on the race and losing the race…Smith asks him why he failed to follow the plan, Red yells, “He fouled me! He fouled me!” Red is outraged, but Howard steps in and ask Red: “What are you so mad at?” The scene cuts to a bridge where Red is about to throw the sack of books given to him by his father into the river. The scene answer the question of the anger: his dad had abandoned him during the depression.

Red nurses Seabiscuit back to health, only to be told he is not fit to ride Seabiscuit in the final race. Howard fears Red’s leg may not be able to handle the stress of riding if bumped or jostled, leaving him a cripple for life. But the jockey tells Howard: “I think it is better to break a man’s leg than his heart.” It sways Howard to let Red ride….and ties in what Smith had told Howard that you can’t judge a horse by his size, but rather his heart.

Smith tells jockey that he wants him to let Seabiscuit be able to look into the eyes of War Admiral, because that will cause the smaller Seabiscuit to get his competitive juices and heart flowing to overcome his lack of size..

Part 2

ASSIGNMENT 2

——————-

1. Create a list of the New Ways and Insights you’d like audiences to experience when they watch your movie.

The least powerful guys can win in the end if they don’t give up.

Change can occur through increments, but only if willing to take first step towards change.

A single transformational character can lead to sweeping change.

Without hope, nothing is possible.

Just being ethically and morally correct does not mean it will be followed.

Even if unsuccessful, at least you stepped forward and tried

2. With that list, brainstorm ways to turn the New Ways / Insights into Action. Come up with at least five (5) New Ways and the Action that will express them.

Parents and teachers join forces to organize public demonstrations in support of changes to the school.

Teachers file individual complaints against the principal for sexual harassment, each of them putting their careers on the line.

Frank sees the horrendous lack of controls and rampant abuses, and speaks out to the principal, who quickly attempts to destroy him….but ultimately the school board is forced to take action.

Robert Kennedy realizes that he must continue to study and do his homework, even though the principal is trying to make and example of him and family to prevent him from graduating.

Frank thought his initial complaint would lead to change (old ways), and realizes it only put a target on him.

Teachers behind Frank realize it is better to challenge the old ways, rather than continue to be part of a corrupt educational system.

[Robert Smith]

Robert R. Smith Day 12 Assignment #2

What I learned doing this assignment is: The importance of fleshing out insights in the script itself in a way that will enable the audience to experience it in a comprehensible way.

List the New Ways and Insights you’d like audiences to experience when they watch your movie.:

1. The importance of never losing hope. Things work out for the good – even unexpectedly.. Embodied in the saying: “God writes straight with crooked lines.”

2. No one is entirely good or entirely bad. There is always hope for redemption if we summon within ourselves what Lincoln called “the better angels of our nature.”

“Better Angels” in the play refers to the spiritual power we have for good within ourselves but also that people can also be ‘angels,’ i.e., agents for doing good.

BRAINSTORM FIVE USES OF NOT LOSING HOPE.

1. Initial seed of “Not losing hope” and that there can be unexpected good, happens with Lou (the gangster spirit) when he defends himself against an Solomon’s ennumeration of his crimes, he claims:

LOU

I was also a volunteer at St. Augustine’s Church.

SOLOMON

You were also a loan shark. The priest told you to put up a message on the church sign: “Pray without ceasing.” But you made it “Pay without ceasing.”

LOU

Freudian slip. On the up-side, the Poor Box hit the jackpot!

2. Lou despairs that it will be impossible even hopeless that he will find redemption because his mission is to persuade another ‘wiseguy’ to quit the mob. His spirit guide Rabbi Solomon addresses him

SOLOMON

No, my friend. Nothing is ever hopeless.

LOU

How can you be so sure?

SOLOMON

Lou, your own St. Augustine put it this way: “God writes straight with crooked lines.”

3. When Zoey the Psychic Stripper is called on by Sherrie to lead a séance to drive Lou’s spirit away and find out the location of $200K tied to Lou’s murder. Solomon tells Lou

SOLOMON: The Bible forbids consulting a spirit medium, but to accomplish our mission, we’ll have to play in the spirit medium’s ball park. She may even be an opportunity.

LOU: You mean, she could be a crooked line writing straight into a jackpot?

SOLOMON: That’s it.

4. When Solomon and Lou realize that Tony may be out to kill Carlo and Sam, he calls for assistance from Oleg Oransky, a Russian mafia kingpin. Lou describes Oleg as not a crooked line that writes straight into a jackpot but just crooked. The Russian Vory make us Cosa Nostra look like Boy Scouts.”

5. When Solomon finds that Oleg is in fact an FBI informant who is trying to save Carlo and Sam’s lives from Tony Rizzo. Solomon says to Oleg (who cannot hear him because only Lou can see and hear Solomon): “Oleg Oransky, not only are you a mensh*, you’re a straight line to a jackpot.”

*Mensch is Yiddish meaning, “a person of honor.”)

BRAINSTORM FIVE USES OF “BETTER ANGELS”AS SPIRITUAL POWER FOR GOOD AND AS INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE AGENTS OF GOOD.

1. Rabbi Solomon explains that no individual is entirely good or entirely bad. There is always hope that, as Lincoln said, the better angels of our nature will prevail.”

2. Zoey the Psychic Stripper is described by Solomon as an “angel” because her séance reinforced Lou and Solomon’s mission to rescue Carlo and Sam.

3. When Lou crashes Carlo’s 30^th Birthday Party, Solomon warns it will backfire and expose Carlo to harm from Tony Rizzo, the Boss. “You’re supposed to be awakening Better Angels, not causing a St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.”

4. When Solomon discovers that Oleg is trying to prevent Carlo and Sam’s murders, Solomon describes Oleg to Lou as an “angel.”

5. At the end, after Oleg, Sam Sherrie, Tony and his wife Lisa decide to leave the criminal life and join the FBI Witness Protectioin Program, Solomon says, “I never had my doubts we’d ever find this many Better Angels among criminals” Lou replies, “Yeah, it’s a bigger jackpot than the Poor Box at Saint Augustine Church.” .

• This reply was modified 3 years, 12 months ago by  Robert Smith.

[Joshua Doerksen]

DAY 12 ASSIGNMENT #2 – PROFOUND MOMENTS – ACTION DELIVERS INSIGHT

Joshua Doerksen’s Turn’s Insights into Action

WHAT I LEARNED DOING THIS ASSIGNMENT:

I have learned to practice bringing the profound moments in my writing through action where possible and to revisit all scenes that rely on dialogue to find a suitable actionable alternative. Actions truly speak louder than words in most cases.

NEW WAYS/ACTIONS:

1.) BILL REALIZES HIS PAIN THROUGH ANOTHER.

Bill agrees to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at a prestigious hospital to prove his mental clarity and ability to continue as Director of his own company. Although the stakes are incredibly high for Bill, his pride and ego hold him back from participating fully in the process and from an analytic standpoint, Bill is doing himself no favors. Throughout his initial therapy with the doctors Bill notices an attractive young therapist with whom he has no contact. Through a series of scenes in which Bill is resistant to his therapists and the general idea of being observed, Bill is himself observing Dr. Pratt. He sees her struggling to relate with co-workers, he sees her fighting back emotions in the face of misogyny, he sees her compassion for her patients (fellow man), he sees her working harder than everyone else to prove herself worthy in a profession dominated by men, and in all of this he sees his own character and PAIN mirrored in her actions, and he finally makes an attempt to talk to her.

2.) BILL SHARES THE GRIEF OF HIS PAST.

A private conversation with Dr. Pratt after a night terror reveals a horrifying memory that has haunted Bill for years. The event is recalled in flashback to the Manhattan Project and the Trinity experiment. An explosion is seen in the reflection of the viewers goggles from a bunker. The solemn expression in the aftermath of the successful detonation shows us a disconnect with the advances of scientific discovery and the ethics of war. News reel footage of the Atomic Bomb being loaded and delivered to the South Pacific and then the mushroom cloud image over Hiroshima dissolve into a defense department meeting at Los Alamos. Bill is present at the military presentation reviewing the devastation of the bomb on Hiroshima through classified film footage and pictures. Bill becomes violently ill at the sight of burnt men, women, and children and must leave the secure room. In his personal barracks, Bill burns a military credential associated with Bishop Enterprises.

3.) BILL ACKNOWLEDGES HIS GUILT/FAMILY ABANDONMENT.

Bill is sitting outside on the grounds of the hospital watching an old caretaker, close to his age, tending to the yard. With all the comings and goings of patients, doctors, aides and visiting families, Bill remains intently focused on the hard-working man. Suddenly, the keeper falls to the ground clutching his chest. Bill stands from the bench to cry out for help amidst the commotion of trying to shield patients from the emergency. Bill fights off an orderly trying to stay with the old-man and falls limp to the bench where he was sitting as medics stop working.

In a later scene, Dr. Pratt asks Bill about his feelings in that moment and Bill recalls his leaving the farm at an early age to follow his dreams, and later his drive to continue success in business at the expense of his family, culminating in the fear of his death without righting the wrongs he feels most guilty.

4.) BILL EXPRESES THE ANGER OF LOSS.

In a group therapy session, the discussion turns to homosexual ideologies and the doctor redirects to infer the “immorality” and “affliction” of same-sex oriented peoples. At the onset of the conversation Bill looks at a gold ring he wears on his right hand, a ring which we see in an earlier scene given him by Alan Turing. Bill is turning red in the face and writhing in anger as the conversation turns into a derogatory homophobic diatribe and Bill furiously throws his chair across the room and must be restrained.

5.) BILL CREATES A NEW LEGACY IN THE FACE OF DEFEAT.

When Bill’s lawyer comes to the hospital with Edward to bring news of the settlement offer from the Board and to recommend acceptance of that offer in the fear of losing all to the judgement of the court, Bill says not a word.

Instead, Bill produces a gold pen from his breast pocket and hands it to Edward, essentially passing the baton and cementing the future of his legacy with firmly with Edwards judgement.

[Frank Jordan]

Frank Jordan’s Day 12 #1 Assignment (Seabiscuit Analysis)

What I learned doing this assignment is that while dialogue can be profound we can generate greater impact be delivering insight through profound moments (action). Show, don’t tell.

Profound Moments:

1. Opening stills with V.O. up to and including “Within five years, Ford turned out a vehicle every ninety seconds.”

2. Tom’s love of the West and taming horses.

3. Stills of the 1929 crash and V.O. “Millions of Americans had a new definition of home.”

4. Close up of Red with tears in his eyes, while watching horse race. Demonstrating his love. Followed by his father handing him the bag of books and saying, “You have a gift.”

5. Frankie (Charles’ son) reading Flash Gordon and saying, “It’s about the future.”

6. Frankie’s death.

7. Red going from getting pummeled in the ring to reading his poetry book. Retreating to Old Ways.

8. Tom demonstrating compassion and his connection to horses by taming the horse about to be shot.

9. Charles standing on a balcony watching the kids kick a ball around. What could have been?

10. Tom to Charles after saving horse, “You don’t throw a whole life away just because he’s banged up a little.”

11. Charles to Tom, “You always tell the truth?”

12. Red “hot walking” through the fog with horse and looking him in the eye. Shows deep connection.

13. Charles, “What exactly do you like about that horse (Seabiscuit)?” Tom, “That spirit!”

14. Tom viewing three men trying to tame SB, then Red fighting with other jockey’s.

15. Tom, re SB, “Just needs to be a horse again.”

16. SB running like the wind with Red on his back. “You’re an amazing horse!”

17. Red reading in the stable while Tom sleeps under a tree, instead of the comfort of the manor.

18. SB sleeping with dog and other horse in stable to calm down.

19. Re Red, “What are you so mad at?”

20. Red standing at high bridge looking over edge, then contemplates tossing book bag over with V.O. from his father, “You have a gift.”

21. Charles, “The future is the finish line!”

22. Re Sam and War Admiral, Charles, “There stuck in the past. We’re the future.”

23. After Red admits he can’t see out of one eye, Charles to Tom, “You don’t throw a whole life away just because he’s banged up a little.” Throwing his own words back at him.

24. Re chances against War Admiral, “Horse too small. Jockey too big. Trainer too old…”

25. Training at Pimlico, SB running in the dark. Followed by Tom being hounded by reporters next mid-morning. “When are we going to see Biscuit run.” Tom, “He’s sleeping.”

26. Red to George (new Jockey), “Let him (SB) look Admiral in the eye.” Paraphrasing, “He won’t win with his feet. It’s his heart.”

27. Re Pimlico race, stills of people all over America listening to the radio with McCullough’s V.O. “Forty million American’s would hear the call.” Captured the nation.

28. Back at Santa Anita, woman smacking/cleaning rug as SB comes up lame with popped ligament.

29. Red in a cast and SB in a cast meet/hug. Recoup together. “Brick by brick my citizen’s.”

30. Red dining with Charles and Marcela, loading his plate to get his strength back, followed by a couple scenes later Red dining with Charles and Marcela, and skimping on the portions to get his weight down to ride again.

31. SB (with George on his back) sees Red approaching and whinnies. Touching.

32. Red to Charles, “Biscuit made me better! You made me better!”

33. George to Charles, “Better to break a man’s leg, than his heart.”

34. Final race at Santa Anita. Marcela sits in the stables. Can’t watch. Then we see her standing on the hood of a car watching, “C’mon Biscuit!”

35. V.O., “Everyone thinks we found this broken horse and fixed him. He fixed us. And each other.”

[Christine Cornelius]

ASSIGNMENT 1
——————-

Chris Cornelius’) Seabiscuit Analysis

What I learned doing this assignment is: the story is held together by the development of the three different backgrounds meshing into a shared purpose.

1. Watch the movie SEABISCUIT. As you do, look for the Profound Moments (any moment in the story that seems profound to you).

2. List the Profound Moments, then tell briefly what made them profound for you.

Many of these scenes are premonitions of what’s to come; many analogize what has already happened; many are wisdoms; many relate to similarities in literature; the dinner scenes mirror the mood and plot; many flashbacks connect the plot to the depression era events and mood.

It was the end and beginning of imagination

They ought to make a better spoke. Then what would you do?

If your dream was big enough and you had the guts to follow it, there was truly a fortune to be made.

The dinner scenes – That’s the poetry…The sky’s the limit.

Red watching the jockey for first time.

Child reading Flash Gordon. “It’s about the future.”

The clock ticking while father plays child’s game.

The Flash Gordon book page transitioning into boxing match.

How do you miss a hole like that? Are you blind?

Glances at romantic couples and children from balcony.

Red rejecting George.

You don’t throw a whole life away just because he’s banged up a little.

First time Smith meets Seabiscuit.

Seabiscuit forced to leave his mother / like Red.

How Smith meets red-fighting boys-while Seabiscuit is fighting men.

He just needs to learn how to be a horse again.

How far do you want me to take him? Until he stops. That seems like a pretty good ride.

Father rturns to son’s room, looks at barn and decides to get rid of cars and bring in horses. He’s healing and starting to move on.

This isn’t the finish line… the future is the finish line.

Quoting Shakespeare… noticing little kids.

Premonition… just got to win one more.

We just gave him a chance. Sometimes all someone needs is a second chance.

Why the stumble on the word ‘destiny.’

One of Seabiscuit’s eyes was blocked in the shot before the race during which red’s blind eye is discovered.

You don’t throw a whole life away just because he’s bagged up a little.

This is a horse that won’t give up.

Father playing with his son’s toy while Red is in the hospital.

It’s better to break a man’s leg than his heart.

He could die?

As hard as I try that little ball won’t stay in the hole.

He fixed us; and we fixed each other.

[Frank Jordan]

Frank Jordan’s Day 12 #2 Assignment (Turns Insights Into Actions)

What I learned doing this assignment is that showing insights through action is more powerful than verbalizing those insights.

Action expressing insights:

1. Through the first few weeks of training camp Sgt. Heller appears to be picking on Freddie, both verbally and physically during various drills. One day, Freddie has had enough. During a hand-to-hand combat drill, Freddie summons his courage and pent-up frustration and lunges at Sgt. Heller with his scabbard-covered bayonet. Sgt. Heller tries to fend Freddie off, but Freddie locks on and they struggle. Freddie eventually gets his foot behind Sgt. Heller’s leg and flips him onto his back. The men CHEER and glance at one another in amazement. Freddie quickly points his scabbard-covered bayonet at Sgt. Heller’s throat. “That how you do it, sergeant?”

2. Freddie and his squad are enjoying a night off in a French cafe, drinking and dancing with the local women, mostly white. Suddenly, the front door is kicked in and a handful of white American MP’s burst in and break up the fun. Later, as the men are shoved out the front door onto the street, Sgt. Heller is walking by. His attention is drawn to the commotion and sees Freddie getting whacked on the back with an MP’s club. Outraged, Sgt. Heller quickly approaches and confronts the MP. “Hey! Hey! What the hell you doin?” Before the MP can respond, Sgt. Heller slugs him and the MP falls. “These are my men! These are Americans!”

3. Following a trench raid late at night in which Freddie kills his first German, he is washing up and in a very dark, empty space. Sgt. (now Lt.) Heller tries talking to him, but is not connecting. Lt. Heller allows Freddie a few moments to collect himself then extends his canteen. “Here. Must be thirsty.” Freddie hesitates. (Of course, he must be thinking about the whites only and colored water fountains back home.) Lt. Heller, “Go on, it’s clean.” Freddie wipes his mouth on his sleeve, accepts the canteen, and takes a good gulp.

4. We learn early in the story that Freddie can’t write. He’s practicing his letters, slow and methodical, a bit sloppy, upper case followed by lower case. Frustrated, he scratches the last botched letter and drops his pencil on the table. Before returning to the front lines in France for the final big battle Freddie receives a letter from his wife Pearl. Lt. Heller learns Freddie can’t write. Lt. Heller glances at his watch, pulls out his small notepad and pen, then sits back down on the wall next to Freddie. “Tell me what you wanna say.” After some hesitation, Freddie dictates a beautiful letter to Pearl in Lt. Heller’s handwriting.

5. Before heading up to the front lines for the first time, Lt. Heller’s patriotism compels him to conceal his American flag under his tunic. (The regiment is fighting with the French army.) When Lt. Heller is mortally wounded in the final battle for Hill 188, Freddie rips open his tunic to try and patch him up and sees the tattered, blood-soaked flag. In a show of solidarity, after Lt. Heller succumbs, Freddie removes the flag and stuffs it down the front of his own tunic.

[SUZANNE KELMAN]

Suzanne Kelman Delivers Insight through Conflict

What I have learned from this assignment is that I loved the list of ways to create conflict.

Profound moments

“You could be crippled for the rest of your life.

I was crippled for the rest of my life. I got better.

He made me better. Hell, you made me better.”

“Sometimes when the little guy doesn’t know he is the little guy, he can do great things.”

Wanta know what I think?

Of course.

I think it’s better to break a man’s leg than his heart.

“You don’t throw a whole life away just because he’s banged up a little.”

“Everyone thinks we found this broken horse and fixed him. He fixed us. And each other.”

This isn’t the finish line… the future is the finish line.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 12 months ago by  SUZANNE KELMAN.

[Christine Cornelius]

ASSIGNMENT 2
——————-
Chris Cornelius’ Turns Insights Into Action

What I learned doing this assignment is: Trish is growing so much as she travels along she goes through the cycle of old ways becoming new ways becoming old ways becoming new ways time and time again. Not circularly as in Ground Hog Day… but linearly.

Create a list of the New Ways and Insights you’d like audiences to experience when they watch your movie.

1) Great spirits often encounter violent opposition from mediocre minds.

Discrimination against Trish when she’s young and is rejected by her brother’s friends because she’s female.

MIT guys worry about her.

Her family had an intervention.

Tom says she really ought to be traveling with someone.

The trash truck driver belittles her.

2) When one door closes, another opens.

Trish missed Tom of course, but she met the Vietnam vets, soon after.

Trish missed the Vietnam vets, the older brothers she never had, but then she met Matt-the spiritual naturist soon after.

She shared her soul and art with Joe Bones the hippy jeweler, but then traveled on learning more and more about people’s worlds and herself, collecting many more stories to tell.

She said good-bye to Andy, leader of the Lords, who understood her very well.

And then felt quite a loss saying good-bye to Pete-the stunt rider-‘Let me feel your throttle hand’ because she was closing the door to her single life, before exploring the world of Tom and his children.

3) You’ve got to take the good and leave the bad behind.

The undertaker wasn’t really bad, but he was trying to buy Trish to work in one of his businesses. So she took the fun memory of him, learned a lot about what was important to her, and left his materialism behind.

Trish took all of the decency she was raised with along with her on her travels and left the sheltered life she led behind.

Trish took all of the experience of family life she gained in Mississippi and left, being an accessory to dealing in marijuana, behind.

Trish took Matt’s book, ‘As a Man Thinketh’ and some fun memories of him; and left behind a man/friend who was not right for her at that time in her life.

4) Life is an odyssey, not a guided tour.

There were many bumps and detours along the road.

Trish dumps the bike a couple times and is stronger because of it.

And many good things happened as the result of something bad happening.

Meeting the jazzy man in the Cadillac who saved her when she ran out of gas in Southern Texas.

Her trip took a major detour because she needed her bike tuned and met Tom.

She got sick and was nursed back to health by Matt.

5) Live, learn and renew.

This script is written in three storylines that show the development of this person, Trish, through three different stages of her life, all ending on a different bike.

Life or death experiences mellow over time.

She wants to someday be an old lady with stories to tell.

In the process of trying to down size with great difficulty in her attic, and coming across all of her life’s memorabilia… she gives up and takes off to make more memor

[Scott Richards]

Scott Richards’ Seabiscuit Analysis

What I learned doing this assignment is how to looker more deeply into the profound moments of a movie.

I won’t touch on the moments that Hal already pointed out.

Right off the bat there is a profound moment. In and of itself, this moment is profound, but it also sets up one of the profound themes in the story. The Charles Howard says to the foreman at the bicycle factory her works at regarding his boring job of replacing damaged spokes; “They ought to make a better spoke.” The foreman replies; “Yeah, then what would you do?”. This sets up the theme of perseverance which is stated later by Howard; “Everybody loses a couple, but are you going to pack it in and go home, or are you going to keep fighting?”

This is the most powerful theme throughout.

We see Red’s old ways whenever he fights with others, especially during a race, which causes him to lose. His old ways of losing his temper doesn’t work. His old ways are challenged with the question; “What are you so mad at?”, he sees that his old ways don’t work. His new ways of staying calm and in control of his anger breeds success.

There a setup through subtext of the profound theme when Tom says; “You don’t throw a whole life away just ’cause he’s banged up a little?” We see this theme throughout afterwards. This becomes starker as all around the main characters we see people giving up on children (Red’s own parents shuffle him off to someone else, yes it is meant to give him a better life but it hurts Red deeply), businesses and even marriages.

We see how the old ways did not work with Seabiscuit until he given freedom to be hi true self.

The are profound moments dealing with the barn when the horses are replaced by race cars and then the race cars are replaced by race horses. Perhaps it’s another statement of giving something a second chance. Horses, seen as obsolete replaced the automobile, then horses are given a second chance?

The profound theme of “everyone deserves a second chance” can be seen clearly during Howard’s second chance speech from the train. Then again several times…

– Red’s eyesight.

– Red’s broken leg.

– Seabiscuit’s torn ligament.

and one of the most profound moments in the film when Red says; “I was crippled for the rest of my life. He made me better. You made me better.”

I liked the use of the profound metaphor in the child’s ‘ball-in-the-hole’ toy. It echoes perseverance and second chances. Another metaphor is the race itself at the end. Both Red and Seabiscuit are already winners before the race even starts, just for trying.

[Birgit Myaard]

ASSIGNMENT 1

Birgit Myaard’s Seabiscuit Analysis

What I learned doing this assignment is one way to present the New Ways is in delivering Profound Moments in action, rather than the usual way through dialogue.

There were a number of profound moments in this film that actually made me cry: Red’s parents giving him up so he can have a second chance at life. Howard’s son dying so, in an ironic way, his father can end up with a second chance at life (not that he needed one, but the situation led to that.) Pumpkin about to be put down, but Tom rescuing her and giving her a second chance at life. Howard giving Tom a second chance at life. Howard and Tom giving Red another second chance at life after his first second chance fizzles. Howard, Tom, and Red giving Seabiscuit a chance to become a champion and then another chance after the injury. Most of these scenes involved little-to-no dialogue and were purely action-oriented.

Assignment 2 will not appear here… the project is still too much in its infancy and too great in scope to do that yet.

[Brenda Bynum]

SEABISCUIT Profound Moments

There were many profound moments in this movie. Three characters who are broken and beaten down come together to raise up a horse that has also been broken and trained to lose. Working together they all become the winning team of “Seabiscuit.”

The great open spaces and wild horses were about to be a thing of the past.

Bicycles (and horses) are going to be replaced by cars.

The fence on the open range and the race cars on the road.

“The future is the finish line.” The future is coming whether we like it or not.

Horses taken out of the stables and cars put in.

Wild West has become a show instead of an actual life.

Tom calming down the agitated horse and putting the bridle on him. He has a gift.

Red earns his horse by reciting a poem by Dickens. A future jockey who reads literature and not just the daily racing forms.

“If we can start out there and end up here, where can’t we go in America.”

The 1929 Crash and the devastation that caused countless numbers of people to lose their livelihoods and their purpose in life.

“Displaced family took to the highway in the last possession that remained to them–their automobile. And all at once Americans had a new definition of “home.”

Watching Red observe the horse race and then his parents selling him. He now has a new home with his books. “You have a gift. You have a gift. We’ll be back.”

“Where’d you learn to ride like that?” Red replies, “Home.”

“How do I pay all that back?” Trainer replies, “You win.” That’s what is important in America now.

“You gonna lose like that you better fall off trying.” The sacrifices that jockeys had to make in this life.

The very thing that created his success is what killed his child. Birds flying out of the tree symbolize death.

Charles holding his son and crying. Distance at funeral. Sequence ends playing silly child’s game that is impossible to win. Closing and padlocking the barn with the cars. Wife leaving. Charles has lost everything.

Flash Gordon fighting cutting to Red fighting in a ring. The future.

When his future wife sees Charles she says, “Look at him. Nothing quick about that.”

Red reading books while sleeping in train station. Trying to make weight to ride. George’s and Red’s connection with books.

Finding out that Red is blind in the left eye but he won’t quit. He is a fighter.

Tom rescuing wounded white horse. “You don’t throw a whole life away jus’ cause he’s banged up a little.” Theme of the movie.

“You want something that’s not gonna run from a fight.” Second theme of the movie.

The first time Tom sees Seabiscuit he looks back at time with a stare that says, “What the hell are you looking at? Who do you think you are?”

When Seabiscuit is fighting the handlers and Red is fighting the other jockeys. Tom sees the spirit in both. They are a match made in heaven, or hell, as the case may be.

Red tells Seabiscuit, “I ain’t afraid of you.” They are equals.

“Seems pretty fast.” “Yeah, in every direction.”

“They’ve gotten him so screwed up running in a circle that he has forgotten what he was born to do. He just needs to learn how to be a horse again.” Red takes Seabiscuit for a ride. Runs until he stops.

When Charles looks in his son’s room. Red is reading in the barn. And Tom is sleeping outside under the stars. We see the men in their past heading to the future.

They take the padlock off the barn. Cars out and horses back in.

Seabiscuit gets friends and calms down. The three men become friends.

Learning about Seabiscuit’s need for competition.

Odds against them, but they continue to fight.

“This horse couldn’t win a church raffle.”

“You seen the size of our jockey?”

Red lets his emotions get in the way and loses the race. He’s upset that his family left him and never came back.

When Red asks to borrow $10 and Charles gives him $20. He believes in him.

Men who were shattered found their heart.

When the little guy doesn’t know he is a little guy, he does big things. This is the future. Seabiscuit is just the one to get us there.”

Cheap seats. People spending their hard-earned money to see Seabiscuit. Identified with the underdog horse.

“Though he be but little, he is fierce.” “That’s Shakespeare, fellas.”

“You show me something that’s perfect, and I’ll show you something that’s not.

“Just because we are littlier, doesn’t mean we are scared.”

“You have a date with destiny and his name is Seabiscuit.”

Tick Tock McLaughlin represents the turn of the people to support Seabiscuit.

Odds against Seabiscuit to win the race.

They find out that Red is blind in one eye, but keep him as the jockey –

“Even when life beats him by the nose.”

“You either pack up and go home or you keep fighting.”

Odds against Seabiscuit. They retrain him at night.

Red’s “accident.” His buddy George coming into ride the big race.

The retraining of Seabiscuit after his injury.

Red finding out that George is going to ride the horse. “And this, the most unkindest cut of all.”

“He’s as much my horse as he is yours.”

George’s says to Charles, “I think it’s better to break a man’s leg than his heart.”

The child’s game payoff. “Just let him ride, Charles. Just let him do it.”

Charles gives Red the chance to win Santa Anita which he does. Seabiscuit is a 7-year old horse running against 3-year olds.

ASSIGNMENT 2

——————-

Brenda Lynn’s Turns Insights Into Action

What I learned doing this assignment is by discovering the profound moments in Seabiscuit and articulating them, it has helped me to forge these moments into my script, not just with dialogue, but by incorporating action to demonstrate the change.

1. Create a list of the New Ways and Insights you’d like audiences to experience when they watch your movie.

1. Opening yourself up and moving out of your comfort zone.

2. Conquering the elements.

3. The people can make connections face-to-face and not just on the computer.

4. To learn from experience and not the documentation of the experience.

5. You can form your own opinions.

2. With that list, brainstorm ways to turn the New Ways / Insights into Action. Come up with at least five (5) New Ways and the Action that will express them.

1. David accepts his trip to Guatemala by getting a backpack and learning Spanish.

2. David does battle with mosquitoes and wins with Bounce.

3. Meeting and bonding with Appo because he shares food and water.

4. David begins to time the fire ceremony but is so enthralled that he forgets his plan. He turns his watch over at the end of the ceremony.

5. David has one more venture into Internet world and realizes that it is more frightening than the jungles of Tikal.