Lesson 12

[Bob Zaslow]

DAY 12

Bob’s Seabiscuit Analysis.

What I learned on this assignment was by doing a ‘close watching’ of this movie, I found more than a dozen profound moments, which is many more than I expected. Regarding my own play, I’m thinking I can have a few profound moments, but because it’s a comedy, with a protagonist the audience will learn to really dislike, I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around how I can have more moments that Hal would agree are profound. I may have to rewatch “Groundhog Day.”

1- Profound Moment: Red (as a nine-year old) at dinner table. His father reads him a poem from Emily Dickinson about not fearing to be great. (It set young Red’s heart on a path to pursing greatness.)

2- Profound Moment: Charles’ son’s death in an accident. (He is haunted by it and won’t take chances on losing anyone he cares about.)

3- Profound Moment: Charles sees something in the eccentric Tom Smith and decides to hire him. (He trusts his instincts and takes a chance on someone who appears ‘broken down.’)

4- Profound Moment: Tom, talking to Charles about a lame horse he adopted says, “You don’t throw a whole life away just ‘cause he’s banged up a little.” (This theme continues throughout the film…with Red and with Seabiscuit.)

5- Profound Moment: Tom watches Seabiscuit fighting with his handlers and turns to see Red fighting with some jockeys. (In that moment, he realizes he’s found a match for both of them.)

6- Profound Moment: After watching Seabiscuit give a zig-zaggy performance on the track, he has the farsightedness to say, “He’s gotten so screwed up, he’s forgotten what he was born to do. He just has to learn to be a horse again.” (Charles realizes that his son’s death has screwed him up as well.)

7- Profound Moment: Montage of Red letting Seabiscuit run full tilt for the first time and all are amazed at his grace and speed. (Until that moment, no one in the audience knew how great the horse could be.)

8- Profound Moment: a lackadaisical ride turns into a track record when Seabiscuit sees another horse in front of him and tears out at breakneck speed. (At first, the audience is disappointed at the horse’s poor performance, but then is thrilled to see him get ahead so quickly.)

9- Profound Moment: Montage of black and white stills and footage of people working in public projects like bridges and tunnels. VO: “It wasn’t the dams or the roads that made the biggest difference. It was that men who were broken only a year ago suddenly felt restored.” (A continuation of the theme in #4 and focus on the element of pride.)

10- Profound Moments: Charles’ early interview with press: “Sometimes when a little guy doesn’t know he’s a little guy, he can do great big things!” And in another interview, Charles says, “Sometimes all someone needs is a second chance. (The ‘second chance’ theme applies to Red and Seabiscuit after both got injured.)

11- Profound Moment: After the Santa Anita loss, Charles finds out Red is partially blind in one eye, but keeps him on as a jockey. “You don’t throw a whole life away ‘cause it’s backed up a little bit.” (The audience will be with Charles on this one. He’s put his faith in another beat up person, this time, his jockey.)

12- Profound Moment: After the Santa Fe loss, in his third press conference, he tells them, “Everybody loses a couple. You either pick up and go home or you keep fighting.” (Shows his vision: he’s in it for the long haul and continues to have faith in his horse and jockey.)

13- Profound Moment: Red in his hospital bed giving riding advice about Seabiscuit to George, his replacement jockey: “It’s not in the feet, Georgie, It’s right here.” (Points to his heart. And it’s the heart of Red and Seabiscuit that ultimately beat strong and achieve that greatness Emily Dickinson wrote about in the early scenes.)

14- Profound Moment: Before the last Santa Anita race, George lobbies to get a recuperating Red back on Seabiscuit. He tells Charles, “It’s better to break a man’s leg than his heart.” (This statement from the jockey who would have gotten the accolades had he ridden Seabiscuit, went a long way to convincing Charles to let Red ride.)

15- Profound Moment: (near the end) In a VO, Red says, “Everyone thinks we took this broken-down horse and fixed him. But we didn’t. He fixed us.” (Profound, because the lesson is clear—don’t give up on someone or something because they had a setback. Instead, encourage them and have faith.)

[Vivien Le]

Excellent analysis, Bob. I like the way you present your ideas in a concise and convincing way. I missed a few important profound moments that you mentioned on your analysis (#1, #2, #6, #10 and #11). It’s great that you tied Emily Dickinson’s poetry to Red’s belief that he can become a great hocky. Well done.

[Bob Zaslow]

I just read your kind comment, Vivien. Thank you.

[Bob Zaslow]

DAY 12 (Part B)

Bob’s “Turns Insights into Action” list.

What I learned doing this assignment is, two weeks ago, I didn’t care much about whether my audience experienced insights. I wanted to tell a good story based on a play by Shakespeare, with some meaning and a lot of laughs. Now, I see there are a number of insights I’d like them to experience. I think once I write the dialogue and the play takes shape on the page, I’ll see more “New Ways” I’d like my audience to think about. However, I also have to remember this is a comedy. Yes, it’s got character changes and even a transformation. But I wonder whether a lot of insights into new ways of doing or being have a large role to play. I think the list of five ideas below is a good start and may be all I need:

List of New Ways and Insights I’d like audiences to experience:

1- Don’t make fast judgments on a character until you know more context.

(Early on, audiences will empathize with the wicked Malvolio under his false imprisonment circumstances, but will soon come to dislike him as much as the group of five who carried out the scheme to humiliate him.)

2- Courage and openness always beat false confidence and insecurity.

(Although Malvolio bullied Fabian more than anyone, Fabian was the one who secretly unlocked the door to release him, letting the audience see his courage against the other four conspirators and his willingness to forgive.)

3- Verbal bullying of lower status people and toadying up to higher status people is a sign of someone with little self-confidence.

(Malvolio dresses up in a ridiculous manner because he believed his boss, Lady Olivia, loved him. When he learns that the opposite is true, he wants to punish everyone involved in the prank. Perhaps the audience will see some of that in themselves or someone they know.)

4- Blind revenge only spirals all parties downward into misery.

(Once Malvolio starts on his revenge tirade, the tricks get nastier and costlier. And Sir Toby, who only ‘suspects’ Malvolio, is this close to killing him in a duel. The audience may see that the short-lived gratification of getting back at someone is not worth the long-term costs.

5- Don’t wait until a catastrophe happens to finally stop your vendetta.

(By the last act, Malvolio has the sense to see what pain he’s caused and reveals the truth, along with returning stolen money and rebuilding Fabian’s mill. He then sneaks out of town to avoid imprisonment. Audiences may see the futility of blind revenge. In the long run, the real one getting punished is the one who takes his revenge.)

[Joan Butler]

Assignment 1

What I learned: If I can touch someone’s heart with my script, I will have done my job as a screenwriter.

All of these moments were profound because they touched my heart.

-Mr. and Mrs. Pollard say good-bye to Red.

-Mr. Howard cries.

-The first time in a long time you were not alone.

-Men who were broken felt restored.

-Everyone thinks we took a broken-down horse and fixed him. The horse fixed us, every one of us.

All of these sentences were profound because they were worth remembering.

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

-Sometimes, all someone needs is a second chance.

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

Assignment 2

What I learned: The actions are more subtle and more powerful than words.

New Ways followed by Action

1. Selma stops blaming herself for her mother’s death. Selma honors her mother by holding her father responsible for her death.

Action: When Selma felt guilty, she lit a back candle for her mother. Now she lights a white candle.

2. Selma asks for help. She needs Elizabeth’s friend to keep Elizabeth at the transition house.

Action: Selma slips Elizabeth’s friend a recipe card. In the next scene, Elizabeth and her friend make 12-hour bread.

3. Selma opens up and talks about her life.

Action: I don’t know. The whole point is that she talks.

4. Elizabeth understands Mark is in control.

Action: Elizabeth paints colors to represent Threats, Fear, Anger, Power, Control, Guilt, as Selma calls out the words faster and faster. Elizabeth screams. She hurls the paint, shreds the paper, and throws the pieces into the air.

5. Elizabeth understands Mark is not a good man. He told her she was delusional and persuaded her to give up her baby.

Flashback—Elizabeth, in tears, gives her newborn to a nurse as Mark stands by.

[Vivien Le]

Vivien’s Seabiscuit Analysis

What I learned doing this assignment was to understand how to create key emotional moments in the movie that give insight to the characters and help them going through their Transformation Journey

PROFOUND MOMENTS

1. Red’s father hands him a bag of his belongings then the parents emotionally bid goodbye to their 16-years-old boy.

We know that the parents won’t be back, and the teenager is left to fend for himself. Red is now a homeless boy. His predicament raises empathy in us and make us root for his success.

2. Red’s trainer tells him that his expenses is much larger than his income, and that he’d need to win races to pay his expenses.

Red faces the fact that he has no control on his life. Winning a race does not depend on the jockey alone, but on a great horse as well.

3. The owner of an injured white horse is about to put it down because his legs are damage, and he can no longer race. Tom offers to buy the horse from the owner.

Tom gives the injured horse a second chance to live. We see Tom’s attitude in life and are curious to see how he’d work with Red and Seabiscuit, two physically and emotionally injured souls.

4. Charles sits alone in the house, holding the body of his dead son. He cried uncontrollable, but we barely hear his cry. It’s as if it’s muffled. There’s no other sound. It’s eerily quiet.

We can feel the depth of Charles’ despair. The silence seems to tell us that he’s suffering in private. He doesn’t share his pain with other people. He’s a broken man. Later on we see how Charles’ partnership with Red, Tom, and Seabiscuit bring joy and hope back into his life.

5. Tom meets Charles for the first time. He’s fixing for the injured white horse’s legs. Charles asks if the horse can race. Tom says that each horse is good for something. He tells Charles that “you don’t throw your whole life away if you bang up a little.”

Tom is foreshadowing Red’s and Seabiscuit’s misfortunes later in the film. We may also interpret this as a subtext that Charles need to forgive himself for the death of his son.

Tom reiterates the theme of the film: giving oneself and others a second chance.

6. Tom tells Charles that for the horse to win a race, “it ain’t just the speed, it’s the heart.”

Tom gives Charles insight how a racehorse operates: it’s not a running machine. It has feelings and can feel the pride of winning. This scene foreshadows what Red teaches George on how to win the race with Seabiscuit against the War Admiral: “It’s not in its feet, it’s in here (the heart).”

7. Tom sees three men struggle to subdue the agitated Seabiscuit. Then he sees Red fight with four boys.

Tom sees a good match between Red and Seabiscuit. The two share similar temperament.

8. The first time Seabiscuit runs in the racecourse, he can’t run on a straight line. Tom says in frustration “I can’t help feeling that they got him so screwed up running in circle he forgot what he’s born to do. He just needs to learn how to be a horse again.”

Tom reiterates the movie’s theme: give Seabiscuit a second chance.

9. Red has dinner with Charles and his wife Marcella for the first time at their house. The Howards are affectionate with him. Then we see Black & White scenes showing how society takes care of the vulnerable population. A voice over says “For the first time in a long time someone cares. For a first time in a long time, you are no longer alone.

Red’s situation is changing from being a homeless boy abandoned by his family to becoming a promising jockey who’s adopted by a new family.

10. Red gallops with Seabiscuit across a vast, beautiful field. He looks liberated and exhilarated.

We see that a beautiful friendship is being formed between Red and Seabiscuit.

11. After Seabiscuit won 6 races in a row, he loses because Red got into a fight with another jockey while they were racing. Tom tells Red to focus on his goal at all time.

Tom acts as the change agent. He’s coaching Red to focus on his goal and not let outside factors interfere.

12. When the press asks Charles what makes Seabiscuit a great racehorse, Charles says that “he (Seabiscuit) doesn’t know that he’s little. He thinks he’s the biggest horse out there.” “If he doesn’t know he’s a little guy, he can do great big thing.”

Red’s and Seabiscuit’s faith in themselves are restored. Charles’s comments are also an indirect reference to Red’s greatness.

13. “The future is the finish line. Seabiscuit will get us there.”

Charles was a forward-looking man. He often had vision about the future. But after his son died, he fell into depression and lost vision for his life. His involvement with Seabiscuit brings hope and visionback into his life.

14. Red takes a victory walk with Seabiscuit as the press and audience cheer on.

Red relishes the taste of victory. He’s on the way to greatness.

15. The press lines up to get autograph from Seabiscuit. They ask Charles what made Seabiscuit turn around after his last defeat. Charles says “just give him a chance. Sometimes all somebody needs is a second chance.”

Charles reiterates the movie theme: give others a second chance.

16. Charles thinks that Seabiscuit is a great horse, but Tom tells him that it’s not a great horse yet. Then he shows Charles an old newspaper article about the greatest horse in the US history.

Tom challenges Charles to commit to making Seabiscuit a great horse, showing that he is a great trainer. This leads to Charles wanting Seabiscuit to challenge the War Admiral, a great racehorse.

17. As Red prepares Seabiscuit for the race against War Admiral, he agrees to help his former trainer break his horse. Red and the horse get into a horrific accident that leaves Red with shattered leg’s ligaments.

Red’s accident can shatter his dream and Seabiscuit’s future. This scene is a judgement call for Red. What happens in a later scene shows Red’s unshakable belief in Seabiscuit.

18. Charles wants to cancel the race against War Admiral, but Red insists that it go ahead. He recommends that jockey George replace him to ride Seabiscuit.

Red believes in Seabiscuit and wants it to succeed even if he’s not the jockey. It’s an important race and he’s making a big sacrifice.

19. Red coaches George how to ride Seabiscuit to victory: “let him look War Admiral in the eyes.” “It’s not in its feet, its in here (the heart).”

Red gives George the advise that Tom gave him when he was an inexperienced jockey. We see that Red has developed a good relationship with Tom.

20. Seabiscuit ruptures his leg’s ligaments. He can no longer race. Red still has his leg in a cast. He uses Tom’s method of fixing the white horse’s legs on Seabiscuit and nurtures him back to good health.

Red is determined to give Seabiscuit another chance. He believes in the animal, who is now his best friend. We seen Red’s and Seabiscuit’s relationship grow stronger with time.

21. Seabiscuit’s legs are healed. George is walking him out for training when the horse sees Red limping in his cast. He hisses and walks towards Red. Seeing this makes Red determined to ride again.

Red is devoted to Seabiscuit. He knows that it needs him, and he needs it. They are each other’s hope. They need each other to succeed.

22. The doctor advises Red against riding. His ankle’s ligaments are still fragile and could tear again under pressure. Charles refuses to let Red ride, saying that he could be crippled for life, but Red responds “I was crippled. He (Seabiscuit) saved me. You (Charles) saved me.” Red’s friend George tells Charles “It’s better to break a man’s leg than his heart.”

Red finds hope in Seabiscuit. He’ll make sacrifice for it.

23. Red rides Seabiscuit in the Santa Anita race, the biggest race in the US. Red endures the pain and focuses on the goal, which bring them victory. Red and Seabiscuit make history. Red says that “everyone thinks we found the broken horse and fix him. But we didn’t. He fixed us, every one of us. And I think in a way we fix each other.”

It’s an inspiration to see four unlike partners: a homeless hockey, a defeated horse trainer, a disheartened millionaire, and a broken horse finding hope in each other and becomes heroes to an entire nation.

[Vivien Le]

Vivien’s Turn Insights Into Action

What I learned doing this assignment was that a character’s actions are followed by consequences to them or reactions from their target. If the result is not what the character seeks, then it gives them insight to adjust their actions. This trial and error continue until the character achieve their goals.

1. Insight:

Mother wants to know that Anthony lives well in Vietnam.

Action:

Alicia pays an actor to pretend to be Anthony’s work colleague in Vietnam to visit Mother and tells her good news about Anthony.

2. Insight:

Mother needs to be distracted from Anthony.

Action:

Alicia creates a cupcake business for Mother. She helps Mother make the cakes and sell them at Vietnamese shops around Sydney. They are so busy that Mother doesn’t have time to think of anything else.

3. Insight:

Mother wants to look after Anthony.

Action:

Alicia tells Mother to make Anthony’s favourite snack. She boxes them and make believes that she will send them to Anthony.

4. Insight:

Mother believes spirit.

Action:

Alicia takes Anthony’s ashes home to let Mother find comfort in his spirit.

5. Insight:

Mother needs to feel Anthony’s presence in her life.

Action:

Alicia introduces Mother to Anthony’s girlfriend Cindy, who’s pregnant with his child.

[Ashley Sarikaya]

Ashley’s Seabiscuit Analysis

There was one message (“you don’t throw a whole life away because he’s banged up a little”) that was repeated throughout the film by multiple characters. I thought the simplicity and the context within the Great Depression time period was powerful. It was a message that many people can relate to. We have all had hard times when we have to pick ourselves up. The message gives hope to underdogs.

Profound Moments:

– When Tom heals the horse with hawthorn and says, “you don’t throw a whole life away because he’s banged up a little.”

– When Tom makes a connection between Seabiscuit and Red for the first time. Both Seabiscuit and Red are fighting off people.

– When Seabiscuit wins for the first time. There was massive applause and publicity, and Red recites Shakespeare.

– When they discover that Red is partially blind, and Charles says, “you can’t throw away a whole life because he’s banged up a bit.”

– When Seabiscuit wins the big race against the War Admiral horse. It seemed like a climatic scene, so the following scenes were surprising and raise the stakes.

– When we see both Seabiscuit and Red with broken legs. Again, this raises the stakes and reinforces the key message and theme.

– When we see that Charles sees Red as a son, and is afraid that he could die like his own son.
The V.O. at the end, “the horse fixed us… We fixed each other.”

[Ashley Sarikaya]

Ashley’s Turns Insights Into Action

I gained more clarity from this assignment, specifically for Act 3.

5 New Ways:

1 – Despite being a former slave, Malinche speaks out to the people and for the people. She shines bright, flaunting her powerful voice and her ability to communicate with birds. In turn, she gives each person the permission to share their unique gifts. We see this in her first speech to the Mexica people near the end of Act 2 and in the scene where she is to be sacrificed to the gods in Act 3.

2 – Malinche dismantles the hierarchal system in Tenochtitlan, giving each person the freedom to choose their profession and attire.

3 – Malinche shows the world that we are all ‘foreigners’. But each person’s special sauce makes the collective stronger.

4 – Malinche plays ‘big’, and lives courageously. She isn’t afraid of destroying the status quo and current systems in order to rebuild from the ground up.

5 – In the Festival of Toxcatl, smallpox and resolution scenes, Malinche doesn’t fear death and destruction. She understands that the end of a cycle offers healing, purification, and integration. Just as the Moon is reborn each cycle, so are we. There is no end, only new beginnings.

[Marilynne Hebert]

Assignment 1: Marilynne’s Seabiscuit Analysis

What I learned doing this assignment is… even animals can have profound moments!

Profound Moments – what made them profound for me

During the Great Depression Red Pollard’s family was financially ruined, while Charles Howard continued to live in luxury. It’s partly this disparity that brings them together – a wealthy horse owner and a jockey. It’s profound because their lives interact in an unexpected way in the future.

Red loses the race and Charles realizes it was because Red couldn’t see. Profound moment to realize people may have secrets that explain why they behave a certain way.

Seabiscuit fights against the trainers trying to break him at the same time as Red is in a fist fight with three other guys. Seabiscuit’s trainer, Tom Smith, sees both horse and jockey, immediately realizing they are kindred spirits. It was a profound moment when he recognized these two combative characters would be a good team.

Assignment 2: Marilynne Turns Insights Into Action

What I learned doing this assignment is… I like the idea of representing insights with actions – it seems a more immediate and powerful way to connect with the audience

Old Ways/Insights/Action

· Chloe makes life decisions based on other people’s expectations/ Makes deliberate, conscious choices about what to do in her life/Chloe deliberately chooses to stay in Africa as Rosemarie leaves

· Feels nothing measures up to her expectations of “what might have been”/Appreciates opportunities to work with others to change people’s lives/She contributes to a new community program

· Is irritable and impatient with the people she works with/Takes time to listen to people around her/She stops to talk to an elderly woman and help her with her parcels

· Chloe attempts to solve problems in her unsuccessful program as a solo effort/She includes local expertise in program planning/Opening celebration for a new program

· Chloe believes in science, numbers and statistics/She connects with the real women behind the numbers/A mother follows all the new program rules and her baby dies, becoming one of those numbers

[Brenda Boddy]

Brenda Boddy – Seabiscuit analysis. Profound moments:

Father teaches son to love books. This love follows him through his journey.

Parents send son with a horse owner. Journey starts.—Empathy with audience.

Red literally has to fight to take care of himself.—We feel for the boy.

A son dies, sending Charles on a different path. He shuts up his barn of cars. He plays with a game representing his son.–This sets up empathy for the man who will later own Seabiscuit.

Wife leaves.

Charles meets new wife who is into horses. Scene at the restaurant and horse rides showing them falling in love. –Demonstrating the journey into the horse world.

A good jockey offers to help the red.–(Metaphor of where red wants to be).

Tom says, “You don’t throw a life away because he’s banged up a little.” Seems to become motto for how journey continues. This is repeated later.

Charles sees fighting horse and fighting jockey.–The similarities in them causes him to put them together.

Ride showing Seabiscuit improving his running.–Down and out horse and trainer are starting to work together and bond.

Seabiscuit wins a series of races and then loses an important one because Red can’t see. Theme comes back…You don’t throw a life away because it’s a little banged up.

Red gets drug by horse—changes the journey. We have even more empathy because we bonded with this him.

Horse wins the race.

Red and Horse greeting each other, both in casts—heart jerker. Uses action to get the point across instead of telling.

Seabiscuit and Red decide to do comeback ride.

Charles is afraid to let Red ride, but finally lets him.–Again the toy is the metaphor for his son. He is afraid the Red might die.

Seabiscuit wins. People thought they rescued a broke down horse, but the horse rescued the people who worked with him.—Feel good, wrapped up ending.

[Brenda Boddy]

Brenda Boddy – Turns insights into action

What I learned: I enjoyed looking at the action and how it affected my feelings in Seabiscuit. Because my script is an action script, I had done most of this assignment previously, trying to keep the action moving in my script and eliminating too many long passive scenes. This was a way of tightening up too much dialogue and rechecking to see if I were ‘showing’ instead of ‘telling’.

Thamia attacks Karma and there is a spark of lightning between them, demonstrating that she is different.

When Thamia attacks Karma again, Thamia levitates and is consumed by fire that doesn’t burn her. This terrifies Karma, who lost her mom in a fire. Later, immersed in the new ways, Karma is not affected by Thamia and her fire.

Zeus ‘shows’ Karma what powers she has.

Karma practices with her powers and we see she is getting better.

Karma doesn’t get Zeus’s Godstone, but we see her being able to hold her own against demonoids.

Thamia and Karma fight and she’s able to hold her own, although she’s unable to tip the scales without the help of Zeus.

When all seems lost, Karma manifests Poseidon’s powers.

When Zeus is healing, Karma goes after Thamia alone to save Sobin.

Karma is choked and left for dead, but she rises with the full power of Zeus to conquer Thamia.

Karma gives back most of the stones. She keeps a portion in her as Earth’s protector.

Karma rescues a black kitten who is Persephone’s pet. She gives it to Kit who wants someone to love.

[JD Angle]

JD’s Turns Insights Into Action

I learned that action speaks louder than words. Identifying the insights I want to express to the audience helps keep my script focused. Figuring out ways to express those insights through actions is a great way to spark creativity. I also discovered that I can use the same technique on less important insights, but still need to be expressed with action.

Repatriation – In Act 1, Jake watches a newscast about an artifact being returned to the country where it was looted from. Jake jokes about it being an opportunity to steal it again. In Act 2, Lana accuses Jake of being a grave robber and tries to explain how the artifacts still have meaningful value to the rightful heirs.

Shoe on the other foot – Jake begins to value his latest woodcarving – a mermaid like Lana. A young boy steals it. Jake is furious. He chases the boy until the chase is interrupted by the boy’s mother. The kid’s mother looks at the carving. “Why are you so upset over this piece of junk?” And throws it at Jake’s feet. Jake drops to his knees, picks up the carving and caresses it like it is the most valuable object in the world.

Respect – After failing miserably to buy and coerce Lana’s affections, Jake gives up on trying so hard. He starts to listen to Lana and empathize with her situation. He honestly starts to respect her for who she is. Just as she starts falling for him, he realizes what he must do to ensure her safety.

Generosity – Lana gives Jake a handmade bracelet of mermaid’s hair and seashells. It is a symbol of cherishing the simple gift from the heart over the extravagant treasure. “No one has ever given me anything. I have always had to take it.”

Love and Compassion – In the end, Jake does not steal the treasure. In fact, he makes sure it stays hidden from the other treasure hunters. The satisfaction from doing the right thing swells Jake’s heart as emotions wash over his face. The deepest love can be seen in Lana’s eyes.

[Tom Minier]

ASSIGNMENT 1

Tom’s Seabiscuit Analysis

What I learned doing this assignment was the power and the number of times you can show a profound truth. I saw the value of second chances show up in so many of the main characters including two of the horses. It was interesting to see how those characters were broken in their own way but through second chances at life, happiness, love, success, walking, riding, etc., they found themselves again.

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

The stock market crash – how many people lost everything they had

Family gives boy up to ride – families had to make such tough choices that they would be willing to give up their kids for an opportunity

Son dies in truck accident – when left alone Charlie’s only son dies in a car accident which leads to wife leaving him

Tom saves the white horse from being shot – he has some sort of horse whisper skill

Charlie asks Tom why he saved the horse if he can’t race – You don’t throw a life away just because he’s banged up a little

Tom’s first interaction with Seabiscuit – he looked through me, they connected

Tom sees Red fighting four guys and Seabiscuit fighting three – he sees two kindred spirits

Meeting between Seabiscuit and Red – there is an understanding between horse and man

Red is at Charlie’s and he looks down at the food and is hesitant to eat – Charlie says it’s okay and Red says it’s a lot of food – Charlie responds I’d rather you be strong than thin, Red says it’s a lot of food — reminding the audience of mindset of a jockey and possibly of the depression

Charlie gives Red $20 – it’s symbolic of being okay again, this leads to Seabiscuit to winning his first race, ultimately turning Seabiscuit into a symbol of the underdog and common man

They lose a big race by a nose and we find out Red is blind in one eye and he lied to Charlie and Tom – Tom responds that you don’t throw a life away because he’s a little beat up

Riding in the dark at night – Red must completely trust the horse

Red falls off horse and is dragged into the stable – he injures his leg and needs to be operated – Charlie stays at the hospital with him – he won’t ride but he can walk

Red can’t ride but he gets the other guy that he competed with earlier to take his place – this showed selflessness

When Red is walking the other jockey through the race – he says to go against Tom and make sure he gives up the lead at the last stretch – Seabiscuit needs to see that horse and his heart will pull him across the finish line – later Tom says the same thing

Red and Seabiscuit meet again with injured legs – they are again connected and with a new common pursuit – recovery

Other jockey – its better to break a man’s leg than his heart

Charlie letting Red ride – Charlie now sees Red as a son and is terrified of losing him again

ASSIGNMENT 2

Tom Turns Insights Into Action

What I learned from this assignment was that showing is far more interesting than telling, and that looking for ways to illustrate insight through action is a great activity for the outlining process as it allows you to see the destination and begin reverse engineering your setups to get there.

[Chhimed Drolma]

ASSIGNMENT 1

CHHIMED’S SEABISCUIT ANALYSIS

What I learned doing this assignment is that it adds profound depth and investment in the characters and story when the audience is shown a visual metaphor to drive the writer’s point home.

PROFOUND MOMENT: Opening narration says this time in history is “the beginning and the end of imagination.”
PROFOUND FOR ME: It says that in a time of sad dreariness, it is unusual to find hope and inspiration.

PROFOUND MOMENT: Tom Smith says to Charles Howard “You don’t throw a whole life away just ‘cause you’re banged up a little.”
PROFOUND FOR ME: Tom, Charles, and Red have all been banged up to the point of wanting to quit. I think Charles sees a new beginning in horses and in working with Tom. In Charles’ eyes, Tom has nothing – he’s living in the bushes with an unprofitable horse. If Tom can remain positive, maybe Charles has something to learn from him.

PROFOUND MOMENT: Discussing the times and rebuilding public infrastructure, the Narrator says, “Men who were broken only a year before suddenly felt restored.”
PROFOUND FOR ME: Charles, Tom, Red, and Seabiscuit all are being changed by each other, restored.

PROFOUND MOMENT: Tom furiously tells Charles that Red lied to them; he’s blind in his right eye. Charles replies to Tom (as Tom told Charles about Seabiscuit), “You don’t throw a whole life away just because he’s banged up a little.”
PROFOUND FOR ME: It’s a nice callback, showing that Charles has learned that lesson from Tom and Seabiscuit.

PROFOUND MOMENT: After Red’s leg gets shattered and he can’t race, he explains to Wolf how to win with Seabiscuit. Red tells Wolf, pointing to his heart, “It’s not in his feet, it’s here.”
PROFOUND FOR ME: It’s the same for Red who can do anything because he has heart.

PROFOUND MOMENT: When Red and Seabiscuit are healing from injuries together, Red assures Seabiscuit, “Rome wasn’t built in a day, citizens. Brick by brick.”
PROFOUND FOR ME: Red, of the hottest temper, is keeping it cool to support Seabiscuit to heal, as Seabiscuit supported him to win. They support each other, one brick at a time.

PROFOUND MOMENT: Charles is freaking out over the possibility that Red riding Seabiscuit may lead to Red’s death. Charles still keeps his dead son’s toy in his pocket. Marcela says that she plays with the toy, too, and no matter how hard she tries, she can’t get the ball to stay in the hole.
PROFOUND FOR ME: Marcela is asking Charles to let go of trying to control Red, trying to keep Red from death, like he wishes he could have stopped his son’s death.

PROFOUND MOMENT: Red, narrating during the last race, “Everybody thinks we found this broken down horse and fixed him, but we didn’t. He fixed us. Every one of us.”
PROFOUND FOR ME: Seabiscuit’s heart and underdog power fixed Tom, then Charles, then Red, then Red all over again, then the entire world who watched.

ASSIGNMENT 2

CHHIMED’S TURNS INSIGHTS INTO ACTION

What I learned doing this assignment is that it’s much more valuable to me and any audience member to see our protagonists put their learning and growth into action, which leads to a protagonist’s satisfying evolution.

NEW WAYS & INSIGHTS

NEW WAY: A.V. shares herself and her past with loved ones.
INSIGHT: Sharing with loved ones can bring you closer.

NEW WAY: A.V. faces her trauma instead of ignoring it or running from it

INSIGHT: Facing your trauma can liberate you.

NEW WAY: A.V. delegates, relies on friends and loved ones.

INSIGHT: Relying on friends and loved ones can make things work better.

NEW WAY: A.V. opens her heart to someone for the first time since it was so badly broken.

INSIGHT: Opening your heart may let hurt in, but it will also let love in.

NEW WAY: A.V. opens herself to community for the first time since childhood.

INSIGHT: Being part of a community may be scary, irritating, and even infuriating, but can also be warm, wonderful, and like home for your heart.

NEW WAYS & INSIGHTS INTO ACTION

NEW WAYS: A.V. shares herself and her past with loved ones.

INSIGHTS INTO ACTION: A.V. shares her past with D. and W.. As a result, D. and W. are able to help A.V. let her panic go in a tight spot, and the day is saved.

NEW WAYS: A.V. faces her trauma instead of ignoring it or running from it

INSIGHTS INTO ACTION: A.V. works with T. to look into her nightmares, face them, dialogue with what she finds, and find relief and empowerment there.

NEW WAYS: A.V. delegates, relies on friends and loved ones.

INSIGHTS INTO ACTION: For A.V’.s child rescue plan to work, she needs to have shared information with at least two people. Suspense is created as her crew is questioned about things only A.V. would know. The audience believes A.V. would never share info with her crew and believes the kids to be doomed. Then D. and W. relay the information and the rescue plan works.

NEW WAYS: A.V. opens her heart to someone for the first time since it was so badly broken.

INSIGHTS INTO ACTION: A.V. actively courts a potential love.

NEW WAYS: A.V. opens herself to community for the first time since childhood.

INSIGHTS INTO ACTION: A.V. starts having Entertainment Nights on the ship. She arrives before the event and stays late to greet everyone personally.