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Lesson 12
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Sunil Pappu’s Turns Insights Into Action (12B)
I was unable to do the analysis of Seabiscuit as the movie is no longer available in my region.
“What I learned doing this assignment is…turning insights into action. I still have a few that are mostly dialogue but I want to find ways to show rather than tell.”
New Ways and Insights:
War always hits mothers the hardest.
Mothers are resilient even in the face of war.
There is no enemy or ‘US Vs Them’ – in a war, everyone is a victim.
There are no victors in a war.
War is a tragedy that should be avoided at all costs.
Destruction takes no time while reconstruction takes a lifetime or more.
There are no good and bad people only good and bad deeds.
It’s better to stick with a known devil at least you know what you’re dealing with.
spirit of not compromising one’s beliefs – Although I might obey in body, in my heart I could never comply.
Having a good mentor in life is the greatest good fortune.
There is no greater joy to awaken to one’s mission in life.
Anyone who justifies using nuclear weapons is a fiend and a monster.
Think global, act local.
Frank and sincere dialogue opens hearts that are closed and lead the way to trust.
People who have suffered the most deserve the greatest happiness.
A real mentor is someone who wants his disciples to surpass him.
A single individual can change the course of history a nation and all mankind.
Action #1:
Daisaku’s home is destroyed in the air raids. From the rubble of their home, they salvage a suitcase. Daisaku quickly pries it open to discover a set of pink dolls. Her mother smiles with glee and cuddles them. Daisaku kicks the suitcase in frustration. His mother dusts the dolls and gently places them back in the suitcase. She hands the suitcase over to Daisaku. Daisaku drags the suitcase along amongst the destruction all around. His mother remarks “The dolls will make a fine display for their new home.”
Action # 2:
Daisaku watches a US pilot parachute down from his burning plane and land on the streets in front of him. The pilot is a young boy of barely 17 who looks scared. The crowd on the streets rushes to capture and beat up the boy while Daisaku stands by helpless. The military police van comes around to arrest the pilot as a prisoner of war. The crowd chants for the enemy to be executed. Daisaku relays the story to his mother when he gets home. His mother responds: “Poor mother, she must be worried for her son.”
Action # 3:
Toda entices his colleagues who betrayed their mentor before the war to join him in rebuilding the organization and saving the people suffering from the aftermath of the war. But his businessmen friends are interested in is to find a way to quickly make money and get rich. They agree to meet him for drinks, but Toda lays a condition that they will discuss the reconstruction first and then open the bottle after dinner. He meets them repeatedly until they can see his seriousness about carrying on their mentor’s legacy and genuinely feel remorse for abandoning their mentor. They seek Toda’s forgiveness and join him in helping rebuild the Soka Gakkai.
Action # 4:
Daisaku reluctantly agreed to accompany his friends to a Soka Gakkai meeting after months of excuses to get out of it. He ambles into the home where the meeting is already underway and hears genuine laughter coming from the dimly lit room. He cautiously enters it and sits in the back so he can easily slip away if needed. He locks eyes with the man who is leading the meeting Mr. Toda. Toda puffing away at his rolled cigarette sits on the edge of the table ready to take any questions. He seems jovial and genuine. After a few raised hands and humorous exchanges Daisaku raises his hand to ask a question. Toda nods. Daisaku asks: “What is the genuine path one should take to lead a good life?” Toda smiles but responds sternly “Rather than deciding intellectually what the true meaning of life is. Why don’t you try to live your life in the best way possible? Would you like to try doing that? I can teach you how?” Daisaku is struck by his frankness and feels he can trust this man. He returns ten days later to join Soka Gakkai and takes Toda as his lifelong mentor.
Action # 5:
Daisaku is abused and spat on by a credit and the doors are banged shut on his face. He returns to the office dejected. He sees Soka Gakkai members waiting outside to meet Toda and they all look lost and defeated. A member emerges from Toda’s office feeling refreshed and ready to fight. Toda notices Daisaku and lets him in. He goes over the books and sees everything in red. He tries to cheer Daisaku up. Toda tells him: “I know what you’re thinking. How the hell did I ever run forty businesses? How can you be so honest and still do business? Why should we pay the creditors when the losses can be written off as forces of god, like every other businessman? I will tell you why? Because this is my destiny – my karmic reward if you will. So, it’s a debt I would rather pay. Do you understand? I know it is frustrating when the creditors abuse you and spit on your face acting all high and mighty like they deserve it. We must look at this with a smile and rejoice because we are receiving our retribution in a lighter form. So let’s go back to them again and again and cheerfully take on their abuses with a smile. Daisaku goes back and continues to apologize to the creditors for only making part payments to their debt and promises to return again with more. Over a period of time, they are no longer in the red and while Toda continues to hold guidance sessions, more and more Soka Gakkai members feel empowered after being rekindled by Toda’s guidance and awaken to their mission to work for the happiness of others. Daisaku reinstates Toda as the Second President of Soka Gakkai.
Action # 6:
Daisaku stops over at the Haneda airport on his way to Osaka to get arrested on false charges of election violations by the police. Toda frail from illness rushes to meet Daisaku and tells him “You must live. For my sake.” Daisaku is paraded in handcuffs in front of the local Osaka members as he’s taken for interrogation. Daisaku is harshly interrogated without food and sleep to admit to the false charges or they will put Toda in jail. He spends three sleepless nights and decides to confess to the crimes to protect his mentor. Osaka members rally outside, and Toda joins them in protests to get Daisaku released. Daisaku emerges in the evening of the fourth day walking out in the pouring rain and stands with Soka Gakkai members drenched in the rain to give them hope and encouragement. He later fights the charges in court over four long years and proves his innocence. He reports his win in front of his mentor’s grave as it pours down heavily.
Action # 7:
Toda is interrupted to say there is a phone call from the Japanese Prime Minister Mine. The prime Minister having been warned by his own cabinet members decides to cave into their demand and declines the invitation to attend the Soka Gakkai youth gathering that Daisaku and 6000 youth have spent months making painstaking preparations for on the day of the March 16 event. Toda slams the phone on the prime minister even as he apologizes making excuses and agreeing to send his wife and son in his stead. Toda goes ahead with the event as planned and makes a powerful declaration for the elimination of nuclear weapons. Daisaku standing in the audience resolves to carry on his mentor’s legacy. Decades later he starts writing peace proposals to the UN every year including the path to elimination of nuclear weapons. Many of his proposals are put into action by the United Nations and he is a recipient of numerous international honors including the United Nations Peace Medal (1983), the International Tolerance Award from the Simon Wiesenthal Center (1993), the Rosa Parks Humanitarian Award (2008), and the Gandhi International Peace Prize for Social Responsibility (2014). The lay organization Soka Gakkai International is also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015.
Action # 8:
Daisaku faces the media as he embarks on his trip to Russia at the height of the cold war. Top Japanese politicians condemn this trip and ask why does a Buddhist leader want to visit a country that doesn’t believe in religion? Daisaku answers a reporter at the airport: “I’m going there to meet people. … I’m making this trip to build bridges of friendship linking people’s hearts.”He meets Aleksey N. Kosygin and asks him frankly if Russia plans to attack China. Kosygin assures him “The Soviet Union has no intention of either attacking or isolating China.” He asks if he can share this with Chinese diplomats on his next visit. Kosygin tells him he’s counting on him to do so. Daisaku shares this with Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping on his next visit. This eased the ideological differences between Russia and China and led to the normalization of bilateral relations between China and the Soviet Union when Mikhail Gorbachev met Deng Xiaoping.
Action # 9:
1962 was a time of intensifying conflict between East and West. The previous year, the Berlin Wall had been built, dividing Germany’s capital city, and in October, the Cuban Missile Crisis, a nuclear standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union, took place. The threat of nuclear weapons being fired struck fear in the hearts of people around the world. In this state of anxious uncertainty, many Japanese media outlets issued predictions and commentaries on the likelihood of a nuclear war or a third world war.
Daiasaku was not interested in such speculations. His determination as a disciple of Toda, who had denounced nuclear weapons as an absolute evil, remained unshaken: “We must never allow a third world war to break out!” Chanting fiercely with that resolve in those tense times, the Soka Gakkai members vowed to one another to open the way to world peace.
Daisaku began the year 1962 by visiting Hokkaido still in the depths of winter. Then, following a trip to the Middle East, he traveled extensively throughout Japan—to Chugoku, Shikoku, Tohoku, Kanto, Kyushu, Tokaido, Chubu, Kansai, Shin’etsu and Okinawa.
In Kanagawa, he said, “Let’s become the pillars of Japan and make Japan a truly wonderful, happy place to live!”
In Aichi, he said, “Whatever others might say, let’s win without fail and keep working for peace and security!”
In Kansai, he said, “Let’s fight to create a society where everyone can live with a sense of security and peace of mind!”
Action # 10:
On his first European trip in 1961, Daisaku visits the newly erected Berlin Wall a symbol of the cold war. At the wall, he silently prays and said to one of his translators who asked him what he wished for. He told him it wasn’t a wish but his conviction, “I am sure that in thirty years this Berlin Wall will no longer stand.” The berlin wall came down 28 years later.
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Deb’s Seabiscuit Analysis
What I learned… First, I was surprised that there were so many Profound Moments in this movie… I counted 26! These actions/metaphors make the insights powerful and memorable.
PM: Howard working on spokes, says to the boss, “They ought to make a better spoke,” the boss replies, “Then what would you do?”
• A challenge that leads to Howard opening his own bike shop
PM: Smith lassos a wild horse
• Skill, timing, bravery
PM: Howard takes a car apart and puts it back together – starts selling cars.
• A profound insight into the kind of man he is; fearless, forward-thinking.
PM: Smith comes to a barbed wire fence and sees a car coming up the road.
• He’s confronted with the future; not horses, but cars
PM: Howard takes the horses out of the stalls and moves the cars in
• The future!
PM: Smith tames a wild horse.
• A profound insight into his character
PM: Red is riding the horse beautifully. Dad says, “That’s the poetry.”
• A metaphor of truth and beauty
PM: After Howard’s son dies, the cars in the stall get locked away.
• A metaphor for grief – no future
PM: Red in a boxing match gets knocked out.
• Metaphor – he’s down and out.
PM: Marcella and Howard ride horses together
• Metaphor of a new hope
PM: Howard meets Smith for the first time:
H: Will he race?
S: No.
H: Why are you fixing him?
S: Cuz I can. Every horse is good for something… you don’t throw a whole life away just cuz he’s banged up a little.
• Profound meaning of the movie.
PM: Smith looks for a rider and sees Red fighting
• The two are made for each other.
PM: Smith watches Red ride Seabiscuit for the first time – it’s shaky – he says “He’s just gotta learn how to be a horse again.”
• Faith in what he knows is there.
PM: Smith has Seabiscuit run “till he stops”. Red is exultant “You’re an amazing animal.”
• Sees what Smith sees – potential.
PM: Howard encourages Red to eat his soup.
• Someone cares for Red – he’s not alone anymore, he’s part of a family (at the dining table like he used to be with his mom and dad and siblings.)
PM: The stable is unlocked and the cars are removed.
• A new beginning – making way for the horse.
PM: Red “He fouled me!”. Howard “Son, what are you so mad at?” Red remembers his pain – loss of family – yet he keeps his books. Asks for money to go to the dentist.
• Healing
PM: Red rides out onto the track and says to reporters: “Tho he be but little, he is fierce… that’s Shakespeare boys!” The reporters love it.
• A melding of his two worlds
PM: Red loses a race cuz he’s blind in one eye. Smith wants to get rid of him (Smith’s integrity can’t abide a liar). Howard says “You don’t get rid of someone just cuz he’s banged up a little bit.
• Teaching Smith his own lesson (payoff)
PM: Howard waits for news on Red’s surgery while playing the boys’ game (as he did when he was grieving the loss of his son.)
• This is personal. Red is like a son to him.
PM: After coaching George on how to ride Seabiscuit, Red tells him “It’s not in his feet… it’s right here.”
• The heart – the will to win (he’s passing this information to George, who has yet to believe)
PM: George follows instructions, though he doubts, but then says “so long Charlie” and turns Seabiscuit loose. They win the race against War Admiral.
• George believes. They all are winners.
PM: Red fills his plate and eats, “what?” (when they stare at him.)
• Feeling good, getting stronger, confidence
Then – he doesn’t eat as much.
• Getting ready to ride again.
PM: Howard talking to George about letting Red ride again, ‘It’s better to break a man’s leg than his heart.”
• George knows how much this means to Red – that he needs another chance to ride/win.
PM: Howard doesn’t want Red to die – he pulls out the boys game, Marcella says “the ball won’t stay in the hole.”
• Howard can’t control what happens to Red – so just let him go.
PM: Red’s V.O. “You know everybody thinks we found this broken-down horse and fixed him. But we didn’t. He fixed us – every one of us… and I guess in a way, we kind of fixed each other, too.”
• This is the profound message of the movie.
Deb Turns Insights into Action
What I learned… In trying to be more specific (rather than general), I used my mini-movie outline as a reference to find specific spots to brainstorm. I used each section as a jumping off point to insert an action that represented a new way/insight. I realize this is obvious to anyone taking this course, but I wasn’t doing it before. I think most of these exercises (again) are forcing me to commit to the story, rather than vacillate.
New Way/Insight: What we do/don’t do impacts the lives of those around us.
· Jack opens a closet and is literally buried in Bram’s junk.
· Another large credit card bill is an incentive for Jack to go treasure hunting again.
· Though Jade, an associate of Jack’s, discourages him from seeking the treasure, Jack’s enthusiasm lights a spark in Jade, and she has renewed interest in caring for her plants.
· Jack’s inability to read the map correctly leads them to dig in the wrong place.
· The map expert from X patiently shows Jack how to read the map (which leads to success).
· Jack does something (or doesn’t do something) which puts his son, Ables’s life, in grave danger.
· Jack does something (or doesn’t do something) to save Able.
· Eva doesn’t believe the treasure exists and Jack must work around her to buy the land.
New Way/Insight: Happiness is elusive and not guaranteed.
· Bram, reflecting on all his memorabilia/nostalgia, weeps.
· Daze, Jack’s associate, is insanely rich and successful, but miserable.
· Jack and Able are initially elated at finding a treasure, but soon realize it’s fool’s gold.
· Jack finds the treasure but realizes he can’t take it home.
· Jack is met with disdain and mockery when he tells others about the treasure (he longs for their approval)
New Way/Insight: What constitutes good? What is your measure for morality and do you really meet that standard? What happens when you fail to live up to that standard – who will pardon you?
· Jack wants to atone for his inability to provide for his family and his failure with his dad.
· Able thinks the treasure will heal his broken family – but in searching for it, it will break him.
· Bram believes his life has been wasted and doesn’t know what to do about it.
· One of Jack’s associates is incarcerated but denies any wrongdoing (despite ample evidence)
· The people of Y are convinced that fool’s gold is the only gold there is and refuse to see past it.
· When Jack is confronted with the vast wasteland – it’s almost impossible for him to believe something good could be buried there.
· Eva refuses to see that her spending has contributed to their troubles – and she has no faith in her husband to make the right decisions. She continues to put her faith in her stuff.
· Somehow the treasure represents forgiveness and healing.
New Way/Insight: Our lives are not what we make it – and we can’t manipulate a god or The God – just like we can’t control the weather.
· A storm knocks out the electricity and Jack sorts his dad’s stuff with the help of candles and flashlights.
· On a very hot day, Bram (who never takes his coat off for any reason) takes off his coat.
· Time has worn out the notes that Bram took – they are not clear, and neither is his memory – this makes it difficult for Jack to put the pieces together
· The weather in Y is perfect and they have no trouble finding the fool’s gold.
· Jack has always bargained/manipulated his way out of trouble, but after finding the fool’s gold, he’s run out of options and must trust the advice of X – even though it’s contrary to what he believes is true.
New Way/Insight: This world is not enough. Something is wrong – something is missing. We will never be satisfied with the things the world can offer.
· Jack confronts Eva on her massive collection of shoes.
· Jack questions Bram on his massive collection of relics/junk.
· Able can’t get enough rocks for his rock collection.
· Daze has it all yet wants more.
· The people of Y are fake and superficial.
· The people of X have nothing but are satisfied.
New Way/Insight: We cannot be our own god and give lip service to the true God. We must constantly put to death our own will.
· As the story progresses, Jack will give up something significant in his life, finally giving up the car he cherishes the most.
· Able sells his rock collection.
· Bram has an estate sale.
· Eva refuses to sell anything.
· When Jack has a chance to make money on fool’s gold, he refuses.
New Way/Insight: It’s in losing your life that you find true life.
· Jack cannot obtain the treasure unless he gives up everything.
· Bram pares down trees for them to grow.
· When Jack gives up the old way of reading maps – he can read the map and find the treasure.
· Able essentially dies and comes back to life.
New Way/Insight: We all fall short – are wretched and unworthy of anything good and need forgiveness. It is the most precious treasure and worth more than all the wealth this world can hold.
· Someone gets super offended when they say they are sorry for something and the other person says “I forgive you.” They think the person should have just said “It’s ok.”
· Someone makes a mistake and hurts someone. They are sorry and say so. The offended person immediately forgives the person – but the person still feels bad and can’t believe the offended person would offer forgiveness – because they are used to people holding things against them or extracting some sort of revenge.
· Someone reluctantly offers forgiveness with conditions. “You did this, and I forgive you, but don’t ever do it again.”
· A man is having his blood pressure taken and someone tells him he is forgiven. His blood pressure immediately lowers.
· A crippled man receives forgiveness and can walk again.
· Eva’s hairdresser misses her appointment (she forgot to write it down). Eva is furious and demands retribution for the time she spent waiting – expects a free haircut. Or she just dismisses her hairdresser and never makes an appointment with her again.
· Jack’s dear friend ghosted him, and he hasn’t heard from him in years. All of a sudden, he shows up and Jack has to make a choice – either forgive him and accept him back in his life – or reject him forever.
· Eva constantly reminds Jack of past arguments and mistakes he’s made (I forgive you, but I don’t)
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Bob Kerr: SEABISCUIT Analysis
What I learned from this assignment is that Profound Moments can be sprinkled throughout the story. It can be used early in ACT 1 and throughout the rest of the script.
PM: When the young Johnny is first called Red by a horse owner. When his mother quips that his name is Johnny and Johnny responds to the man that he can call him Red. His mother looks in disgust the other way knowing that her son is lost to her. This is the moment that Johnny/Red will be leaving his family permanently. It is a scene filled with relatability and empathy for me as I remember when I left home to pursue my dreams.
PM: When Red is being seduced by a Hooker and we are shown that he is blind in one eye. This is a fatal flaw for a jockey and perhaps now Red realizes he must hide this handicap if he is to continue to ride as a jockey. This was a scene filled with relatability and empathy for me as I suffer from “Lazy Eye” and this has caused issues in a variety of ways including my aspirations to play professional baseball.
PM: When Charles Howard meets Tom Smith at the campfire. When Howard asks if the white horse will race again and is told “no not that one. But every horse has a purpose and no need to throw him away because he is a little banged up”. This is a set-up for the rest of the movie.
This moment was really profound for me has I’ve experienced people who were ignored and discounted. But, when given the support and time they flourished and we were all enhanced by their contributions.
Physical Metaphor: When Red asks Charles Howard for $10 and Charles gives him $20 instead. The fact that all he did was ask for the money and he was given twice what he asked was a symbol for his life. He didn’t have to be at “War with everybody”. he had true friends that believed in him even when he couldn’t say when he would be able to pay it back. Many times in my higher ed career, I encountered students who were always shocked when someone would support them with no expectation they would receive anything in return. True friendship is a powerful medicine.
PM: When Red loses the $100k race because he eased up and lost the race because he didn’t see the horse coming up on his blind side. Tom wants to fire him because he claims Red lied to them. Charles Howard quoted Tom back to him when he says “We don’t throw a life away because it’s banged up.” Such a powerful scene filled with empathy. I can remember when I was in a similar position in my first career job. I was given a second chance and that made all the difference in the world to me.
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Assignment #2
Bob Kerr – Turn Insights Into Action
What I learned doing this assignment was there are ways I can convert what use to be just dialogue into action to convey the NEW WAYS. This was initially challenging as the dialogue aligns with the characters in my true story. But, after brainstorming, I had a breakthrough on what actions could be utilized.
5 New Ways and the Actions and the Insights:
1) Freshmen can play at the varsity football level – the insight is while common place today, in the fall of 1970 this was a forbidden practice by the NCAA.
2) Athletes experience grief like everyone else – the insight were there was a constant emotionally difficult reality for the young men who endured the loss of their teammates and head coach in a fiery plane crash in the Colorado Rockies.
3) A losing team deserves the support of fans – the insight is the 7,000 fans and community members who came out to share in the oc campus Memorial Service 3 days after the crash.
4) You can lose the game and still win the hearts of America – the insight is the standing ovation that WSU players received in Arkansas every time they came out on the field and all during the game when they had the ball.
5) Away games are an experience of entering hostile territory – the insight is the people of Little Rock embraced the WSU players and shop owners handed out little gifts to show their support for WSU.
5 NEW WAYS AND THE ACTION THAT WILL EXPRESS THEM
1) The merging of the freshman players and the varsity players into one new team. The posting of the traveling roster.
2) Freshmen playing at a varsity level at the risk of losing their senior year of eligibility – the action is the vote to continue the season which requires freshmen to play.
3) Grief is paralyzing but life must go on – the action of Jerry Sutera and two teammates playing around when John Yeros calls for someone to pick him up at the airport.
4) Coach Broyles asking Arkansas fans to embrace their opponent, Wichita State , and refrain from their traditional “Hog Call” – the fans standing every time WSU came out onto the field.
5) WSU is playing to win despite the handicap of the tragedy – Coach Seaman changing the game plan to fit the freshmen qb’s that will now have to play. Does this by drawing up new plays and distributing them to the other coaches.
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Mary Albanese’s Day 12 PROFOUND MOMENT Assignment #A
What I learned from this assignment: Holy smokes, nearly every line or action in SEABISCUIT is a profound moment, whether it is expressed through action, dialogue, historical footage with voice overs, or counterpointing visuals. Here’s my tally.
SEABISCUT – Profound Moments
How is it portrayed? What is the PROFOUND MOMENT?
Action Smith trains horses with gentle hand movements. NOBODY does it this way.
Action: family contest “We never know how high we are…” Also reveals character.
Metaphor Poetry (Red riding a horse). “He is the poetry.” Reveals character & relationship.
Counter-example Toast “To the future!” followed by the headline of the Wall Street crash.
Action: Parents leaving their son at a house while they move on.
Action/visual Broken car – Howard holds the body of his dead son. A broken man.
Action Red walks by the food line, too proud to get free food. Revealing character.
V.O. “When America needed a drink, you couldn’t get one.”
Action Red puking to make the scale weight. Reveals depth of his drive.
Action Red reads to a hushed room: Wolf cuts in: “It’s YOU that are the greatest jockey.”
Action Smith calms the scared horse about to be killed. Oh no!
Counterpoint “Are you blind?” “Are you okay?” Something intriguing here. Not sure what yet.
Action – irony Red wakes up on the ground. “Did I lose?” “Oh no, you clobbered him.”
Dialogue “Every horse is good for something. Don’t throw away if a little banged up.”
V.O. Horse looked THROUGH him. That look in his eye. Damn!
V.O. Wild Seabiscuit lolling and lounging. Eating twice as much though twice as small.
V.O. Seabiscuit’s bitter and angry, being trained to lose to large, sleek champions.
Action! Horse fights. Red fights. They have the same type of angry edge.
Action Red goes into stall with feisty horse. “I know what you’re about.”
Explanation dialog “He forgot what he was born to do. Be a horse again.”
Action Take him “as far as he goes.” Horse runs like crazy, VERY far. Forshadowing.
Photos and V.O. The depression AND the horse and jockey. “Relief – you are no longer alone.”
Action “Smart horses need company.” Goat goes FLYING out of the stall.
Visual Seabiscuit and horse Pumpkin cuddling together.
Action “Asleep.” Until the horse sees one to beat. Then: “He hankers for competition.”
Dialogue “What if it’s late (in the race.)” I don’t think it’s gonna matter much. Honestly.”
Juxtaposition “What are you so mad at?”/ Dad says “we’ll call you” but never calls.
Action Act of kindness. “Of course I still want you to ride.” “I need $10.” Gives him 20.
Action Seabiscuit wins first race.
V.O. & photos Those “broken before suddenly restored. Found their voices.”
Action/irony Jockey quoting Shakespeare: “Though he be but little he is fierce.”
Action Little kids excited to see Seabiscuit race.
Dialogue “Sometimes you just need a 2<sup>nd</sup> chance.”
Conflict/truth “He hasn’t won against a great horse.”
Big talk $100,000 “FUTURE.” With all the best horses on one track! The finish line!
Dialogue “Try to feel it. The horse will tell you when he’s ready.” (Learning from horse).
Conflict “I can’t see out there!” Big reveal!
Call-back “You don’t throw a life away cause it’s banged up.”
Dialogue “I’d rather have one horse like this than 100 War Admirals.”
Dialogue “Won’t give up even when life beats him by a nose.”
Dialogue “horse too small, jockey too big, trainer too old, and me too dumb to notice.”
——————3<sup>rd</sup> ACT – THE BIG RACE with fancy big War Admiral ———————————————–
Dialogue “They still crap. Well, they do.”
Visual War Admiral is a big black snorting beast of a horse. Only two weeks to re-train.
Visual Smith whittles while the eager press begs for newsy tidbits.
Action Red rides Seabiscuit in the dark. Fast! Wowza!
Action On another horse, Red falls and gets badly dragged.
Dialogue Leg shattered. Operate! Will walk again but will NEVER ride.
Conflict “No! Don’t scratch! Call Wolf!”
Action/dialog Red Tells Wolf: “I’ll be right there with you.”
Action/dialog Shuts door for secret. “Give up the lead. It’s not in his feet, but (in his heart.)”
V.O. 15,000 gallons of lemonade. 60,000 hot dogs. 40million Americans hear the call.
Secret dialog “…Catch me in the back stretch? You’re not the only one who knows this horse.”
V.O. & photos Actual historic photos of the crowds on the day of the race.
Big Action “Come on. Back him off!” This goes against jockey training. Will he????
Big Action Wolf FEELS the horse shift. “See you, Charley.” Seabiscuit and Wolf BLAST off.
Action Later, Seabiscuit hurts leg. “He’s not gonna race again. Shall I put him down?”
Visual Now Red AND Seabiscuit have matching bandaged legs.
Metaphor Hadrian’s quote: “brick by brick, my citizens.”
Action Red gets back on Seabiscuit.
Action Red eating like crazy. “What?” He’s got something to live for again.
Dialog Radio guy says “Three scoops! This horse drives me crazy. Guess who?”
Dialog Red says: “And this the most unkindest cut of all.”
Conflict “He made me better.”
Dialogue “Better to break a man’s leg than his heart.”
Conflict Son’s toy. Ball always rolls out again. “Just let him ride.”
Dialog/metaphor Radio guy says: “Lazarus! But with TWO returns from the dead.”
Visual Wife in the shadows with Seabiscuit’s mate – two sister support beasts.
Action Howard’s wife leaves the shadows and stands on top of a car to see the race.
Action Seabiscuit is WAY behind. Of course he is, with his bad leg.
Action/dialog Seabiscuit starts to come on. “There it is.” “Have a nice ride.”
Action/visual The horse’s view as he passes all – nothing but empty track. The world is his!
Dialogue “He fixed us. Everyone of us. We kind of fixed each other, too.”
ASSIGNMENT B
5 Ways to reveal INSIGHTS in my script from ACTION.
What I learned from this assignment? It is WAY harder to create actionable insights for my script than to analyze the tons of actionable insights in SEABISCUIT. I will have to work on this.
INSIGHTS: Heather learns she doesn’t need to prove herself to Mr. Guth to make him approve her surgeries. ACTION – Heather concocts a football game to impress Mr. Guth, but fails to make a goal. Despite this, she finds he has already approved her surgeries.
Heather learns it’s not her legs that keeps her mother from loving her but her mother’s own problems. ACTION: Heather suffers the pain of her surgeries but realizes that the problem was not hers but her mother’s.
Anna learns that her brother couldn’t face her not because he was embarrassed by her but because he was ashamed of himself. Still, Anna does not learn or change. By not changing, she shows us who Heather could have ended up like if she had followed Anna’s advice.
Heather learns that she deserved to walk after all. ACTION: She learns this by summoning someone from the past who isn’t really there. In other words, we see her learn it for herself, from herself.
Heather learns the value of chasing fun. Action: Heather chases fun all through the story, and at the end is rewarded for embracing all the little joys of life.
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Sharon’s Seabiscuit Analysis
What I learned doing this assignment is… that there are different types of profound moments all over the place – and what’s profound for one person isn’t necessarily that for another (reading others’ responses). So just write from the heart (and supported by the head) and create as many opportunities as possible – and don’t be afraid of them!
Profound Moments
– The richest (through the automobile) and their living standards, versus the comparable standards via photos and the kid earning the money (riding) that the father now can’t earn
o The contrast
– Intro Red properly, he gets sent away. He doesn’t want to go. Signified by the books going with him.
o The books – you know they’re going to come back later, a theme throughout. They’re everything, and the family gave everything for him to go
– “You don’t throw a whole life away just ‘cause he’s banged up a little” – Tom’s words, having put hawthorne on the horse’s foot, round a fire, in the dark. With the main character feeling out of place etc.
o The line – but the receipt of the delivery I almost missed!
– When Smith saw the horse in the mist (didn’t need to be in the mist)
o Cool intro
– The kid fighting when the horse is ‘incorrigible’ – they have a similar past
o Drawing parallels between the characters
– When the horse and rider keep going forever and riding riding riding
o They are as one – an example
– Red and the soup – mirrors the economy and America’s story
o The parallels
– When Red sees Red on the first main race – and then they realise they have to train the jockey as well…! “Son, what are you so mad at?” And the books are the visual key.
o When someone (Howard) asks the question that’s unasked til now – Howard really sees him, and subsequently the books bring it home
– When all the crowds are there to support ‘the Biscuit’
o Became a moment in relation to the ‘infield’ – a representation of the American people
– Sam Howard giving away the horseshoes, where the trainer needs them
o Not too sure on this one
– The owner inside the private area, the trainer outside – maintaining separation even though they’re a team
o Visual counterexample
– He’s blind in one eye – but Howard says it’s fine (even though he lied) – you don’t throw a whole life away just cause he’s banged up a little (quoting Tom’s words back to him)
o Living metaphor
– I’d rather have a horse like this than a 100 War Admirals.
o Counterexample
– And the announcement – from the train in Albuquerque – didn’t need to be a train…
o Old ways – back to his selling rather than being there for the horse/ kid – which eventually is challenged
– Training in the dark – good for the horse, but also for Red to learn to trust the horse, too
o Living metaphor
– When Howard is playing with the game, you realise the connection he has with Red as a replacement son
o Living metaphor
– Open up the infield – set up from before. Half a day off work – let everyone come enjoy it
o See above – setup/ payoff
– Continuous use of the photos of people during that period rather than live action to show what America was like during that time
o Living metaphor, drawing parallels
– Nice that the final jockey was the one that supported Red even when Red didn’t want the support
o Setup/ payoff
– Another parallel between Red’s leg and Biscuit’s leg – both of them can’t race again
o Living metaphor
– And then Howard brings the horse back home for Red so they can heal together
o Payoff
– And then Biscuit helped Red come back
– Red eating well; another kick start by the birds this time, rather than the engine
– And then he stops eating so much – in training – but George is still the one riding, and Red isn’t happy! “And this, the most unkindest cut of all.” “That’s as much my horse as it is yours.”
o Howard’s final challenge for the change
– “It’s better to break a man’s leg than his heart”. All about the son again. And he still carries the game.
o The wise one – a line of dialogue
– Number 7 (other jockey) gives him the butt view that he needs (overdramatization, I’m sure…!) but they know how the horse ‘works’ “we kinda fixed each other, too”
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Sharon Turns Insight into Action
What I learned doing this assignment is… that it won’t be ‘perfect’ yet, but it’s great to get ideas, and to also find ways to enhance what’s already there to become more profound.
Insight/ New Way
– Action
You cannot avoid your destiny.
– She injures herself – discovers that her older self has had it fixed (something more visible/ hidden e.g. on her face; something like a lost finger e.g. replaced invisibly) that wasn’t immediately visible/ obvious
–
You are drawn to do something in particular in life – you have a purpose. It’s ok to pursue it.
– Trusting her instincts after not doing so – the graphs, the use of the key
– She tries to do something else, e.g. cooking, baking, interior designing, growing plants (they die, but she doesn’t know why) but learns that’s she’s not the greatest at it – always reverts back to what she knows and loves. Same with the other ‘career options’ she pursues for a while
–
You will only achieve what you are meant to do over time – it’s not an immediate thing.
– Growth of bonsai tree
– Exercise
– A tree outside the bunker
– Weeds, the rats, anything that she can notice to take hold after time when she hasn’t been paying proper attention to it – a crevice with water eroding the cave, feeding the rats
–
You must CLAIM your destiny.
– The letter – putting it back together again to read it and action it
– Returning to the bunker when she’s tried to do other things
– Even her other activities give her insight and solutions for her time travel device – it won’t let her go
– She’s only happy when she finally steps up to the plate to do it, wholeheartedly, once and for all, no excuses. This looks like….???
All good things come to those who…. take action and believe.
– Same as above, really
– She sees how little she’s achieved in weeks, until she actually claims what she’s meant to do. What presses the button? The ‘arrival’ of the watch??
– How will it come to fruition without her?!
You can recover from adversity and loss.
– Following the loss of her family – she returns to work and the bunker, to do what she’s meant to do.
– She’s in (emotional) pain, but the more she works, the more the pain lessens.
–
Persistence pays off. Slow and steady wins the race.
– ???
Our place in humanity is pre-ordained, and that is our job in life. Every iota of our being and existence is driven by the past – including our thoughts, feelings, emotions, decisions – even if we think we’re in total control. So relax. And enjoy the ride.
– Comparison of the three versions of events – and their approaches to each version. i.e. Kappa is the most relaxed as she knows how it will end up – to a point!
–
You are YOU. Live yourself to the max.
– Order in meals rather than cooking them
– Working into the night rather than sticking to a routine
– Response to Rats
– What she wears
– How she organises the cannisters
– How meticulous she becomes once she claims her destiny
Follow your heart, not your head to align with your ultimate purpose and happiness.
– The solution on one of her graphs/ experiments
– The rat friend – her head says to get rid, but her heart says no (and thank goodness as Roland does something later which gives her an idea)
– Sigma comes back to the bunker – to finish the job
–
Time is of the essence – use it before it runs out.
– Literally the watch, and the culmination in the final showdown when the device explodes
–
Focus on what you truly want, and it will come.
– She gets clear. And does only that in the end. (see above notes)
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ASSIGNMENT 12.1
Subject line: Susan McClary’s Seabiscuit Analysis
What I learned doing this assignment is:
There are lots of different types of profound films. Seabiscuit is a great film, but I know it and had to force myself to watch it again. It is extremely depressing even though it has a semi-happy ending, especially watching it now while idiots are creating another depression for our country to go through just so that they can have more power over us and make even more money.
Watch the movie SEABISCUIT. As you do, look for the Profound Moments (any moment in the story that seems profound to you).
List the Profound Moments, then tell briefly what made them profound for you.
Charles Howard’s son dies.
Tom Smith saves horse with fractured foot from being put down.
Seabiscuit learning ow to be ahorse again running in the country and Red enjoying riding again.
Seabiscuit throwing goat out of paddock.
Calms when another horse is put in his stable with him.
Seabiscuit breaks track record with competition.
Howard tells Red, “rather have you be strong, than thin.”
Howard asks Red what he’s so mad about after other jockey fouls him.
Red almost throws books his father gave him in the river.
Red sheepishly asks Howard for money for his tooth, and says he doesn’t know when he would be able to pay him back, when they win a race, that is if Howard still wants him to ride. Howard says, “Of course I want you to ride.”
The first time Red and Seabiscuit win a race.
Six successive victories for Red and Seabiscuit.
Seabiscuit became the symbol for getting a second chance during the depression. Howard says to crowd,
“Sometimes all people need is a second chance.”
Ongoing relationship between Red and Seabiscuit, and Seabiscuit and Howard, and Tom. Also the relationships between all the people including Howard and his new wife who is totally supportive of him.
Red get severely hurt and may never ride again, but doesn’t want Howard to scratch. He tells Howard to call his friend Georgie to race Biscuit, and they win.
Biscuit wins race against war admiral.
Red has a broken leg and Biscuit a ruptured ligament and they heal each other. They mend together.
Red finds a way to brace his leg so he can ride again.
Howard is too afraid to let Red ride, because he’s afraid he could get crushed and die (Red is like his second son and his first died in an accident).
Seabiscuit and Red win the big race. -
ASSIGNMENT 12.2
Susan McClary’s Turns Insights Into Action
Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment:
It is important to have action show the benefits of the changes so it can become real for the audience and so they are never being lectured about anything.
Create a list of the New Ways and Insights you’d like audiences to experience when they watch your movie.
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.GG is Confident
Action – GG starts a new channel Dear Tabby
GG is Great Listener
GG Asks the right questions
People ask for GG’s advice
GG understands what they (pets and people) want/need, and/or their neurosis
1- Sees flashes of how people he knows are like different types of animals in how they behave.
GG is Happy
GG is Content with self
2 -End of film GG fell asleep on couch and wakes up with the Pets covering and all around him with a smile on his face.
GG Ignores other people’s mirror opinions
GG Stops trying so hard and just starts living
GG Talks to people in his personal life in person instead of on the phone/texting or email
3- One of the pet dogs takes GGs cell phone and tosses it into the toilet bowl (that’ll teach him for leaving the seat up) GG has to go out and also speak to more people to get a new phone and on the way he meets a kid who is walking his dog. The kids dog is all over GG, just loves him and licks his face, etc.
4- GG texts Handywoman about what he needs done at his house. She calls him back to set up a time for an in person meeting to discuss everything he wants for a dream pet property at his place.
5- Has comparatively long in person conversations with the Handywoman
Setup: from the beginning his brother’s Toucan flies into GG’s head and sits there and pulls strands of his hair through his beak. This frustrates GG in several scenes. Action for new: GG is taking a shower and picks up his hair conditioner and pops it open, he smells it, it’s lovely. Then he reads the label… all natural tropical fruit conditioner! A light bulb goes off! He suddenly gets why the Toucan is always on his head.
GG loves Pets and takes great care of them
The Pets adore GG -
Ray’s Turns Insight into Actions
What I learned doing this assignment is how to create profound moments that help deliver important insights.
Assignment 1
1. Insight: Make a better spoke.
Action – open a bicycle shop.
2. Insight: Bikes not selling.
Action – build a better car.
3. Insight: Look to the future.
Action – horses out and new cars in.
4. Insight: Just because it is banged up, you don’t have to throw it away.
Action – Kept the horse and trainer. Found a rider.
5. Insight: Better to break a man’s leg than break his heart.
Action – let Red ride seabiscuit.
Assignment 2
Insights
1. Eve realizes the Butlers lost faith in God.
2. Eve realizes Ava has never been to church.
3. Eve sees that Ava doesn’t know how to pray.
4. Love realizes Eve is not good with children.
5. Eve realizes that Ava feels hopeless about her future.
Actions
1. Eve tries to convince Mr Butler and his wife to go to church with her.
2. Eve tries to study the Bible with Ava and Caleb.
3. Eve teaches Ava and Caleb to pray.
4. Love shows Eve how to bring Ava closer.
5. Eve teaches Ava about dolls and enlists her help with starting the business.
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Gord’s Seabiscuit Analysis – Assignment 1
What I learned: Unlike how I watched movies previously, this time I became sensitive to the movie’s profound moments vis-a-vis the action in scenes rather than words in dialogue.
In Seabiscuit there were many action-driven profound moments, more so than I list, below. But here are the ones that were most special, at least for me:
Profound Moments & Why They are Profound Moments
Moment: There are several scenes surrounding the tragic death of Charles Howard’s young son. They are all impactful and when strung together create an incredibly profound moment without dialogue. It starts with the fishing pole and tackle box complete with sandwich, then the key in the truck ignition, then the young boy driving down the road, then image of another truck coming the opposite direction. At this point what you feared would happen, you now know is going to happen. Then the next image is the truck in the creek, next the phone call, next Charles running in panic in a field, next Charles holding his son, sobbing and rocking. There are no words, just building tension from what is inevitable, then tears.
Why profound: Not much more needs to be said about the loss of a child where, by design, society accepts with less grief, the death of a parent first, before a child’s premature death. It’s all very tragic otherwise. But these particular scenes, weaved one after the other without dialogue, generate grief at a gut-wrenching level sans the gore.
Moment: When Red and Seabiscuit have their first moment on the track together. The horse is slow, until Seabiscuit sees a horse up ahead on the track, which causes Seabiscuit to accelerate to incredible speed.
Why profound: The horse is small (barely 15 hands) compared typical racing thoroughbreds who stand 16 hands or better, or four more inches taller at the withers than one standing 15 hands. And the horse has no lofty racehorse genes. Seabiscuit starts off a “mut” in the thoroughbred racing. But that’s not the point. The horse has heart and spirit which causes him to shine beyond any disappointing physical issues.
Moment: The starting bell from the firehouse that the starter looks at curiously before sending War Admiral and Seabiscuit down the track.
Why profound: It’s a great payoff scene following the setup scenes of night training on the track with the same bell, obtained at a fire house.
Moment: When trainer Tom Smith observes horse handlers fighting with Seabiscuit while at the same time he turns and sees Red Pollard fending off three young men who are fighting him.
Why profound: This is the moment where Tom Smith recognizes two misfits – horse and future rider, who just might complement one another.
Moment: When the banged-up jockey in a leg cast, Red Pollard, has the affectionate reunion with Seabiscuit who is, at this moment, also a banged-up racehorse in a leg cast.
Why profound: Earlier in the film, Tom Smith convinces a trainer from shooting a horse when conveying, “[y]ou don’t throw a whole life away just ‘cause he’s banged up a little.” The phrase is repeated back to Smith by Charles Howard when he wants to fire Red Pollard for having lied about his limited eyesight. But the payoff for this great comment is at its best at the affectionate moment, without dialogue, when the banged-up jockey in a leg cast, Red Pollard, is affectionately reunited with Seabiscuit who is, at this moment, a banged-up racehorse in a leg cast. Each is the mirror image of the other, both broken physically but not broken in spirit. They are, at that moment, united and providing inspirational strength to the other, from which they grow together as friends and are given yet again, a second chance. (This was my favorite moment of the film.)
There are so many more. These are just the favorites.
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Assignment 2 –
Gordon’s Turns Insights Into Action
What I learned: In some key places in the film, when the Transformational Character is beginning to “see the light,” to replace dialogue with action.
Screenplay: TMS (abbreviated title)
New Ways 1 – It finally registers:
AUGIE (reverent)
May be wrong. But seems the first step is to forgive yourself.
Jess looks up, his expression steeped with confusion.
AUGIE
Some stuff ain’t your fault. But most is. If you face it? Forgive yourself? Maybe you’ll find that
peace that avoids you.
Jess’s eyes consider. Augie peers out the window screen before returning his gaze on Jess.
AUGIE
Forgive yourself. Then just do it. Go home. Face your family. Apologize like you’ve never apologized before.
Augie locks eyes, has Jess’s undivided attention.
AUGIE
Find Clayton. Be in his life. Never be afraid to apologize.
Long pause as Jess reflects, EXHALES. For the first time Augie sees Jess’s eyes well up in the extended silence.
New ways 2 – Jess begins to follow through
Jess looks up.
JESS
Some guys write messages. For good luck. Good karma.
Augie looks up peels back the insulation. Jess hands him a permanent marker. Augie is suspended in thought, then begins to write.
INSERT – The inscription which reads “Love you forever Grace – Augie”
The pen comes back to Jess. He looks up, hesitates, then writes a much longer note. His smile reflects his inner peace.
New ways 3 – Following through. Headed home.
INT. JESS’S BEACH HUT – CONTINUOUS
The hut is tidy, clean. All personal items are gone. The bed is stripped, its bare mattress rolled to the frame’s head.
INT. ISLAND AIRPORT LOUNGE – CONTINUOUS
The olive “Jess” duffel occupies floor space next to him. Jess focuses across the tarmac through the lounge windows. He glances at his watch, downs what’s left in the glass.
SUPER: “ “
EXT. TARMAC – CONTINUOUS
Packing the duffel over his shoulder he wastes no time crossing the tarmac.
EXT. BASE OF STAIR RAMP, TRANSPORT PLANE – CONTINUOUS
When the final passenger heads up the ramp Jess takes a long look about before finally handing papers to the attendant. As Jess nears the top of the ramp…. (continued)
New ways 4 – Jess is dedicated to following through but a new challenge complicates it
Jess glances longingly toward the transport plane. The flight attendant focuses inquiringly toward Jess.
AUGIE
Either way man, wouldn’t blame you.
Jess and Augie lock eyes a long moment before Jess exchanges warm handshakes, hikes the ramp, picks up his duffel, takes a final look about, faces the door, drops head, SIGHS.
<i style=”font-weight: bold;”>New ways 5 – a work in progress <i style=”font-weight: bold;”>
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