Lesson 12 Assignments

[Wayne Petitto]

ASSIGNMENT 1
Wayne’s Seabiscuit Analysis
Limiting my search of profound moments to actions with few words, I found these.

What I learned doing this assignment is there are many inventive, creative and expressive ways to use actions and visuals to make profound statements.

Right after Charlie tells his wife, “Can’t get any worse.” There are a series of action scenes with very few words showing his son’s death and wife leaving him. Now he fits the theme of broken people getting/taking a second chances.

Without a word spoken we see Tom Smith frustrated at Seabiscuit fighting 4 men, turns and sees a jockey fighting 4 men himself. Without a word of dialogue we arrive at the same conclusion. Perhaps this horse and this jockey can relate.

When Charlie reopens the barn he’d closed upon the death of his son, it represents him reopening his hope for the future.

When Red storms off angry, he stumbles into something on his right side, the first indication that his vision is impaired on that side.

The scene when Seabiscuit returns lame and Red comes to meet him in his walking cast is extremely powerful as the two broken friends reunite. No words.

What Red puts on his dinner plate has always represented his determination to be a jockey. When he piles it on, we realize he’s given up. Later when he eats very little, we (and his family) all know he’s regained hope to race again, despite “authorities” declaring neither can.

By the last race, we’ve already seen all Red’s strategies, so when we watch them, there need be no explanation. I.e., Red shows Seabiscuit the crop without using it and Seabiscuit knows that means it’s time to let loose. He does!

Although we never even see them cross the finish line, we know the result.

[Wayne Petitto]

ASSIGNMENT 2

Wayne’s Turns Insights Into Action
What I learned doing this assignment is I clearly can find more ways to let action and visuals create profound transformable moments.

(Old way) When Jeannie is sexually harassed, she defends herself using a standing arm bar that puts her assailant at her mercy. She escorts him from the room and leaves him on the balcony. There is no dialogue about her having trained in martial arts or that she can handle herself, but we know now.

(New way) There is hope for healing with forgiveness, grace, and working together.
There’s a montage of Jeannie and Peter doing just that, (i.e. at the ice-cream stand).

(Old way – New Way) When Peter is 3rd in line for coffee and sees the attractive Jeannie walk in, he immediately recalls his vow to approach the next attractive woman he sees, attempting to get over his fear of them. Without words he looks back and forth, seeing that Jeannie might leave because of the long line behind him. He appears a bit panicked and the lady behind him looks inquisitive. He asks her something and she nods her head yes, so he hurries out of line to approach Jeanie. There is much body language in this scene as when he asks Jeannie what she’d like so he can use is place in line to get it, she’s suspicious of his motives and refuses. However, when she sees him look down dejected, she hands him $5.

(Old Way) Peter takes Jeannie to dinner. Over conversation, Jeannie gets the mistaken impression that he only approached her because he wanted sex. Peter’s clumsily wondered defense sounds even worse. Jeannie takes a sip of wine, stands up with a half full glass of wine in her hand, looks at his chest like a target, carefully places the glass squarely on the table, and leaves. [Ending Act-1]

(Old Way) After Jeannie explains she’s a “one beer girl,” several empty mugs are on the table in the next scene. This is the scene that evolves to an all-out bar room brawl.

(New Way) When Peter sits in his car outside the gate waiting for Jeanie to come out for a jog. He sees her come out the gate, and make a little hop to start her morning jog. Later we learn that it was a hop of joy because she noticed Peter’s car.

(New Way) Peter’s discussion with the Monsignor escalates to the point that the Monsignor pulls out a crucifix and tries to exorcize “the Bishop Cauchon’s tormented spirit” from possessing Peter. Peter finds his calm (big change), leans toward the trembling Monsignor and kisses the crucifix before walking out, saying, “Forgive him for he knows not what he does.”

(New Way) Time alone may not heal all wounds that can be reopened, but forgiveness and grace can, (even after 600 years).
In the final scene after Peter (as Bishop Cauchon) asks Jeannie (as Joan or Arc) to forgive him for the horrific thing he did to an innocent Saint, and she explains Joan of Arc already did in her dying breath. Then they set an example to the world with a meaningful embrace. “The embrace seen ’round the world.”
That embrace also cross fades to a similar embrace at their wedding.

There shall be more as I rewrite them in….

[Erin Ziccarelli]

Erin Ziccarelli turns Insights into Action

What I learned from doing this assignment is: the profound moments of the movie Seabiscuit. This is my first time seeing the film.

Assignment 1: Profound moments of Seabiscuit:

· Red in the horse race for the first time: his passion for the craft is ignited. He sees the competitive/cutthroat side of it. It’s harder than he thought, but he’s going to stick with it.

· Red’s eye injury: instead of giving up and accepting defeat, he decides to keep going.

· Tom and Charles’ scene together by the fire: not giving up on anyone, no matter the circumstances. Everyone has a gift, or something unique to offer.

· Smith’s first encounter with Seabiscuit: the horse is spirited. Has great potential.

· Red and Seabiscuit’s first win as a team: the crowd is ignited. They inspire and unite people – the movement begins, people “find their voice.”

· Red’s eye injury is exposed: Tom is encouraged not to give up on Red and Seabiscuit, simply because of his injury.

· Red and Seabiscuit’s injuries: both are on the mend, but their spirits are not crushed. They are happily reunited, showing their bond is about more than winning. They’ve built a deep connection.

· Lap around the tree: it’s their first time trying to race since being injured. There’s hope for their future as a team.

· Final race: everyone who’s been a part of their journey is there to witness the victory. Everyone’s cheering for Red and Seabiscuit. With some encouragement, they win. Seabiscuit has helped each character, and they’ve all helped each other. This is profound, especially for the setting – the Great Depression.

Assignment 2: 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.

· Learning to control your own fate

o Alex in rehab – he makes the decision to get better.

o Roger has made a choice to leave the old life behind. That was his decision.

o Alex’s business journey – when he’s dependent on Nathanial’s money, he’s less successful. He feels more confident when he’s in control.

o Alex’s rejection of the family at the end. His final lines to them are, “This is my life. This is my future.”

o Alex burning the cocaine. He’s done with the old life and his old vices.

· Living a life v. moving through life

o Kitty’s rebellious nature – she challenges Nathanial’s ways. He’s miserable moving through life beholden to the family rules, while she’s happily carrying on with Alex.

o When in prison, Alex is numb to his world. He’s barely living. As he starts to interact with others and enjoy his day-to-day life, he’s a happier person.

o Scarlett is moving through life. She spends most of her days at a job she doesn’t like and drinks and gambles by night. Her relationships are shallow.

o Alex sees Scarlett’s life and tries to help her see the truth.

o Alex’s references to the “life he led,” back when he was young. He was going through his days dependent on the Donovan family for his livelihood.

· Family is more than last name

o Jack, Shaun, Alex, Scarlett, and Will become an odd sort of “family” – they are a team working to make the business possible. They have a shared sense of responsibility for their work until the fire.

o Alex and Kitty’s relationship – they came from opposite families, yet still understood each other better than their own families.

o Scarlett and Alex’s relationship – by the end, they are finally on the path to trusting each other despite being from rival families.

o Nathanial’s gift to Alex – Nathanial Caden left Alex money, despite Alex being from the other side of Boston. He was the first to “see the light.”

o Roger, Alex, and Scarlett’s dynamic – Roger is constantly checking up on Alex and Scarlett and making sure that they’re alright. Roger displays the same amount of commitment to both of them, despite Alex being a “rival” and Scarlett being “one of his.”

· Redemption and forgiveness are possible

o Alex’s journey through rehab

o Scarlett and Alex’s journey – their forgiveness of each other’s past mistakes and betrayals

o Roger’s journey – he’s redeemed himself from his previous life

o Alex’s forgiveness of Kitty and Ted’s marriage, despite their relationship

o Roger and Alex’s slow journey to trust each other

· Confronting the past is the only way to move forward

o Roger’s journey of coming back to Boston. He must go back to the North End to help Scarlett.

o Alex returns to the prison later in the story. It looks different to him. He realizes how much his outlook has changed.

o References to Kitty – Alex won’t let her mysterious death be forgotten. He confronts Richard at the end, and the mystery is solved.

o Alex’s return to the South End after Scarlett rejects his help. It takes him a while to work through his past, but he realizes he must return to his old ways to leave them behind.

o Alex’s counterfeiting skills are not as sharp as they once were. He can never be his old self again.