Lesson 9

[mark.napier2022@gmail.com napier]

Napier 12 Angry Men Analysis

***FYI, content I am posting has been registered (as a Treatment) with the Screenwriters Guild and copyrighted through the Library of Congress. When I am done with the script too will be registered and copyrighted. I understand what we post here is to be treated as such in the same manner.

I believe the intent is to ascertain what causes us to change our minds when we are dead set on our customs, beliefs and prejudices.
1. Click this link to pull up the Old Ways / Challenge Chart.
2. Watch the movie 12 ANGRY MEN. As you do, fill in the Old Ways you see; using the chart, make a list of Old Ways for the movie — habits, assumptions, filters of perception, beliefs, social values, rules, etc. – and the Challenges presented to those Old Ways.

HABBITS: CHALLENGE:
-How many times you threaten to kill someone -Making threats you do not mean
-Not caring about outcome -Kid’s life deserves consideration
-Judgmental about the slums and people -Make them question themselves
-Just want to get this over with -Forced them to focus on case

ASSUMPTIONS: CHALLENGE:
-Assumption of guilt -Burden of proof on government
-Being raised in the Slums make a criminal -Stigma of being different
-Kid stabbed father downward with a knife -Switchblade knife you shove upward
-Knife was unique one of a kind -Identical knife bought from same store
-Assuming evidence is not questionable -Reenacts crime
-Assuming Witnesses are accurate -Reassesses claims
-Assuming Defense Attorney did his job -Reassess Defense Attorney’s motives
-Assuming case is logical -Test facts and preconceived notions

FILTERS OF PERCEPTION: CHALLENGE:
-Kid is product of his environment (a thug) -Look beneath the surface (background)
-Quick to judge without weighing the facts -Pushed to talk and evaluate the testimony
-The knife used is unique one of a kind -Second knife is identical to the first knife
-Personal vendetta, hate and prejudice -Cannot hear you and never will

BELIEFS: CHALLENGE:
-Guilty because kid is on trial -Burden of proof is prosecution not defense
-Slums and broken homes breed criminals -Stigma
-Kid is a bad apple from birth -Juror sees kid as his son who he ran off
-Why are you polite? -For same reason you are rude – upbringing

SOCIAL VALUES: CHALLENGE:
-Go with the flow with others guilty verdict -Standing ground on principle
-Facts determine the case -You can fit facts anyway you like

RULES: CHALLENGE:
-Guilty verdict means death penalty -Testimony needs to be accurate
-Judge gives guidance for verdict -Guilty or Reasonable Doubt unanimously

Post your answers to #2 into the forums under Day 9. (But no attachments, please.)

3. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” (place at top of your work). I believe the intent is to ascertain what causes us to change our minds when we are dead set on our customs, beliefs and prejudices.
Post to the forums at https://www.screenwritingclasses.com/forums/

ASSIGNMENT 2

Napier Challenging Old Ways

1. Click this link to pull up a blank Old Ways / Challenge Chart.
2. Using the chart, make a list of Old Ways for your story — habits, assumptions, filters of perception, beliefs, social values, rules, etc. for your story.

HABBITS: CHALLENGE:
-Ignoring wrongdoings/blunders -Cost of doing business
-Don’t challenge hostile environment, move on
-Accepting cultural norms of retaliations
-Never question or challenge Godlike deities
-Egos are in abundance, particularly in Operations

ASSUMPTIONS: CHALLENGE:
-CIA is the ‘tip of the spear’ and knows all -The only thing 100% certain at CIA is that
it’s never 100% certain

FILTERS OF PERCEPTION: CHALLENGE:
-CIA gathers and shares intelligence -Exposing behind the scenes “3 Stooges”
for protecting our country from threats operations
-CIA operates like a well oil machine -When CIA blunders you know it

BELIEFS: CHALLENGE:
-U.S. is a Constitutional Republic -Exposing how business is really done
that protects against tyranny, limits and how the wall between the CIA and FBI
of government, and separation of powers has nearly been removed

-Rule of Law establishes accountabilities for all -Answers only to the Executive Branch with
oversight by Congress

SOCIAL VALUES: CHALLENGE:
-Mission of the CIA is to collect foreign -Overlooked principles adopted by society
Intelligence, produce objective analysis, (Constitution, laws, and policies) and not
and conduct covert operations target deliberately against Americans

-Cloak and Daggar ‘above the law’ shielded by -Blew off Federal Judge’s order
the protections of sources and methods involved

RULES: CHALLENGE:
-Made to be broken and like facts, -Exposing the truth
made to be fit anyway you want it to be

-Not spy on Americans -Wall between the CIA and FBI came down
following 9/11 terrorist attacks

3. Fill in any ideas you have for ways to challenge each of the Old Ways.
4. Post your answers to #2 and #3 into the forums under Day 9. (But no attachments, please.)
5. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” (place at top of your work). I learned to help focus my subplots more in-depth to make for more supportive story telling of the theme .
6. Post to the forums at https://www.ScreenwritingClasses.com/forums
Subject line: (Your name’s) Old Ways Challenge Chart (place in first line)

• This reply was modified 9 months ago by  mark.napier2022@gmail.com napier. Reason: Posting Lesson 1 and Lesson 2
• This reply was modified 9 months ago by  mark.napier2022@gmail.com napier.

[Beverley]

Beverley Wood’s 12 Angry Men Analysis

What I learned doing this assignment is that they really knew how to write movies back then (well, I guess I was reminded), and this is a most brilliant movie that I had no idea about – it’s perfect to illustrate old ways, new ways, to illustrate how you can have the whole movie in one room, talking heads, yet be as riveting (more) than an action movie. Brilliant movie, I appreciate the introduction, and I learned so many things from it I couldn’t begin to list them all.

Old ways and challenges

They may not be in order, apologies – I filled front AND back of the sheet in small handwriting and didn’t have enough room!

Even the opening, the judge was super bored with the process and not engaged, setting us up for the jury.

When one juror, who is class prejudiced and thinks only criminals come from slums and they all lie, says he believes the woman witness, Henry Ford challenges that by throwing his own beliefs back at him, “She’s one of them too, so how can you believe her?”

They are more interested in telling their own stories and getting to the ballgame, have no desire to see “justice” done, just want out of there quickly and are victims of groupthink. With the old man talking about how the old man witness may have just wanted attention and someone to listen to him, he’s clearly reflecting his own emotions and experiences. He IS that old man, so he gets it now.

They are presumptuous about predetermined outcomes, and they don’t think about the evidence. They are not open to new evidence or perspectives. But each of them has their own prejudices because of something inside them… one juror actually says, “He’s a common ignorant slob; he don’t even speak good English”

Their prejudice isn’t always shown in negative comments, at one point the most prejudiced of the jurors says “all the fine watchmakers come from Europe” but later berates him as an immigrant.

Henry Ford is basically a defence attorney making his case to the jury but in the jury room. And while it’s all dialogue (mostly), he is SHOWING the other jurors how, in his perspective, the boy could be innocent by showing them their OWN flaws. At one point later in the movie, he quotes Jack Warden back to himself to dispute something that Jack Warden had just stated unequivocally.

Such an incredible movie. I have notes all over the place. Thank you again.

[Beverley]

Assignment 2 – Beverley Wood’s Old Ways Challenge Chart

What I learned doing this assignment is I need to work on my challenges.

Old Ways, Matt.

As a scientist believes nothing until proven 100%. Empirical evidence only.

When his long-lost love appears to him as a ghost. He won’t believe she is real; he thinks she is in his head (Complicated Grief Disorder) and he wants her to be back so badly, he’s imagining her.

Challenge: Lauren constantly questions how he cannot believe she’s real, she’s there, she speaks, he can touch her… it’s not until she provides absolute empirical evidence in the form of his flowers all being tended and properly deadheaded by someone (her).

Kim constantly questions him about why he thinks the way he does, and she sets the example through the entire film of someone who firmly believes in, and has intimate knowledge of, the spirit world.

Old Ways, Matt.

He’s selfish and now that she’s back, he’s not going to let her go.

Challenge: Kim questions him extensively; takes him to a sacred releasing the spirit ceremony; Lauren crawls inside her urn and won’t come out, he experiences her loss once again; he finally sees god (so to speak) of his own volition (drinks mushroom tea experience) and understands.

By the end of the movie, he believes not only in ghosts but in people coming back to say hi as a butterfly.

And by the end of the movie, he wants her to go, having experienced the beauty himself.

[Diane Keranen]

Assignment 9-1
Diane's 12 Angry Men — Old Ways and Challenges

What I learned doing this assignment is that the challenges can be subtle. They accumulate. They don’t need to be in-your-face opposition to the Old Ways they can raise questions without criticizing and leave the option for the audience to consider the challenge.

Watch the movie 12 ANGRY MEN. As you do, fill in the Old Ways you see; using the chart, make a list of Old Ways for the movie — habits, assumptions, filters of perception, beliefs, social values, rules, etc. – and the Challenges presented to those Old Ways.

Old Way — The system is powerful and steadfast. This is shown by us looking up at the courthouse at the opening, the people are dressed up rather than in casual attire. The courthouse, and therefore the system, ought to be respected (the guard shushes the noisy group).
Challenges — The people are less powerful than the system. They are affected by outside forces like the heat and time taken from their daily activities. Even the judge seems bored by the process. We can trust the system, right? Eventually, the Old Way perspective jurors are shown to be as powerless as the defendant, but they grow to become powerful by taking responsibility for the way the system works. At the end, they take that power and leave the courthouse with it.

Old Way — The initial poll of the jurors at the start of deliberation is oral. There appears to be some “go along with the others” happening which could be social pressure to be a part of the stressed and impatient group who have just experienced six days of trial.
Challenges — One juror, just after the mid-point of this first poll, is an outlier. Up to him, everyone voted “guilty” quite quickly. How does one carefully consider the evidence so quickly in a complex case?

Old Way — Ridicule the outlier.
Challenges — Pushes back on the ridicule by pointing out the fact that they have time to examine the case. That is, after all, their purpose for being here. Does the ridicule seem just? Or is there another approach?

Old Way — First impressions greatly affect the judgment of the jurors. The formality of the trial, the prosecution's presentation of facts, and the apparent weakness of the defense lawyer all suggest, on the surface, that the case is a strong one.
Challenges — The facts, upon closer examination, seem to tell an incomplete story. How can incomplete evidence, a one-sided telling, be left unexamined?

Old Way — Racist assumptions. A, “You know how ‘they’ are…”
Challenges — Consider the reasons for differences between people because what we “know” might just be assumptions. Is what we "know" just what we expect is true or what we want to be true (the one juror used violence against his son and their relationship suffered greatly)?

• This reply was modified 9 months ago by  Diane Keranen.
• This reply was modified 9 months ago by  Diane Keranen.
• This reply was modified 9 months ago by  Diane Keranen.
• This reply was modified 9 months ago by  Diane Keranen.
• This reply was modified 9 months ago by  Diane Keranen.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

Day 9_Assignment 1

What I learned doing this assignment is that people are covered by many layers of Old Ways and they are not even aware of it.

Q. Watch the movie 12 ANGRY MEN. As you do, fill in the Old Ways you see; using the chart, make a list of Old Ways for the movie — habits, assumptions, filters of perception, beliefs, social values, rules, etc. – and the Challenges presented to those Old Ways.

Old Ways: Assuming that a boy from a slum is dangerous.
Challenges: Juror 5, who seems to be a decent man, reveals that he also grew up in a slum.

Old Ways: Jury duty is a tedious job and it’s not worth it to busy men.
Challenges: A human’s life depends on their decision and it’s worth it.

Old Ways: A testimony should be accurate.
Challenge 1: The noise of the passing train may jeopardize the statement of the witness.
Challenge 2: Your memory is not as accurate as you think (you can’t remember the name of the film and casts even without stress).
Challenge 3: A sighting may be questionable especially when witnessed by a nearsighted woman at midnight when people usually don’t wear glasses.

Old Ways: There should be no coincidence (having an identical knife is “one-in-million”).
Challenges: Juror 8 (Henry Fonda) presents the same knife he bought in a very dramatic manner.

Old Ways: The direction of stabbing the knife to a tall man (father) by a short man (son) is always downward.
Challenges: Juror 5 shows that when using a “switch knife”, the direction should be upwards.

Old Ways: Make your decision based on the majority’s opinion.
Challenges: Juror 11 challenges Juror 7 who changes his opinion without deeply considering and demands his reason for the change.

Old Ways: When people are having a personal issue, they tend to reach an easy decision without deliberately thinking it as seen in Juror 3.
Challenges: When no one listens to your argument and everyone seems to be against you, you may realize that you are in a wrong position.

• This reply was modified 9 months ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.

[Diane Keranen]

Assignment 9-2

Diane’s Old Ways Challenge Chart

What I learned doing this assignment is how difficult it is to articulate the ideas that I feel I understand but need to convey to others.

Old Way — Filters of Perception — Teaching boys to “man up” and “be tough” through the tradition of hunting/killing to see the target as acceptable to be killed or hunting/killing as a sport. A preparation for framing enemies during wartime as acceptable targets of killing. Ten-year-old Cole and Jake are pressured by father/grandfather hunting traditions to see them as honored traditions and as they are becoming men.
Challenging this perception — Teach that taking life should not be easy or sporting. Combat trauma is real and “manning up” or “toughing it out” will not make it go away.

Old Way — Social Values — Soldiers who return home after combat are now safe and can let go of whatever they went through. “Thank you for your service” brings the back into the fold. Let us now celebrate, wave the flag, and enjoy the fireworks.
Challenging these values— Combat veterans understand that the soldier cannot let go of their wartime experiences. The “thank you” is appreciated, but only touches the surface. What lies beneath is the engine that drives the combat veteran’s perspective and prevents a simple return home. The challenge arises when Matt must find his way in civilian life with combat trauma as part of who he is. His father’s advice, the way his friends react to him, and his wife’s betrayal are shown.

Old Way — Assumptions — You’re home. Let’s celebrate! Come on, pick up where you left off. Veterans from a retirement home/assisted living are presented on a parade float. We appreciate their service.
Challenging these assumptions — What exactly do we appreciate regarding their service? They are on display for what reasons? The combat-affected veteran is different now. Yes, he can celebrate, but there is so much loss associated with combat that is not fit for celebration. What they respect about their service does not translate into celebration.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

Day 9_Assignment 2

What I learned doing this assignment is that brainstorming old ways and challenges would help deepen the characters, which leads to new scenes and sequences in the story.

Q: Using the chart, make a list of Old Ways for your story — habits, assumptions, filters of perception, beliefs, social values, rules, etc. for your story. Fill in any ideas you have for ways to challenge each of the Old Ways.

Old Ways: Russell, a local sheriff, is an excentric, ultraconservative man who does the same thing at the same time every day, which makes him comfortable.
Challenges: The investigation of the Asian man (Taiki) who was found in the middle of nowhere disturbs the peaceful life of Russell.

Old Ways: Russell’s grandfather was killed by Japanese during the World War II and thus, he has a negative feeling toward Japanese people.
Challenges: Taiki saves Katie from getting hurt (raped), while other Americans fail to do so.

Old Ways: Russell is ignorant about (and thus has prejudice against) Asian people in general.
Challenges: Russell is forced to identify the ethnic background of Taiki (the Asian man).

Old Ways: Katie is a shy and a little nerdy girl who lives in the two-dimensional world of anime and manga.
Challenges: Katie is forced to take care of Taiki who has bleeding through a fall.

Old Ways: Russell does not appreciate (and is inground about) the culture of anime. He cannot even distinguish manga from cartoons.
Challenges: Russell is shocked to find a social media posting where Kaite enjoys cosplay (dressing up as an anime character).

[Angela Booth]

Angela Booth
What I learned from doing this assignment is that for profound transformations to take place, the challenge to our belief systems has to come from more than one source. We need validation from various sources to fully integrate new ways of thinking.

I jumped straight to assignment 2. As I am writing a pilot for a TV comedy-drama, I have multiple transformable characters.

Old Ways
Who we are:
a. Corporate bitch
b. Privileged full-time mum
c. Breadwinner
d. Public servant

Challenge
NOTE: The other three women each challenge the others’ perceptions of all the following
a. Viewed as creative and ingenious in problem solving with her kids
b. Viewed as kick-ass organized and competent in juggling home and husband’s failing business
c. Encouraged to step back from feeling responsible so that others step up to earn a wage
d. Encouraged to speak up when things are wrong and find her voice to make a change instead of towing the line at work

What we are worth
a. Financially a lot, personal needs ignored
b. No wage, but values herself
c. Profession not valued, but values self
d. Does not earn a lot and is not valued

Challenge
a. Encouraged to make time for herself and push back on taking care of everything
b. Recognised for integrity and other intrinsic values as she takes on the business. Challenged to believe that these are valuable in themselves.
c. Recognised as hard working but challenged to put herself first and stop covering for others
d. Challenged to believe in herself and demand better treatment from family, as well as question wages and conditions at work

Perspectives on what is possible.
a. Nothing will change
b. Nothing should change
c. Everything ought to change
d. I don’t deserve change

Challenge
a. Situation with father in law forces a big situational shift for the family dynamic
b. Economic loss and family bereavement force change
c. It’s not enough to hope, you have to push for change
d. Believe in yourself and bring about the change – you control it

• This reply was modified 9 months ago by  Angela Booth.