Week 2 Day 3: Power Struggle – REMEMBER THE TITANS

[Ron Berti]

Coach: self-confident, quietly in charge, perfectly at ease in his new role.

Gary: overconfidence of youth, entitled.

The confrontation is one Denzel honed to a fine edge in a dozen movies like this. Faced with resistance/insurrection on his new team, Coach puts Gary in his place by mishearing his name and making up a story about how his name “must be Jerry” – “and that makes you Dean Martin”. He takes the initiative by loudly proclaiming to the assembled parents that “this here is Jerry and Dean and they’re coming to camp with us this year”, an embarrassment meant to further put Gary in his place. And then the “who’s your daddy?” back-and-forth, where Gary is forced to admit that he will submit to the Coach’s will or he won’t play. Nice touch at the end, where Coach tells “Dean” in a softer way, “clean up that tie, son”.

This confrontation was bound to happen sooner or later. Coach reveals himself to be utterly in charge of his own emotions and of his expectations for his players. Gary cannot compete with that level of self-assurance and eventually folds and gets on the bus, chastened for his iimpunity.

So what we get is that Coach is going to be demanding, that he’s in charge, but not with anger. He’s going to be reasonable, quiet, polite. But he’s going to be in charge. I was SO impressed with the writing behind this scene, hope mine rises to this level one day.

[cara star]

How is this power struggle created? We know that the black coach has just taken over a recently combined team and the white coaches, players, and parents are not The white coaches are simply being restrained and polite, but they are not happy about the situation and are skeptical of his abilities — or maybe jealous, or stubborn about old ways. We know right away that Denzel’s character won’t back down.

What is it about these characters that demand this power struggle? Entrenched racism and segregation in the south. Arrogant white coaches and players. Rejection of black coaches and players. Parents that also agree with the white coaches and players. Denzel’s character also has class and organization – two great things for coaches and leaders — he asks the two white players to “clean up.”

How does each character’s audience influence and depend upon this power struggle? The white coaches, families, and players are all going to back each other and it’s likely that black players might come out strong, but back off when presented with the threat of retaliation or exclusion. But, we feel that Denzel is on a mission to lead the team no matter what — he’s going to be “Daddy” and those old notions from players’ “Mama’s” are not going to stand up.

What drama is this scene built around? It seems they are getting on buses to go to their first non-segregated game and that they will now all be playing together.

How are they expressing their Profile (right character, traits, secret wound, future) through their words and actions? Denzel’s character is the right character in that he’s eager to change the dynamics of segregation on the team and he’s the bold leader to do it – he’s willing to call out anyone who questions him with direct humor and he’s not afraid of asserting his dominance. He likely has a wound of being overlooked as a coach because he’s black, and you can feel that his future is going to be difficult with these players and coaches, but that he will directly confront any disobedience.

[Liz]

How is this power struggle created? <div>

Gary (Jerry Lewis) established his stand that he/teammates will not play with “your” folks, and that is how they will play football (unchanged)
Denzel responds that you don’t need any of ‘my’ people?

What is it about these characters that demand this power struggle?

Segregation, is now converging the two races. One race against another (as how things have been.) Right or Wrong, this is how it’s done.
The new African American Coach vs. the captain of the football team.
Denzel establishes his control over the situation with an instant humiliation of sorts.
Further more he tells Gary that if he wants to play football, he needs to know who his “daddy” is, while they are at camp because his Momma ain’t gonna be on the bus.
Is this your team or is this your daddy’s team?
This is an immediate take over, as Denzel’s character can not back down in any way, nor show any weakness. It’s a great scene of taking power over the situation (touchy too), without any other intent, except to play football.

How does each character’s audience influence and depend upon this power struggle?

There is a common audience, this is a film about football
The conflict is pretty thick in this scene by skin color, and then the clear and obvious power struggle between the Captain of the team and the Coach
I believe the intelligent audience, despite their beliefs are drawn into this, as we want to see how this plays out.
The struggle is not over by any means, but the Captain giving in, does help this film move forward.
The Coach understands that this is one of more battles to come.

Watch 2nd time for:

What drama is this scene built around? </div><div>

Football, black and white, positive outlook from the New Coach, combining players black and white.

How are they expressing their Profile (right character, traits, secret, wound, future) through their words and actions?

Coach Traits: Moves with grace, stands tall, strength in his stride, smiles and positive

Captain Traits: Strength, wants to dominate, attitude (I am not anyone to mess with), condescending.

Coach – secret/wound: I am not to be trifled with, I may be a black man, but I am the Coach of this team. Wound not revealed, but most likely have struggled as a Black man in a community of white people all my life, yet this wound makes me strong.

Captain – secret/wound: I am the All American on this team, I am taking over because you are just a black man, you are not my coach, I am a momma’s boy too.

Coach – Future: We are playing football my way, not matter what you (Captain) believe will happen. Not only do I look forward to this challenge of mixing players to make this team great – I know this is extremely difficult situation to build a team that works well together to be a great team.

Captain – Future: I thought I had this figured out, but now my tail is between my legs, so I can play football.

Daily Focus – Searching for Breakthroughs:

Please watch this scene and provide your insights/breakthroughs into what makes this character great from a writing perspective. </div>

This character has so many conflicts/hurdles to overcome throughout this film. Mostly having to do with race, character, skill as a coach is not at the top in this scene.
What doesn’t make this a great character to write? I mean the conflict is already built in, with skin color. No matter what people think, racism is alive and kicking. It’s an unfortunate thing to have to deal with racism in this modern day – so this film should make a comeback or be a “Netflix” pick.
I don’t remember if this was based on a true story.

How the coach works through and deals with all the conflicts in this scene and what is to come, shows that as a person he has great integrity. I love that he has such a great attitude walking into this crowd of people. The only other black man is the reverend (I guess the other players are on the bus). The coach flows through the crowd like he is a “princess” with a new gown. His smile, his positive attitude, his swagger, walking tall with strength in his shoulders and his dialogue. I would be proud to have him as my dad. He shows no fear in this situation which is what is so great about him, we know he must have lots of fear. I can only hope that one day there is a character in my writing that can have these great characteristics.

<font face=”inherit”>I have a step Mom in my script, that doesn’t have much going on. But I would like her to have more impact on the main character (it is not </font>apparent<font face=”inherit”> because she is almost a side bar). The main character deals with so many conflicts and super bad things happen in her life, that I think the Mom should have influence in one way or another. So working on some traits now, and work on how the conflicts can generate change and have more powerful impacts on the story over all. </font>

[Joseph McGloin]

Watch 1st time for:

· How is this power struggle created?

The white quarterback tells the coach who he is, and so is the one who needs to be listened to, how to create the team. The coach responds by ridiculing the quarterback and then asserting his rightful position as coach, to be acknowledged by the quarterback.

· What is it about these characters that demand this power struggle?

One is a prejudiced white player who feels entitled to act on his views. The other is a black coach used to dealing with racial prejudice who must respond to this challenge right then and there as the future of his coaching depends on it.

· How does each character’s audience influence and depend upon this power struggle?

The white quarterback speaks only to the coach to present his expected role. His friend beside him is an extension of the white team.

The black coach needs to establish his seniority/role as coach to the white players and their white families, the black players and their families so all see that he is now in charge, not the prejudiced, entitled whites.

Watch 2nd time for:

· What drama is this scene built around?

Volatile race relations in the South, then the forced merger of 2 football teams filled with adolescents and their raging hormones.

· How are they expressing their Profile (right character, traits, secret, wound, future) through their words and actions?

Coach: Black man in a leadership position over impressionable white boys with their families looking on. He is no-nonsense, used to racial disparity and willing to confront it. He is articulate, confident, and courageous. He intends to make one team out of two.

All American: He is white, aggressive, prejudiced, but able to bend to/follow a strong leader. Wants to show his superiority, has no intention of playing with Blacks, but shows he is traibable.

Link to the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUTJK0TOmyY

Daily Focus – Searching for Breakthroughs:

1. Please watch this scene and provide your insights/breakthroughs into what makes this character great from a writing perspective.

Coach feels like Daniel going into the lion’s den, not afraid, is up to the challenge of facing extreme prejudice from several directions, while mixing two teams that are like oil and water. This all seems impossible, but we have faith in his confidence.

[Michael Williamsen]

The new coach in town, black, a bit arrogant, perhaps a bit scared from the challenge is facing comes head-to-head with the team captain, white, all-star player, who attempts to put coach in his place. Coach pulls up his salt, covering up he is fully aware of the challenge he is facing, and perhaps a bit worried, acts a bit overly confident and steps into the face of his challenge.

Gary, the team all-star local boy, has no intention of letting an intruder disrupt his dominance of team. He throws his stacked deck of cards in coach’s face matching wits but slowly cowers down to a most likely short retreat.

My story has a criminal billionaire villain who blackmails the local Mayor. The scene where the mayor has accepted his fate to join the villain will show his resistance a bit by pulling in his mayoral powers to be dashed to groveling at the mercy of the villain. The Titans have given some good ideas to the verbal tennis match my characters can play.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  Michael Williamsen.

[Ronald Neustrom]

Week 2 Day 3 Remember The Titans Scene

*1^st time watched

1. How is this power struggle created? Within this scene the power struggle is created when the only All-American from the White Team approaches the New Black Coach and tries to dictate the way the team is going to be run. The coach immediately belittles him in front of his friends and family but does it in a way that demonstrates the way the new power structure is going to work. The player is way down the chain. The scene creates surprise because we weren’t expecting the new black coach to come in with such confidence and cunning and it sets the table for an epic battle because this coach is powerful and prepared. He just might be a match for the historically racist culture that he has just been thrust in the middle of.

2. What is it about these characters that demand this power struggle? The white All-American player has a history of dealing with black people in certain way. The black coach has a history of dealing with players in certain way. Whose way is going to win out? From this scene we can clearly see the black coach is willing to go much farther and deeper with this issue than the player. However, we have the feeling that the coach might have won this battle, but we are pretty sure that this is not the final word on this issue. We have now witnessed how far the coach is willing to go to make his point, but we also know that in this culture with a character as successful as becoming an all-american, this is probably not the last word from him. A seed of conflict has been planted or witnessed and this is just the beginning. This issue isn’t going to go away, but neither are these characters with well-developed tools for the fight. We know this coach showed him who is in charge, but he will need talented players. And this is the most talented….it was a powerful move by the coach, but was it a smart move?

How does each character’s audience influence and depend upon this power struggle? One of the dynamics of this scene is tapping into is the long history of conflict between blacks and whites in the south. If you mean by their audience…their people…the issues go beyond the page. The black coach and his history of sports excellence developed through years of development and belief in himself and his system. And the white players and their history of dominance and power over the black man have their audiences demanding and expecting their behaviors. You are looking at a long history of learned behaviors and responses in a charged environment. This situation puts us on the front lines of an extreme battle with characters trained to battle. Their conflicts have bled over from the field to their personal relationships and careers as they are thrust together.

*2^nd time watched

1. What drama is this scene built around? This scene is built around the drama of leaving for football camp. These characters involved are thrust together and bring with them a history of extreme success and a specific approach to football. This scene is built around the history that each approach is strong and tested over time but not in this way. Whose approach is going to win? This is the main drama. Is the black coach and his philosophy or the white team and their approach going to rule the day? The scene was set-up right away when the black coach gives the white coaches his offensive plays. They question the simplicity of them. He is challenged at every step of the way. He responds with confidence and strength. The white establishment is not used to being challenged in this way on something they hold so traditional and so dear in the south…football.

How are they expressing their Profile (right character, traits, secret, wound, future) through their words and actions? The black coach is expressing himself by going through the motions of including the other coaches in his plan and listening to the players. He is being fair and open. However, his responses to their unkind actions are pointed, powerful, and decisive. Especially how the black coach completely dominated the toughest players on the white team making a mockery and comparing them to comedians and bringing back to them “being the daddy” and making him “Say it!” He leaves the other side defeated and unprepared for his weapons in the battle for racial dominance. They are all expressing their future by the white coaches, questioning the simplicity of the plays, the black coach expressing his reasoning for the simplicity, (raising a question we would like to see answered) and the coach expressing his view of the hierarchy of the team and the player trying to assert power over the coach. Whose future philosophy will win?

[James Hernandez]

<ins cite=”mailto:James%20A.%20Hernandez” datetime=”2021-12-11T22:34″>Watch 1st time for:</ins><ins cite=”mailto:James%20A.%20Hernandez” datetime=”2021-12-11T22:35″></ins>

· <ins cite=”mailto:James%20A.%20Hernandez” datetime=”2021-12-11T22:34″>How is this power struggle created?</ins>

· <ins cite=”mailto:James%20A.%20Hernandez” datetime=”2021-12-11T22:34″>What is it about these characters that demand this power struggle?</ins>

· <ins cite=”mailto:James%20A.%20Hernandez” datetime=”2021-12-11T22:34″>How does each character’s audience influence and depend upon this power struggle?</ins>

This power struggle is created once the white and black schools merge. There is an immediate foundation for conflict where opposing viewpoints on how to run the football camp collide. The black coach assumes leadership, yet the white captain insists on expressing how the camp and the team will function; including which players will play certain positions and when.

The characters demand this power struggle by which the black coach knows he will run the camp and football team. He is in a leadership role and what he says must be followed without question from any of the players. He also has a no-nonsense personality which he demonstrates to two white players in front of the other players and their parents. But opposing the black coach is the white captain who wants to lay the law of the land making it clear who will play, at which positions, and when. As the white captain, he feels the necessity to make his voice heard and understood given he’s the leader of the former white team. This dynamic of clashing personalities and roles between the black coach and white captain causes instant conflict which will develop and culminate in an interesting finale.

The black coach’s audience looks for his leadership to unify the team and create a winning program. And the black coach recognizes this demand, which the black players see him as the only person who can keep things calm. On the other hand, the white captain feels the pressure from his fellow teammates to speak up for them and have their camp experience proceed with as much little change as possible. In essence, the black coach and white captain are seen as representatives for their own goals and agenda going forward.

Wa<ins cite=”mailto:James%20A.%20Hernandez” datetime=”2021-12-11T22:34″>tch 2nd time for:</ins>

· <ins cite=”mailto:James%20A.%20Hernandez” datetime=”2021-12-11T22:34″>What drama is this scene built around?</ins>

· <ins cite=”mailto:James%20A.%20Hernandez” datetime=”2021-12-11T22:34″>How are they expressing their Profile (right character, traits, secret, wound, future) through their words and actions?</ins>

The drama this scene is built around includes the wills of two imposing figures that will go face to face and which represent two athletic “factions” where one will get his way, for now. The black coach and the white captain initiate the conflict that will play out throughout the story. The battle of ideals and vision for the football team.

The black coach is the right character for this story as he confronts and makes his vision for the team known to everyone, especially the white captain. Wherever he goes there will be the undercurrent of tension with everyone he encounters. His condescending trait is shown as he humiliates and brings back to earth the white captain and his fellow teammate. Yet he seeks to unify the team with humor and discipline. In the scene his secret isn’t apparent, perhaps it’s his plan and method he will use and make known to the audience. A wound could be the past struggle he had in becoming a football coach, and which he still has to deal with. What’s intriguing based on this scene is the future all these characters have in how will they come together and work as a team? Will there be internal strife? Will there be racist animosity on both sides? Can this team succeed?

The white captain complements the black coach as his opposite with conflicting ideals. He’s the right character who represents the other side of this story. He’s a straight shooter who speaks his mind even to the coach who’s been put in charge of the team. After the initial confrontation with the coach, he concedes that he’s the player following what the coach sees fit for all the players. In this scene the white captain doesn’t seem to hold a secret, except maybe that he prefers to play with members of his original team. A wound could be that he’s had a bad experience with black opposing players, which lingers in his subconscious. Yet this scene creates an interesting and intriguing launching point for this story as the audience anticipates the future of these two merged schools. Will tension and basically hate be overcome? Will the white captain perform as expected along with his original teammates? Will ultimate harmony and coexistence be achieved for the sake of the coaches, players and their families?

Insights/Breakthroughs:

One of the best ways to amp up drama and conflict is to show a struggle of wills. The magic of this is that it can be done in one scene, the launching point, which then carries over to the rest of the script.

A power struggle can immediately show who the characters are in their essence, at least at the beginning of the story. This sets up the character arc and how they may change by the end.