[…] Hit Reply and see you in comments …read more […]

One of my fave sports/mentor movies is Bull Durham. Rampant with great "advice" scenes. Classic "rookie" learning from a "seasoned" player. And all about learning the hard way. From screenwriting perspective --- so many "clever" moments in this script. This scene (and two clips) remind me of of the SHOW DON'T TELL. Crash "shows" Nuke lessons in baseball and in life. EXT. DURHAM BASEBALL STADIUM -- SHORT TIME LATER CLOSE ON THE ROSIN BAG on the mound. A hand picks it up. Puffs of rosin "smoke". Nuke is on the mound. NUKE NERVOUSLY WALKS AROUND THE MOUND -- Just before the first batter. He picks up the rosin bag. Digs a slot for his lead foot to land. And CRASH APPROACHES, in full gear, mask tipped up on his head. CRASH Don't try to strike everybody out. (beat) Strikeouts are boring. They're Fascist. Throw some ground balls, it's more Democratic. CRASH TURNS AND HEADS TO THE PLATE and we hear the beginning of Nuke's interior monologue. NUKE (V.O.) What's this guy know, eh? If he's so great why's he been in the minors for ten years? And if he's so hot how come Annie wants me instead of him. CRASH TURNS AROUND HALF WAY TO THE PLATE and returns to the mound, as if he knows everything Nuke's thinking. CRASH And listen, meat. You don't know shit. If you want to get to the Show, you'll listen to me. She only wants you 'cause she can boss you around, got it? (beat, complete tone change) Relax, have a ball out here. This game's fun, okay? Fun, God damn it. (beat) And don't squeeze the ball so tight. It's an egg. Hold it like an egg. CRASH SMILES -- And trots back to the plate. NUKE'S P.O.V. The first batter steps in. Crash gives the sign for the pitch. NUKE Fun? What's he know about fun? (beat) Why's he calling for a curveball? I wanta bring heat. CRASH Shake off the pitch. Throw what you wanta. NUKE SHAKES OFF THE PITCH -- Here comes Crash back out to the mound before Nuke's thrown a pitch. CRASH Why you shaking me off? NUKE I wanta throw the heater to announce my presence with authority. CRASH "To announce your fucking presence with authority"? This guy's a first ball fastball hitter. He's looking for heat. NUKE But he ain't seen my heat -- CRASH Awright, meat, give him your heat. CRASH RETURNS ONE MORE TIME to behind the plate. CRASH CROSSES THE PLATE, past the hitter. He speaks to the opposing leadoff batter. CRASH Fastball. NUKE Why's he always call me "Meat"? I'm the guy driving a Porsche. NUKE WINDS UP AND DELIVERS -- A fastball. THE LEADOFF HITTER TEES OFF on the pitch and sends a line shot over the right field fence. CLOSE ON BILLBOARD -- "Hit Cow, Win Steak" sign, The home run hits the cow on a target painted on the cow's rump. The COW'S MOUTH OPENS AND MOOS. THE BATTER STANDS AND WATCHES the home run, admiring the shot, enjoying the moment. CRASH GETS IN HIS FACE instantly -- and gets very tough. CRASH What're you lookin' at?! You're showing up my pitcher, bush -- get your ass in gear! THE BATTER TAKES OFF ON A HOME RUN TROT -- Slightly scared. AND CRASH HEADS TO THE MOUND where Nuke watches the Mooing Cow and the circling batter with dismay. Crash smiles. CRASH Guy hit the shit outta that one, eh? NUKE Well, I held it like an egg. CRASH An' he scrambled the son of a bitch. (beat) Having fun yet? NUKE I'm having a blast. (beat) God, that sucker teed off on it just like he knew I was gonna throw a fastball. CRASH He did know. NUKE How? CRASH I told him. CRASH SMILES -- Drops the mask, returns behind the plate. NUKE SIGHS -- Takes a deep breath. NUKE Don't think. Just throw. Don't think. Just throw. NUKE'S WINDUP AND DELIVERY -- A fastball. A powerful, clean, overwhelming fastball. Strike one. NUKE God, that was beautiful. What'd I do? http://movieclips.com/XMqB-bull-durham-movie-strikeouts-are-fascist/ http://movieclips.com/KyzB-bull-durham-movie-nuke-brings-the-heat/

Finding Nemo (2003) Written by Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, David Reynolds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l_tFa4-5OM Dory: Hey there, Mr. Grumpy Gills. When life gets you down do you wanna know what you've gotta do? Marlin: No I don't wanna know. Dory: [singing] Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim. Marlin: Dory, no singing. Dory: [continuing] Ha, ha, ha, ha, ho. I love to swim. When you want to swim you want to swim. Marlin: Now I'm stuck with that song... Now it's in my head. Dory: Sorry. Trivia: Andrew Stanton pitched his idea and story to Pixar head John Lasseter in an hour-long session, using elaborate visual aids and character voices. At the end of it, the exhausted Stanton asked Lasseter what he thought, to which Lasseter replied, "You had me at 'fish'." Director Andrew Stanton originally planned to reveal the fate of Marlin's wife gradually through flashbacks seen periodically as the story unfolded. After a few early in-house screenings, he found that Marlin came off as too much of a worrywart, and decided to reveal the entire back-story up front, thus making Marlin more appealing by establishing the reason for his over-protectiveness.