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Making the Movie and the Body of Christ: A free Movie Lesson from Remember the Titans

Making the Movie and the Body of Christ: A free Movie Lesson from Remember the Titans

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Teams are important.  If we read the scriptures carefully, the church should be the the best, most functional team around. This week we’ll talk about all the elements of team in the movie and even behind the scenes!

Introduce the clip:

Today we wrap up our four-week series on the movie Remember the Titans. This movie takes place in 1971 in Alexandria, Virginia. Up until this point, the high schools had been completely segregated – white students in one high school, and African-American students in another school. However, the law changes and a new school, T. C. Williams High School is opened, bringing the two races together in one school for the very first time. The players on the team have made great strides in building relationships across racial lines. The team has even inspired some of the townspeople including their own families to overcome their prejudice to accept those of a different race. However, not everything is perfect. There are still many who are reluctant or who flat our refuse to accept those who are of a different race. The team continues to win on the field and is well on its way to achieving its goal of a state title.

We join the movie today with the Titans having qualified for the state championship. The town is celebrating and supporting the team in its efforts to bring a title to Alexandria. They are unaware that in the midst of this great time of joy, they will soon all come face to face with a terrible tragedy to one of their heroes and leaders.

WATCH THE MOVIE: Start at 1:22:18. End at 1:48:05

OPENING DISCUSSION

  1. What stood out to you from the movie today? (A favorite scene, a moment that you connected with, a quote that hit home with you.)
  1. What themes or important issues were presented in the story?

OPENING ACTIVITY

It takes many people to create a movie. Below are some job titles and job descriptions for movie production roles. Work as a team to match the job title with the correct job description.

Best Boy build and maintain all the equipment that supports cameras.
Composer Coordinate the team of lighting technicians and all electrical equipment.
Grip Initiates, coordinates, supervises and controls all aspects of the film, from fundraising and hiring key personnel, to arranging for distributors.
Fixer creates the sounds for the film in front of a projected picture.
Boom Operator Write, perform, and arrange the music to suit the mood and action.
Producer ensure that different takes/scenes do not contain continuity errors.
Script Supervisor Positioning microphones to capture dialogue and sound effects
Foley Artist Secures permits, locations, accommodations, transportation for cast / crew.

 

Answers:

  1. Best Boy: Coordinate the team of lighting technicians and all electrical equipment.
  2. Boom Operator: Responsible for positioning microphones to capture dialogue and sound effects
  3. Composer: Write, perform, and arrange the music to suit the mood and action.
  4. Fixer: Secures permits, locations, accommodations and transportation for cast and crew.
  5. Foley Artist: creates the sounds for the film in front of a projected picture.
  6. Grip: build and maintain all the equipment that supports cameras.
  7. Script Supervisor: ensure that different takes and scenes do not contain distracting continuity errors.
  8. Producer: Initiates, coordinates, supervises and controls all aspects of the film, from fundraising and hiring key personnel, to arranging for distributors.

 

DISCUSSION

        1. How did you do as a team in coming up with the correct answers?
        2. Do you think you were able to get more answers correct as a team than you could on your own?
        3. What would a movie be like without a producer? Without a Grip?
          With no producer the film may never get the financing to get made in the first place. The film would not make it to as many theaters. The crew could become disorganized.
          Without a grip, the equipment holding the cameras might fail or not work properly. This could cause costly damage to cameras and a delay in filming.
        4. What would this movie – or any movie – be like without music?
          Perhaps the most famous movie music riff is from the original Halloween. When John Carpenter first brought the movie to the production company they watched the movie and passed. They said it was slow and not scary enough. However, at this point there was no music in the film. John Carpenter went home that night and composed the music himself and added it to the film. A couple of days later he showed the film to the same group of people, several of whom remarked it was the scariest, most intense movie they had ever seen. The difference was the music.

Making a movie involves lots of different skills from lots of different people working together to present a picture worth watching. The body of Christ works much the same way. As believers use their unique talents and spiritual gifts, they present a living, breathing picture of Christ.

SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES

Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 12, 27

There are different spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; and there are different ministries and the same Lord; and there are different activities but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.

Christ is just like the human body—a body is a unit and has many parts; and all the parts of the body are one body, even though there are many.

You are the body of Christ and parts of each other.

DISCUSSION

  1. What examples of being the Body of Christ did you see in the film either today or from earlier in the movie?
  • Alan giving Petey his spot.
  • Yoast asking Boone for his help.
  • The team stepping up and some players playing both ways to achieve success.
  • Suffering along with Bertier in the midst of his tragedy.
  • Bertier telling Julius he cannot just look out for himself, but needs to play for his teammates.
  • Bertier cutting his friend Ray from the team. He was not going to be a part of the body.
  1. What is something you have been able to accomplish with others that you could not have done alone? How does this relate to being a member of the body of Christ?
  2. Have you ever experienced being a part of the body of Christ? Maybe on a mission trip, at Room in the Inn, serving in a ministry of the church, at summer camp, as part of a small group, etc. What made this group or experience a “Body of Christ” example?

TOUGH QUESTIONS

  1. How was the team “The Body of Christ” to Bertier?
    They come to the hospital to support him. They come to his funeral. They respect and follow his leadership.
  1. Coach Boone’s wife said “Sometimes life is just hard.” Why is this? Why does God allow things like car accidents to happen?
    There is no easy answer to this one. Make sure youth are allowed to share their opinion/thoughts without being interrupted or dismissed. Some possible discussion points include: God is a mystery – we don’t know. The world is broken and not as God intended. God gives us free will which can lead to bad things happening. God is in the midst of suffering.
    1. What ways do people deal with tragedy? What do you think about how Gerry Bertier dealt with the news of his injury?
      People deal with tragedy in different ways – ignoring it, becoming angry, depression, reaching out to others for help, dealing with it positively, etc.
      Gerry’s attitude is pretty amazing. He was an All-American athlete who could no longer play football. More importantly, he was a young healthy man, who now was to be in a wheelchair the remainder of his life. He did not blame anyone showing he was loving. He cheered for his team showing he was selfless. He looked to the future with hope.

MOVING FORWARD ACTIVITY

Give each group some markers and one piece of chart paper or poster board.
Each person picks one marker. During the activity, each person must use his/her marker only. No trading.
The group must work together to draw a picture following the rules above.

DISCUSSION

      1. Share your drawing. How did you feel you did as a team?
      1. What did you think of only being able to use your one marker?
      1. How does this activity relate to being a part of the Body of Christ?
        Each person has a gift. When we bring our gifts together and use them for the common good or a common goal, we can create a masterpiece.
      1. What do you offer to the Body of Christ?
      1. How can the Body of Christ impact your life?

FINAL QUESTION

What does it mean to “Remember the Titans?”

Comments

3 Responses

  1. How is the Moving Forward Activity supposed to work? There are no rules/instructions about how the group is supposed to draw a picture together.

  2. Here are some more detailed instructions. Hope this helps!
    Divide youth into groups of 4-8. Give each group some markers of various colors and a piece of poster board. Instruct youth to each select one marker. (Preferably each youth will each have a different color marker)
    Tell the groups they each have 5 minutes to create an original drawing. They can draw anything they like. I have found that landscapes are usually best because they offer an opportunity to add many things to it allowing each youth to be involved. If you feel they need more direction you can give them suggestions or assign each group a certain drawing to create: A Farm Scene, a carnival or amusement park. etc.
    The idea is that the team works together to create the drawing with each youth contributing their color to the drawing (that is why they are not allowed to trade markers) They each bring something to the group that no one else does or can (their marker color). When the colors and team works together, they can create something better than they could alone.

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