Opening scene – arriving at Gary’s funeral. The Titans theme music is playing as they walk up the hill to Gary’s grave site.
Verbal Technique of narration by voice-over
Sheryl: “In Virginia highschool football is a way of life. It’s bigger than Xmas day. My daddy coached in Alexandria. He worked so hard my momma left him. But I stayed with coach, he needed me on that field.
Up until 1971 in Alexandria there was no race mixing. Then the school board forced us to integrate. They combined the black school and the white school into one called TC Williams High School.
Visual technique – the title of the movie Remember the Titans is splashed across the screen. Just as they are reaching the top of the hill like they are a team walking into battle.
This is combined with a sound technique that is used throughout the movie: the sound of military drums beating whenever there is the potential for conflict.
This leads into scene two which is a scene where there is a lot of conflict over the forced integration of the schools to come.
Scene Two
There are visuals of placards and both blacks and whites protesting. It is July 1971.
Verbal technique of narration by voice-over by Sheryl Yoast continues. “That summer a black teenager was killed by a white store-owner. And the city was on the verge of exploding.
The action changes to coach Yoast coaching the white boys. Gary is worried about the white boys’ starting positions seeing the school is integrating.
Yoast stops them from joining in a riot. It shows that they listen to him. “Get in the truck. Gary. Alan. Ray. If you ever want to play for me again then get in the truck, now.”
The action shifts back to the highschool gym office.
Yoast: “You boys are gonna cool off, come to my office and help me finish packing my things.”
Tyrell: “Gary I know your hearts in the right place but you oughta know better’n embarrass the coach like that.”
Gary: “Hell why don’t you