Times Educational Supplement Partner badge

Film Education - Resources, Training, Events

Skip to main content

Follow us on: Twitter, Facebook RSS
Email this page to a friend
Print Header

Making the Team

How important do you think trust and friendship are in helping a team to succeed?

Closely watch the trailer for Fast Girls and as you watch try to identify moments that show friendships growing. 

After viewing

Now read this extract from the film’s production notes in which Lenora Crichlow, who plays Shania, explains why the team relay is such a difficult event:

I think relay is probably difficult because all the runners in the relay team have their own individual events to concentrate on, so they don’t get much time to practice as a team, even though relay is all about working as team. They all split off and train for their own individual events, so the time they get together is often second to their own major event.

Learning the relay is really hard, but it’s a lot to do with practice. We had to pass the baton statically and that was difficult enough, so to do it at speed is all about timing and massively about trust - you really have to trust each other. You have to shout ‘hand’ as you come round to hand it someone else, but there are many girls on the track shouting ‘hand’ as well, so if someone’s got a slight accent or lisp then that’s great because then at least it makes them identifiable! I’d say the secret is practice, practice, practice for a relay team.

Obviously the changeovers are what makes or breaks it and just how crucial it is it can be a matter of a tenth of a second. It’s a lot of pressure because as you’re only one of four, if you mess up that’s four disappointments on your shoulders. There’s a line in the script where Tommy our coach says, ‘If you win as a team, you lose as a team’. That’s so true. Losing as team, it must be really hard not to point the blame. Relay’s a tough event.

With a partner, talk about situations in your life where you think trust and friendship has helped you succeed in a team situation.

Trailer transcript

[Music]

[Sirens]

TEXT: STUDIOCANAL

Brian: You need new spikes

Shania: I'm broke

Lisa's Mum: Good luck today darling

Lisa: don't wast the luck, mum

TEXT: They come from different worlds

- Is that Lisa Temple?

- You have as much right to be here as they do

TEXT: Chasing the same dream

Announcer: On your marks, set [BANG]

Shania: I'm in the squad?

Brian: Bloody right you are

Shania: Can I scream now?

Brian: Yeah, go on...

Shania: Arghhhhhh!

TEXT: From the producer of Adulthood and The Iron Lady

- Looks like lisa's got a rival

David: That will be good for her

Tommy: How do you think you'll handle the relay?

Shania: I'm not very good with teams...

Tommy: Come and meet the girls

Tommy: If we're gonna beat the USA I need silk ladies, gimme silk!

Trix: She's joining us then Tommy?

Lisa: Yeah we'll see...

Carl: Carl, team physio

Belle: He's got that whole boyband-look going on

- Psssht... please!

Shania: What them hell was that?

Lisa: That was your fault

Shania: Of course it was my fault, 'cos nothing touches the golden girl does it?

Lisa: I'm not risking my chance of a medal because of her!

David: She's an embarrassment to the team

Shania: If you don't want me in the team then fine - I'm done! I quit!

TEXT: One dream

Announcer: The world championships are here in London

- We're up against the USA

Tommy: I'm gonna need you

Shania: I told you I'm not good with teams

TEXT: One team

Trix: You've got what it takes, you've just gotta start playing the game

Carl: Get your arse back on that track

Shania: Did you just talk about my arse?

[LAUGHTER]

TEXT: No second chances

Shania: If we sort this out, no one can beat us

Lisa: She's the fastest, we need her

David: No you're faster than her

Announcer: Well this is it, this is make or break time for Great Britain

Tommy: Let's go out there and show them what we can do

Trix: Let's bring it home girls

Lisa: We can do this

Carl: Smash it!

Team: BOOM!

Tommy: I did actually have a speech prepared which you've now all ruined [LAUGHTER] I had it written on cards and everything...

[CROWD CHEERING]

Announcer: The USA and Great Britain are neck and neck

TEXT: FAST GIRLS

Belle: Look good and run fast girl, know what I'm saying?

TEXT: Featuring music by Labrinth, Emelie Sandé, Example, EJ, Madeon

www.fastgirlsthemovie.co.uk

www.fastgirlsthemovie.co.uk