02x11 - Diligence - The Discontented Pig / Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel

[bunniefuu]

♪ Tell me a story

♪ Read me a poem ♪

♪ Wrap it in melody ♪

♪ Sing me the song ♪

♪ Then let me hold it ♪

♪ Deep in my heart ♪

♪ Where it can speak to me ♪

♪ All the day long ♪

♪ The adventure of virtue ♪

♪ The adventure of truth ♪

♪ The thrill of knowing ♪

♪ That it's up to you ♪

♪ Building a new day shining in the sun ♪

♪ This is my story ♪

♪ The adventure has ♪

♪ Begun. ♪

Zach: wow, what an awesome shot.

Yeah, and look at this one of the waterfall.

Whoa, cool. Hey, dad?

Can I borrow a camera to take some pictures?

Sure. I've repaired this one.

Great.

That's a manual camera.

You have to do everything.

Like what?

Loading the film, focusing

Setting the f-stop.

I've always hoped

You'd take an interest in photography

But it's not as easy as it looks.

To be good, you have to work at it diligently.

This technical stuff is just the beginning.

What else is there?

The artistic side, subject matter

Composition, lighting.

Yeah, no problem.

Read the instructional manual.

You can handle it.

This will help you take great pictures.

Hey, annie, you ready?

See you later.

Zach, aren't you forgetting something?

I don't think so.

Oh.

Hard to sh**t photos

Without film.

Yeah, right.

Good luck, buddy.

Thanks, dad.

This is going to be a great shot.

Don't you think

We should read the instruction manual?

Your dad said...

Hey, this isn't rocket science.

I know what I'm doing.

Finally, the perfect composition.

Hey, guys!

How did I look?

Terrible.

You mean terribly handsome?

( Chuckling )

Sock, it took me forever to compose that shot

And you just ruined it.

Ruined it? You must be joking.

Nothing personal, but I'm more interested in sh**ting

Landscapes like this.

Yee-haw!

I don't believe this.

Hi, guys.

Hi, ari.

Oh, taking pictures, huh?

I'm trying to

But various bobcats and prairie dogs

Keep messing up my shots.

Did you get a new camera, zach?

I borrowed it from my dad.

I'm learning to become a photographer.

I'm looking forward to seeing your work.

I'll show you these when they're developed.

Hey, zach, you should submit your photos

To the school newspaper.

You think so?

Yeah. I bet they'd publish them.

Yeah. I can see the credit now.

"Photo by zach nicholls."

Are they supposed to be

Out of focus?

Well, no.

Are they all out of focus?

Even the ones of me?

Yep, all of them.

Plato, I messed up

And I wasted that whole roll of film.

Maybe it's not a waste if you learned something.

Yeah, I guess.

Do you know what you did wrong?

I didn't read the manual like dad told me

But I'll read it cover to cover

Before I sh**t any more photos.

I admire your diligence.

Yeah, diligence-- my dad mentioned that.

If you want to be good at something, it takes diligence.

Diligence? What's that?

Diligence is, you know, not giving up.

Sticking to a task until it's finished

Even when it gets tough.

Hey, I came across a story the other day...

Let me see... Oh, here it is.

It's about a discontented pig

Who had to learn about diligence the hard way.

A long, long time ago in a small village

There lived a little curly-tailed pig named alvin.

He lived in a lovely little cottage

And worked every day in his garden

Whether the sun shone

Or the rain fell.

Oh, no.

( Snorting )

This is a disaster.

I work myself half to death trying to get my vegetables

To grow, and after all my toil-- oh, no--

I find my tomatoes are infested with worms.

I give up.

( Snorting )

First thing in the morning

I'm leaving this village once and for all.

There must be

An easier way to make a living...

And I'm going to find it.

( Snorting )

Phew!

( Snorting and laughing )

( Soft violin music playing )

What sweet-sounding music.

Uh, excuse me, friend cat. Um.

By any chance

Would you be willing

To teach me to play the violin?

To be sure.

Please come in.

To be a good violinist, alvin

You must love the violin and you must love music.

The violin is the most elegant and expressive

Of all.

( Squeaking and twanging )

Stop!

Huh? Oh, drat.

Oh, this is not music at all.

Of course not.

You're just starting.

But I promise that if you listen to my lessons

And work at it

You'll get better.

( Squeaking and twanging )

Ouch! Oh, I give up.

Obviously, I'm not cut out for this.

Learning to play the violin takes time and effort.

It's hard work.

But I don't want to work.

That's the whole point.

I aim to find an easy job.

Well, good luck.

But I don't think such a thing exists.

Hello, friend dog.

( Snorts )

What are you doing there?

I'm making cheese.

Cheese? I've been thinking about the cheese business myself.

Is that so?

Yes. Could you teach me to be a cheesemaker?

( Snorts )

I've got to warn you, it's not easy work.

You've got to take the curd and really work it.

You've got to beat it and mold it.

You've got to knead it until you've got this.

( Gasps )

Oh, it is grand.

( Snorts )

You must teach me.

Well...

( Grunts )

( Panting )

Whew!

Oh, this is hard work.

Don't say I didn't warn you, lad.

I simply have to take a break.

Whew! Oh, dear.

I'm about to faint.

( Snorts )

Have you gone mad?

The cheese'll spoil.

You can't rest until the work's done.

Oh! Ooh!

( Snorting and grunting )

Wake up, alvin.

The cheese, laddie! The cheese!

( Moaning )

Alvin, wake up!

Alvin, help me!

I can't keep up this pace.

I can't.

I'm completely exhausted.

( Snorts )

Oh, this is even harder than playing the violin

Or gardening, for that matter.

I told you

The cheese game is a tough game.

There must be something easy, and I'm going to find it.

( Snorts )

Oh, dear.

All that kneading and beating.

Who needs it?

( Gasps )

What a beautiful meadow.

( Snorting )

That's it!

I'll be a beekeeper.

This must be the easiest trade of all

And I can have a taste of honey whenever I want.

Um, excuse me, friend.

I want to become a beekeeper.

Will you hire me?

Shh!

And hold still.

Well, now that you mention it

I have been looking for a good helper.

All right. You're hired.

Wonder...!

Wonderful.

Just one thing: you can't make any noise

Or you'll rouse the bees.

So, none of that snorting.

Oh, no. I promise, no snorting.

( Snorts )

Here, put these on

And fasten the veil on well.

Now, go over there

And lift the honeycomb out of that hive.

My pleasure.

( Snorting )

Oh! Oh, dear!

Oh! Oh!

Oh, no!

Get out of there!

No! Ow, that hurt! Ooh!

( Snorts )

Hey, come back!

Where are you going?!

I quit. These bee stings hurt!

Alvin found that every kind of work

Has something unpleasant about it.

Playing the violin takes hours of practice.

Making cheese takes constant effort

Until the work is done.

And harvesting honey

Means getting stung once in a while.

But most importantly, he realized his true calling.

Um, nothing personal, mr. Worm.

It's just that you're bad

For my tomatoes.

With a little research, alvin solved the worm problem.

And after his journey

There was no more contented a pig in all the land.

He finally got it.

Cool story, ari.

Thank you.

I must stick to it.

I know I can be a good photographer.

Where are you going?

I've got homework to do.

♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Stick to it ♪

♪ Never give up, my friend ♪

♪ When things stop being easy ♪

♪ Just try and try again ♪

♪ Stick to it. ♪

Hmm... Well, this is some promising work, zach.

Thanks.

You know, I tell you what

We just started a classified advertising section

And we could use a photographer for it.

You want to

Give it a try?

I guess... But...

But what? Is there a problem?

Well, it-it's just that I want to take serious photos.

Well, of course you do.

But this'll be good practice for you.

Here's your first assignment:

There's a baseball card collection, a bike

And some kittens.

( Sighs )

I really want to work for the paper.

I'm happy they liked my photos.

I'm just not thrilled

Taking pictures of stuff people are selling.

Yeah, that seems kind of unfair.

Wouldn't you say it takes the same talent

To photograph a litter of kittens

As it does a landscape?

Well... Yeah.

Zach, you won't always like an assignment

But an artist takes pride in his work

Does the best he can, no matter the job.

Even it means trying to take

A flattering picture of sock?

Hey!

Well, actually, I was thinking

Of the great italian artist, michelangelo.

Years ago, the arts flourished throughout europe

Thanks in no small part to the generous patronage

Of duke lorenzo di medici.

Lorenzo supported many young artists

But michelangelo was by far the most promising.

( Coughs )

I can almost see it, michelangelo.

( Coughs )

It is going to be a wonderful statue.

It would be impossible

Without you, duke di medici.

I cannot thank you enough

But I have made this statue in your likeness...

To honor you.

The duke would never see the finished statue.

He would die just one week later.

With the death of lorenzo, his son, piero, took over.

( Sighing ): my father was a great duke

But we have mourned his death long enough.

Tonight, we celebrate the end of austerity

And usher in a new era of festivals, contests

And the good life.

Let the feast begin!

Piero wasted no time

In banishing michelangelo from the palace.

Worst of all, piero refused to give michelangelo

Any more marble to sculpt.

A year passed and michelangelo was unable to work.

He plunged into deep despair.

The snow is beautiful.

It is, indeed, but what does it matter?

It will all melt away to nothing

Like my dreams.

Oh, that is nonsense, michelangelo.

You will sculpt again.

I know it.

Good evening.

Good evening, sir.

I have a message for michelangelo from the duke.

I am michelangelo.

Hurry up, man.

Piero sent me to summon you to the palace.

Are you sure he wanted to see me?

Yes, to carve a statue again for the medicis.

There must be some mistake.

Come on, michelangelo!

Don't be a fool!

He'll be right down.

Well, hurry up.

We don't have all night.

Duke piero

I announce the renowned artist, michelangelo

And his assistant, eduardo.

Oh! At last he is here.

The great michelangelo.

You probably thought

We would never again call upon you, young maestro

But today, I have need of your talent.

You do have great talent, don't you?

So your father

Used to think.

Yes, yes, my father.

I once thought him a fool for spending so much money

To support artists such as yourself

But I have seen the error of my ways.

It takes quite a man to admit

He was wrong.

Indeed.

Michelangelo, I want you to carve a statue in honor of me.

I want this statue to be your greatest work ever

But it must be ready in time for the party I am throwing tonight.

That is impossible.

It takes months to carve a statue.

Oh, on the contrary

It won't take you long at all.

Snow is so much easier to carve than marble.

( Cackling )

Snow?

I don't understand.

You are going to carve a statue out of snow for the party.

Of course, tomorrow morning

The sun will melt all your hard labor

But nothing lasts forever, does it, young maestro?

( Cackling )

This is an outrage!

How dare you insult...!

Never mind, eduardo.

It is a great honor to be invited to the palace.

I will do your bidding, duke di medici.

Come, eduardo.

You can't do this, michelangelo.

Even in snow, I will show them what I can do.

( Gasps )

Oh, why must this be snow?

Something this beautifully crafted should never pass away.

I was wrong about you, michelangelo.

Tomorrow, I want you to begin sculpting

Another statue for me.

This time, in marble.

I can begin tonight, if you like.

No.

No, tonight there is a party

And you are the guest of honor.

And so it was that michelangelo proved his mettle.

After that, piero gave him

All the marble he wanted to sculpt.

So, michelangelo sort of swallowed his pride

And did the job.

He carved one snow sculpture.

I could be stuck doing classified pictures all year.

Michelangelo felt the same way

When he was asked to paint the sistine chapel.

Michelangelo's reputation grew steadily

Over the years.

He became one of the most famous artists

In all of italy.

He became so renowned that pope julius ii

Invited him to rome

To carve a statue for the vatican.

I have invited you here

To carve a statue, michelangelo.

Your holiness, it is a great honor to...

But I have changed my mind.

I have a more important job for you.

Now, you see the ceiling?

It's too...

Too... Empty.

It's a ceiling.

That seems natural to me.

I want it decorated.

I want it to come to life.

And I want you to paint it.

Your holiness, surely this must be...

I mean, I am a sculptor

Not a painter.

I cannot do it.

You studied painting with master ghirlandaio.

Yes, but...

Then you must only remember those lessons.

I have seen your drawings.

No one can equal them.

But i...

I-i'm just not sure.

You will paint a magnificent ceiling.

Now.

First, he covered the ceiling

With a mixture of paint and plaster.

This technique

Called fresco painting, was difficult.

Michelangelo worked hard to master it.

Months turned into years

And the pope grew impatient.

What is the delay, michelangelo?

Why is this taking so long?

I apologize for making you wait.

But if I'm going to do a job, I will do it right.

Oh! Artists.

As michelangelo's determination grew

So did the painting.

In spite of this, michelangelo never gave up.

Finally, his diligence paid off.

After four years

Michelangelo's work was completed.

Years later

Crowds still flock to the sistine chapel

To marvel at michelangelo's work.

Annie: wow...

What a great story.

Yeah, michelangelo's diligence really paid off.

And can you imagine, years later...

And people are still going to the sistine chapel

To see his work.

He had the diligence to carve that snow sculpture.

He carved that statue to prove a point.

Now I'm going to prove my point.

See you.

Ha! I think zach gets the picture

If you know what I mean.

( Chuckles )

It's like that famous poem, "try, try again."

"'Tis a lesson you should heed, try, try again.

"If, at first, you don't succeed

"Try, try again.

"Then your courage should appear

"For if you will persevere

You will conquer, never fear. Try, try again."

Whoa! Good job, zach.

This some of the best student work I've ever seen.

Thanks, mr. Sims.

What else do you have there?

I had a few exposures left on the roll

So I snapped them off on my way home.

Let's see.

Oh, these are outstanding.

Wonderful use of silhouettes.

You've got what it takes

To be a great photographer, zach.

Nice work, zach.

You can say that again.

This is a great photograph.

I'm proud of you for not giving up, zach.

Hey, thanks, you guys.

Hey, zach.

How about a picture of me...

Uh... All of us?

All right, sock, you win.

( All laughing )

♪ Oh, a job worth doing isn't always easy ♪

♪ Even the things that seem to be such fun ♪

♪ Do what you love and your life has meaning ♪

♪ So much satisfaction when the job is done ♪

♪ Stay focused on whatever you try ♪

♪ Your skill will develop before your eyes ♪

♪ Stick to it ♪

♪ Never give up, my friend... ♪