Save the Cat! Goes to the Indies

by Salva Rubio

  Then we have the Real Life Superhero, which usually encompasses epic biopics about leaders, artists or common people whose life is told in Superhero form. Milk (famous politician), Che (famous revolutionary), Lenny (famous comedian), Control (famous musician) tell these stories, whether the protagonist is famous or not!

  There are two subgenres that speak for themselves. The first is the Comic Book Superhero, which features stories adapted for the screen whose source material comes from comic books. In our case, independent and European ones include Akira, Tintin, V for Vendetta, Old Boy or our own “chosen one,” dark hero The Crow. The Storybook Superhero draws its choices from the literary and fairytale world, like Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The Neverending Story and so on.

  Finally, we have our Fantasy Superhero, belonging to made-up worlds or pure adventure stories, such as noir-sci-fi fantasy Brazil, indie (yes it is!) sword-fighting epic Highlander, or Tim Burton’s quirky dark musical comedy The Nightmare Before Christmas.

  And what are the fundamental components to build a Superhero story? As in any of our genres, we need three main ingredients: a power or fundamental difference between the hero and the rest, a Nemesis or main antagonist who represents the opposition, and a curse, which is usually a consequence of the power, an Achilles heel that balances both.

  When you think about a Superhero’s power in the mainstream cinema world, those powers are pretty straightforward: super-strength, super-agility, super-stamina. In our indie realm, the heroes may be like this (like The Crow’s invulnerability), but we will also count talents, a sense of inspiration, or a mission to “do the right thing” which makes him or her stand out, to be able to change our world... and which will inspire envy and rejection — like the natural hunting abilities of the Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Elephant Man ’s gentleness and sensitivity, or The Wrestler ’s and Erin Brockovich ’s decisions to live their lives as they think fit, despite being frowned upon by those who do not understand their inspiration.

  Ironically, this difference often brings the curse. Kryptonite is a cool visual device, but in our subtler world, curses are a consequence of power, such as the obsessive drive of many artists (Pollock, Lenny, Frida), the choice between family and work (Erin Brockovich), morality (The People vs. Larry Flynt) or sheer vengeance (The Crow). Our curses are fundamental because they are both an internal and external trial for our heroes, the price they pay for being special and a weapon to use against them by the Nemesis.

  Speaking of which, who are the Lex Luthor-y guys and gals in our universe? As Blake said, our Nemesis opposes our hero’s rise because it is a problem for them. The villains are usually self-made individuals with no true powers of their own, but they have gained privileges or abilities through money, genius or social class. They often represent The System, or The Man, relying on money, intelligence and brute force to oppose our gentler hero. For example, in many an artist’s biopic (and in many a cinema auteur biography), the conservative academic establishment will be a worthy Nemesis, and in other cases we will have politicians (Che), businessmen (Fantastic Mr. Fox), crime bosses (The Crow), ministries (Brazil), or even entire corporations (Erin Brockovich) that stand in the way.

  How can our “supers” defeat such powerful foes? There is something that all these self-made villains lack, and that is faith. Our hero knows he or she is doing the right thing, and thus holds to an absolute belief that their mission is worthy and their victory necessary — they represent universal, positive values of acceptance, freedom or change that the bad guy lacks. In turn, the villains usually only look after their own statuses and upholding the systems they represent. Most often, our hero surmounts the opposition, but sometimes he succumbs to it, as in Brazil.

  If all this sounds a little familiar, check a couple of chapters back and you will realize how close our Fool Triumphant and Superhero genres are. But they have a crucial difference: in the former, the hero does not know he is special. Our Superheroes painfully know they are different, and this will weigh in their personal fights — they are too conscious that being different comes with a price! This is the reason why we will sometimes also find the hero changes his name beat: Eric Draven becomes The Crow with his newfound powers and The Elephant Man transfigures to John Merrick.

  Another common element in Superhero films is the Mascot, the hero’s helper famous for their loyalty, who is useful in showing the contrast between “us and them.” Such is the case of Alfred for mainstream hero Batman, but also Sarah in The Crow, Kylie the opossum in Fantastic Mr. Fox, or Ed in Erin Brockovich.

  In Save the Cat!® Goes to the Movies, Blake lamented the lack of female Superhero characters in this movie genre. And while it is true that in the mainstream world, women are usually forgotten by execs when matters like target audience and box-office earnings mix with the Superhero genre, in our indie world there is no such excuse. We write about characters who oppose a system to change it and get rid of the injustice and power imbalances — and history is filled with brave women who have made a difference doing exactly this.

  We are sure that you will follow their lead, tell their tales and live your own super-story with your filmmaking powers. Are you different enough?

  SAVING THE WORLD, ONE GENRE AT THE TIME

  A quick three-step guide on how to save the world, keep faith in yourself and defeat the bad guys, no matter if you come from real life or the pages of a comic book:

  Remember to make your hero special by giving him a “power,” even if it is just a mission to do the right thing, a talent to develop or a physical distinctness whose acceptance would make us better.

  This power comes with a price, which we call the “curse,” the downside of being special — it will make him different and bring rejection from “us.”

  The hero will have to fight the system, personified by a “Nemesis,” an equally powerful individual or system representative who will try to kick the hero where it hurts most: through rejection.

  Let’s look at the five ways to be super — and try not to be defeated in the process.

  ERIN BROCKOVICH (2000)

  “Real Life Superheroes” do not usually wear capes or masks, but they can still save the world. This subgenre encompasses biographies with determination, strength and bravery as their subjects’ “powers,” which allow them to fulfill a mission to make a better world for all of us, in small or great measure.

  Such is the story of Kansas-born Erin Brockovich, who without formal education in the law, helped build a case against a large energy company in California whose wrongdoings had led to many people getting sick. Erin fought with valor and determination by caring about the victims and was instrumental in their victory.

  Erin has a clear “mission” to do good, which is to build a case against PG&E, her “Nemesis.” Not only is it a big company with unlimited means, but of course it lacks the “faith” in humanity that Erin will display, which will be her best weapon. But power comes with a “curse,” in this case, having to distance herself from her family.

  As pointed out in Save the Cat!® Goes to the Movies, the Superhero genre is known for having a dearth of female-driven stories, but the Real Life Superhero genre is probably the easiest to fulfill in this sense — just like Erin Brockovich, there are hundreds of female fighters waiting for their story to be told. “Will you be ‘the one’ to bring this change?” asked Blake.

  SH Type: Real Life Superhero

  SH Cousins: La Vie en Rose, Trumbo, Frida, The Iron Lady, Lenny

  ERIN BROCKOVICH

  Screenplay by Susannah Grant

  Directed by Steven Soderbergh

  Opening Image: We meet Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts) trying to find a job. Although she seems resolute, meritorious and talented, she doesn’t have any formal qualifications, so she cannot find employment and she doesn’t get respect. These are our first prerequisites for a story of triumph and sacrifice.

  Set-Up: Erin is a middle-aged woman who, af
ter two divorces, is raising three kids she’s proud of — her resilience, talents and determination are her “powers.” After getting hurt in a car accident, she seeks legal counsel in Ed Masry (Albert Finney), an older attorney, but when they go to court, straight-shooter Erin can’t handle the tricky, ruthless legal maneuvers of the other side and blows the case. Soon, her domestic situation leads to a Stasis=Death situation, and she knows she must make a change.

  Theme Stated: “You and me, we’re gonna make him pay for it.” Sounds promising coming from a lawyer, but for Ed, this is the usual rhetoric he tells clients to show he is caring for them, when in reality, he’s not. However, Erin takes his word and together, they will make the Bad Guys pay for what they have done to other people. And in the process, she will teach Ed how to care for people.

  Catalyst: Erin visits Ed again and essentially hires herself to make up for his lying to her about winning her case. If she isn’t any good at the job, he can fire her.

  Debate: Can she really make it? Isn’t it crazy to think that someone without any legal qualifications or experience can work in a law firm? She steadily gets her work done although her lifestyle and clothing do not really fit in. This is her “curse”: instead of having a “normal” life and appearance, she will defend her choices and identity, which will cause other coworkers to display hostility and reject her. Soon, Erin gets a pro bono case to file, and she becomes interested, as there seems to be more than meets the eye.

  B Story: Our “love story” pertains to Erin and a biker named George (Aaron Eckhart). Just as people don’t take her seriously because of her looks, his long hair and Harley-Davidson lifestyle ironically make her think he will not be up to the task. But by showing care, acceptance and respect, they will find comfort in each other.

  Break into Two: Erin realizes that there is something fishy with the case she has been reviewing. Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has been paying for residents’ medical needs. Why? Erin “gets the case” when Ed allows her to further investigate. This will be her “mission.”

  Fun and Games: Erin uses her “powers,” empathizing with people so that they tell her their troubles when they see how much she cares about them. She uses those same powers to convince a clerk at the regional Water Board to let her peruse the Board’s files. She realizes PG&E has been polluting underground water with a carcinogenic product. However, she gets fired because her looks and demeanor made people assume she was not taking her job seriously enough. Ed confirms the information about the carcinogen and puts her back on the case, and new victims of PG&E seek her help.

  Midpoint: A and B Stories cross when Erin has to rely more and more on George to take care of the kids. She and Ed attend a “Midpoint celebration” when they meet with the affected neighbors, and they have their false victory when the group decides to go ahead with the case. Stakes are raised when Erin realizes how many people could die if she does not help them and pushes her boss to sue PG&E.

  Bad Guys Close In: All that “attention attraction” pays off when Bad Guys start harassing her with menacing calls. The “team starts disintegrating” when George tells her that maybe she should pursue another line of work. She realizes how much she is missing because of work (her “curse”) when George tells her that her baby spoke her first words and how he is tempted to go on the road again with his motorcycle buddies. Things get even worse when Ed and Erin realize that PG&E knew about the contamination (which is difficult to prove) and some of the victims are developing lethal forms of cancer. They are offered money to settle, but they decline.

  All Is Lost: Things reach the lowest point for Erin when George leaves her for neglecting their relationship, so she is “worse off than when she started.”

  Dark Night of the Soul: Erin drives the car with all her kids, a symbol of her having to juggle both lives. But can she? Ed hires a more experienced partner which, in a way, indicates that she is off the case.

  Break into Three: A and B Stories briefly cross when Erin hears George’s bike outside of her house and sees him leave again. New problems arise when the victims start losing their trust in Ed and the lawyers, who cannot empathize with them. Ed tells Erin, “I need you,” and she is back in the case!

  Finale:

  Gathering the Team: Erin and Ed “gather” all the affected, but they need signatures from 90 % of the claimants to allow a judge to rule on the case, with no jury.

  Executing the Plan: Erin visits every one of the remaining victims door-to-door, seeking their signatures and showing that she cares about them. She gets the signatures. Now, is the case solid enough?

  High Tower Surprise: A man whom Erin previously mistrusted, ironically because of his looks and demeanor, turns out to be a PG&E worker who was once asked to destroy documents... but he kept many of them.

  Dig, Deep Down: Erin “digs, deep down” to earn the man’s trust and respect, and gains access to the incriminating documents he’s held.

  The Execution of the New Plan: Erin and Ed use the new documents, proving her value. The case is settled and the affected will receive a substantial sum of money.

  Final Image: At first, Erin was an unemployed single mother, but now she proudly works in a law firm that has grown greatly because of her talents. She was seeking a job but has received much more: respect... and a $ 2 million bonus!

  FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009)

  Wes Anderson stands out as one of the few filmmakers with a visual world so personal and powerful that a mere look at any of his autumn-tinted, vintage-spirited, mustard-and-chestnut colored shots makes his work instantly recognizable — even if the piece in question is a stop-motion animation film, the first he did in his career.

  Based on Roald Dahl’s family favorite book, the film fits right into our “Storybook Superhero” subgenre. The Superhero in question does not wear a cape, although his son does, underscoring our genre. Mr. Fox has the natural hunting and stealing “powers” of his species, but not using them is his “curse,” the price he has to pay for being a family man.

  Can he stand temptation when every day, in front of his newly-acquired home, he sees the richest farms in the country, well stocked with prey? Those farms are owned by our self-made “Nemesis” baddies, the really powerful, super-geniuses of farming and evil who lack the “faith” our hero has.

  This faith comes not only from our hero and his powers, but also from his family and neighbors, who — despite their support — will also oppose many of his natural predatory instincts. Mr. Fox’s arc is complete when he understands that the respect he seeks will not be given for using his “great powers” for his personal pride, but from the “great responsibility” he must show everyone. Haven’t you heard those superhero-y words before?

  SH Type: Storybook Superhero

  SH Cousins: Coraline, Kirikou and the Sorceress (Kirikou et la Sorcière), The Red Shoes, The Secret of Roan Inish, Tom Thumb

  FANTASTIC MR. FOX

  Based on the book by Roald Dahl

  Screenplay by Wes Anderson & Noah Baumbach

  Directed by Wes Anderson

  Opening Image: Mr. Fox (voice: George Clooney) stands alone next to a tree — the polar opposite of how we will see him at the end. Watch this fast-paced film closely or you’ll miss his “power” and his “curse”: he wants to go hunting for squabs, which he does well naturally as a fox. Although he is very confidant in himself, he seldom listens to others (a thing that certainly will need fixing).

  Theme Stated: About to be trapped, Mrs. Fox (voice: Meryl Streep) tells her husband that she is pregnant, adding this suggestion: “I want you to find another line of work.” Which means he must stop hunting, a reasonable request if they are going to have a kid. But will he be able to suppress his natural instincts?

  Set-Up: Twelve fox-years later, Mr. and Mrs. Fox live, well, in a fox-hole, and they have a teenage child, Ash (voice: Jason Schwartzman). Mr. Fox now works as a journalist, and Mrs. Fox is a stormy landscape painter, while their son tends to be grumpy be
cause he feels his athletic capabilities aren’t up to his father’s expectations. Mr. Fox has lived these past 12 years without using his “powers.” But can that last? He feels “poor,” which seems a lot like a Stasis=Death. How will he move on?

  B Story: Our “relationship story” centers on the “fantastic” Mr. Fox and his ever-frustrated son Ash. In many ways, Ash will share our Superhero themes, as he feels “different,” faces rejection from his father and even wears a self-made superhero suit, cape and all.

  Catalyst: Mr. Fox decides to go upscale, purchasing a fancy tree-house that the family can barely afford. Also, something catches his eye: there are three farms in the distance. Isn’t this a great temptation for a former chicken thief?

  Debate: Mr. Fox Debates with his attorney Badger (voice: Bill Murray) about buying the treehouse, but unable to listen to good advice as always, ignores him and goes ahead with the purchase. What will be the consequences for the family? And will he keep his promise of not stealing again? Teenage cousin Kristofferson arrives, only causing more strain in the father-son relationship between Mr. Fox and Ash. Mr. Fox further Debates with Kylie the opossum (his Mascot) about his nature: “Who am I, and how can a fox ever be happy without a... chicken in his teeth?”

  Break into Two: Mr. Fox starts devising a plan for performing “one last big job,” which also implies lying to his wife and family.

  Fun and Games: The day of the plan arrives and Mr. Fox and his band are about to storm the first of the farms. They belong to Boggis, Bunce and Bean, his Nemeses, self-made men who have the power and the will to oppose our hero’s rise. Mr. Fox, full of inner “faith,” has Fun and Games while he “shows off his powers” stealing from each one of them. A and B Stories cross with literal games, like the important “whack-bat” game that sets up the ending.