REAL HEROES -- FIGHTING FOR TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND SCREEN TIME

In a world full of heroes and villains, wouldn't you like to know what's REALLY going on behind the scenes? You know. Just a second look, so to speak. So we can have a good long poke at who these people really are. If so, then please check out this interview I did with my mate Keith, who's the writer and director of a great indie film called...


Real Heroes


1) What are your own origins, Keith? Plus what path did you take in life prior to getting to where you are today?   My origin story? Man, I wish it involved being bitten by a radioactive animal. But the truth is, I was just that weird boy in high school who liked D&D and comic books and didn’t fit in. Then I was that weird guy in college who didn’t fit in. And then I was that weird guy in grad school who didn’t fit in. And then I moved to Los Angeles.

In LA, everybody is weird. And suddenly I fit in just fine.

I wrote three science fiction novels (check out 'The Gumshoe, the Witch, and the Virtual Corpse', it won a few awards), shot a bunch of short films, and then shot my first indie feature four years ago. Real Heroes is my second movie.

2) What inspired the creation of ‘Real Heroes’? Plus what is your role within the scheme of things?   The original inspiration hit me while I was watching Mystery Men. I liked that film, but I LOVED the film that it could have been even more. It started down all these weird twisted paths but never quite had the courage to see where they went. And I just loved the idea of desperate B-string superheroes that can’t get the world to even notice what they’re doing. I guess I can’t help rooting for the underdog.

On Real Heroes, I’m the writer-director. Which basically means I’m a glorified traffic cop. I come up with a plan (the script), get a bunch of smart creative people to come on board, and then try to keep them from killing each other while we make the movie. (Hint: Never let an actor hold a sharp object. They will try to show off by doing tricks with it.)

3) In your own words how would you describe this story?   A desperate reality show producer hits onto the idea of doing 'The Real World' but with superheroes. Unfortunately, Thor, Supergirl, and Iron Man all have better things to do, so our producer gets stuck with a group of B-string superheroes that no one has ever heard of. And they all have... errr... issues.

There’s Big Shot, a tough guy archer who’s still hurting from a bad break up with his last sidekick. Malibu Action Girl, a spoiled rich girl with a lot to learn. Water Warrior, a pretty boy hero who’s having better luck in the bedroom than the battlefield. Sable, a single mom superhero who’s trying to juggle crime fighting, a waitressing job, and her moody teenage daughter. And Psychic Sam, who does most of his crime fighting by phone.

4) If this film omitted a collective odour, what would it smell like and why?   Danger, desperation, and a hint of the absurd. So basically Aqua Velva.

5) What song would you say best represents your wares and why?   Depends on how you want to define my “wares”. If we’re talking movie-making, “Let’s do it!”. If we’re taking relationships, “Don’t Fence Me In”. And if we’re talking about life in LA, the song would have to be...

6) If you could get a known celebrity – either living or dead – to promote this flick, who would you choose, and why would you want this particular person?   Well, from a marketing point of view, having Jesus recommend the film would probably be the most helpful, at least in the US. But there are a few other subjects that I’d like to get him to clarify his position on, so we’d probably never get around to talking about the movie.

If it’s somebody living, then Joss Whedon, just because I want to meet the guy. I love the way that he can blend humor with tense action.

But if it’s anybody? Wonder Woman. “By Hera, you should watch this movie!” How cool would that be?

7) What were the main obstacles you had to contend with along the way?   As in so many things... money. Raising financing for a weird little indie superhero film like this is tough. Luckily, my first film did well, and I found a few folks to take a risk on this one.

[ Real Heroes ]

All things considered, though, this is a GREAT time to be an independent filmmaker. Particularly on the distribution side. It used to be that a film couldn’t be a success unless it was able to play at every movie theater in America. So being “quirky” and “niche” were considered bad things. Now, if you can get twenty thousand screaming geeks to go watch your movie on Amazon or iTunes, you can earn back your budget and start working on your next film.

8) If ‘Real Heroes' had a motto, what do you think it would be?   “Fighting for Truth, Justice…. and screen time.”

And so on that note, movie mates, all I have left to say is please check out Real Heroes today. You can do so by visiting their website and gplus page. Or alternatively, why don't you pick up a copy of this movie by clicking on over to Amazon or Itunes.