Both Oskar Schindler and Spiderman are Power of Conscience characters.

These characters actually believe they are their brother’s keeper. They feel responsible for the greater good and for doing good. They wrestle with how far they should go in seeking justice and fairness for others, in exposing corruption and injustice, or in standing up against evil or wrong-doing. They worry about with what is the higher duty and what exactly is required of them in response.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGqwUWjsdrM

Peter Parker loves Mary Jane but he must summon up the courage to let her go.  He does so in the funeral scene when he rejects Mher profession of love and says he can only be her friend.

The answer, in a drama, is the Power of Conscience character must sacrifice everything he or she holds dear to be the hero he was meant to be. Over the course of a drama, these characters are drawn further and further down the path of righteousness. They are compelled to do one small thing, then another and another until, in the end, they have sacrificed their personal concerns, their safety, their security, their family, their fortunes, and often their lives.

Oskar Schindler gives his ring, his watch, his cigarette case– one trunk of money and then all his trunks of money– but it doesn’t feel enough when weighed in the value of a life. At end of the film, he wishes he could have done more.

Power of Conscience characters are asked the existential question:  “If I am my brother’s keeper, how far must I go on his behalf”.  The answer is all the way.  These dramas are about sacrifice.

Sacrifice is a word that has very much fallen out of favor in our current cultural and political climate. Protect yourself.  Protect your party. Don’t sacrifice anything for the good of the country or anyone else.

Heroes, created by Tim Kring, tells the stories of ordinary people who discover that they have superhuman abilities. They are people you’d never notice twice, an overweight cop, a Japanese cubical worker, a small black kid.  The plot revolves around how they find each other and work together to prevent a catastrophic occurrence.  “Save the cheerleader.  Save the world.”

The series was extraordinary as the first network series to emulate the aesthetic style and storytelling structure of American comic books.  It used multi-episode story arcs that built upon a larger, more encompassing narrative.

I found Heroes extraordinary as the first series to feature all Power of Imagination main characters. Power of Imagination characters see or hear, or can access power that others can’t. Their reaction to this unique ability is affirming and all-embracing. They never doubt their vision, special insight, unique ability, or call from beyond.

These characters are launched on a quest when something in the wider world is disrupted, thrown out of balance, or is causing danger or deep divisions. They are reluctant heroes who are pushed into their roles by larger circumstances. Greatness is usually thrust upon them via a special message, personal intuition, vivid vision, or supernatural imperative that calls to them in some deeply powerful way.

In calling others to heed their vision, these characters naturally collect diverse individuals who share a common purpose despite significant outward differences and even conflicting agendas or opposing points of view. Their goal to keep the potentially divisive group together and to restore harmony and balance to the world.

The first season of Heroes was a ratings powerhouse for NBC.  The first season stuck to the Power of Imagination structure and theme. As the show moved further away from finding others and joining together on a grand quest to fighting villains, weaponized viruses, and switching identities the show, in subsequent seasons, spiraled downward in the ratings.  It was no longer the global phenomenon it was when it debuted.

Once you’ve established the emotional playing field for a show, you move off it at your peril.

SaveSave

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a movie based on Jordan Mechner’s videogame series.  The movie was directed by Mike Newell and written by Boaz Yakin, Doug Miro and Carlo Bernard.  In the film, Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) becomes the titled prince when he is picked off the street and adopted by King Sharaman (Ronald Pickup). Dastan’s fiery defense of another boy and his athletic ability get him the royal nod.  He is raised as an equal to the king’s biological sons Garsiv (Toby Kebbell) and Tus (Richard Coyle).

The real action begins as Dastan and his brothers are tricked into conquering the Holy City of Alamut.  Their evil Uncle Nizam (Ben Kingsley) convinces the brothers the city hides deadly and prolific weapon forges.  In reality, Nizam is after a magic dagger that can turn back time and give him unlimited power.  The lovely Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton) is the dagger’s guardian.  She has a sharp tongue and a sassy spirit. After a grand adventure together chasing and/or protecting the dagger, Dastan’s and Tamina’s bickering results, as expected, in the two falling in love.

Although the film has a cast of thousands, a vast sweeping visual canvas of deserts and palaces, and the actors gamely give their swashbuckling all, the movie has several object lessons on pitfalls to avoid in an action adventure (or any other) movie:

1.  The stakes should remain high. The fact that the magic dagger can undo any death or restore any sacrifice undercuts the urgency of the story and the ultimate vulnerability of the characters.  This magical “do-over” is like rebooting a videogame to have endless lives.  This option may be useful to extend the playability of a game but it is a major problem in a movie where the audience must believe a “life or death” struggle is actually that critical.

2.  Chase scenes should build. The free-running athletic discipline of Pakour is amazing the first time we see Prince Dastan dash along the roof-tops, bound across rafters and vault through windows.  The next several times we see a variation on the same moves, these sequences blend into an endless loop of more of the same. Those chasing Dastan, we are told, become progressively more dangerous– ending with pursuit by the magical death-dealing Hassassin clan.  The prince’s own abilities don’t progress or change much from his impressive show as a street urchin. Dastan just uses the adult version of basically the same moves over and over.

3.  The hero should build on his character. Dastan makes no personal or emotional progress over the course of the film.  From the start, he is a good and true soul.  He is accepted by his brothers and loved by his adoptive father.  He is a bit wild and rough around the edges, but he can be counted on as a warrior, as a brother and as a man.  True, he doesn’t speak up against the invasion of the Holy City soon enough, but his silence is motivated more by youthful uncertainty and respect for his Uncle than any personal character flaw.  It’s just not very interesting to see a really good man become a slightly better man.  His quest doesn’t require him to overcome any formidable personal flaws or transcend any deeper fears.

4. A love story subplot should result in an exchange of gifts. Princess Tamina has no crucial qualities that Dastan lacks.  Dastan has no key personal qualities that Tamina needs.  There is no emotional reason that makes their partnership crucial to the success of their mission (or the eventual success of their lives).  At heart, she is as good and true as he is.  Two imperfect halves do not combine to make a more perfect whole.  The two lovers don’t desperately need each other except as a plot device.  Neither lover has the personal flaws that make a character human– a bit of youthful arrogance, some misunderstandings and sassy banter aren’t enough to craft a compelling love story.

5.  A good villain destroys a character from within. Uncle Nizam is a caricature of seething resentment. His physical appearance– slick slightly oily bald head and dark eyeliner rimmed eyes– telegraphs that he is up to no good.  It’s no surprise he is the one behind King Sharaman’s death.  The only surprise is that Dastan is the only person to notice or question Nizam’s burned hands (caused by handling the toxic robes that burst into flames and kills the king).  Nizam is a poor foe because he only relies on external forces to defeat Dastan.  He never activates Dastan’s own fear or uncertainty to destroy him from within.  It is far easier to fight any external obstacle than it is to deal with crippling force of inner personal dread, deficiency or self-doubt.  Dastan seems to fear little and is quite sure and very satisfied with himself.

6.  Use character development minutes wisely. The roller-coaster thrill ride of an action adventure movie leaves very little time for character development.  No harm in that.  These films are not meant to be complex character studies.  But each precious minute of character development time should push the main characters forward emotionally in some way. When a film’s character development is squandered on repetitive or uninspired moments those minutes are wasted and movie suffers.  We need to care about the characters and feel that they are truly at risk and personally vulnerable.  That is simply not the case on any level in Prince of Persia

It’s not surprising the film earned a paltry 25 point Rotten Rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Prince of Persia is a harmless romp but ultimately empty of the crucial character moments that lift the best action/adventure films into the category of a classic. . This movie never strays from its rock em sock em videogame roots and never makes a successful transition to a compelling film.

Power of Imagination characters see the world as or make the world into a miraculous and magical place.  They can access what others can’t.  Their reaction to this unique perception is affirming and all embracing.  They never doubt their vision, special insight or call from beyond.

These  characters are launched on a quest when something in the wider world is disrupted, thrown out of balance or is causing danger or deep divisions.  They are reluctant heroes who are pushed into their roles by larger circumstances.  Greatness is usually thrust upon them via a special message, personal intuition, vivid vision or supernatural imperative that calls to them in some deeply powerful way.

In calling others to heed their vision, these characters naturally collect diverse individuals who share a common purpose despite significant outward differences and even conflicting agendas or opposing points of view.  Their goal to keep the potentially divisive group together and to restore harmony and balance to the world.

A character driven by the Power of Imagination used to be a fairly rare character in film and television. More recently, these Character Types are more common. Power of Imagination  characters are the naifs, innocents and eccentrics, seemingly the last person anyone would think of as a hero. They are, in fact, the classic mythic hero or the reluctant hero that Joseph Campbell and Chris Vogler describe.

Character Examples

Film examples include:  Horton in Horton Hears a Who; Luke Skywalker in Star Wars; Frodo in The Lord of the Rings; Amelie Poulain in Amelie; and Lt. John Dunbar in Dances with Wolves.  For more movie examples see the Power of Imagination blog posts.

John Locke in Lost; Alison Dubois in Medium; Ned in Pushing Daisies; Phoebe Buffay in Friends; and Hiro Nakamura in Heroes are great television examples of this Character Type.  For more television examples see the Power of Imagination blog posts.

Power of Imagination eBook

The Power of Imagination Character Type eBook explains how these characters are alike and how each character is made individually distinct. It Imagination help you develop unique, original, evocative and authentic Power of Imagination characters that fully explore all the contradictions, reversals and surprises of a fully formed human being.

Discover the Power of Imagination character’s specific goals, unique emotional obstacles and very distinct responses and reactions to any opportunity, challenge or threat. Create this character’s Immediate Tactics, Long-term Orientation and Strategic Approach in a way that is recognizably “true” at every step of the story and during every moment of screen time. The audience Imagination instantaneously recognize and relate to your character because your character is complex, three-dimensional and “feels real.”

This eBook is thorough analysis of the Power of Imagination Character Type in his or her many guises and roles as a protagonist or a member of a larger ensemble. It is packed with numerous examples from film, television and even real life! Examples from scores of scenes and dozens of quotes from film and television characters clearly illustrate this character’s motivations and psychological dynamics in a story.

Comprehensive Analysis

The Power of Imagination Character Type eBook illustrates exactly how to create and differentiate this character based on his or her:

(1.) World View (beliefs about how the world works) What are the essential core beliefs that motivate a Power of Imagination character’s ordinary actions?

(2.) Role or Function (position in the story or role in the ensemble) What do the other players look to a Power of Imagination character to do or provide in the story?

(3.) Values in Conflict (competing values that push the character to extremes) What opposing choices or goals establish the Power of Imagination character’s moral code? What is this character willing to fight, sacrifice or die for? And why?

(4.) Story Questions (emotional journey in the story) What personal issues, dilemmas and internal conflicts does a Power of Imagination character wrestle with over the course of the story? What does this character ask of him or her self? What is this character’s Leap of Faith in an emotionally satisfying story?

(5.) Story Paradox (emotional dilemma) What is the duality or the contradiction at the heart of a Power of Imagination character’s story struggle? How is the character’s internal conflict expressed in actions.

(6.) Life Lessons (how to complete the emotional journey) What must a Power of Imagination character learn over the course of the story to make a clear, satisfying personal transformation? What actions lead to this character’s emotional salvation?

(7.) Dark Side (this character as a predator or villain) What happens when a Power of Imagination character’s actions are driven entirely by fear? How might or how does the story end in tragedy?

(8.) Leadership Style (what defines and qualifies this character as a leader) How does a Power of Imagination character convince others to follow? How does this character act to take charge and command?

(9.) Film Examples (the Power of Imagination character as a protagonist)

(10.) Television Examples (the Power of Imagination character as central to an ensemble)

(11.) Real Life Examples (historical Power of Imagination figures on the world stage)

Mad Men

The question boils down to:  What audience do you want?  Once you target the audience the question becomes:  What does that audience want?  High brow audiences look for a very different experience than mass appeal audiences.  In fact, the very things that attract one audience repel the other.

This is not to say art is better or worse than commerce– they just are DIFFERENT.

What exactly are the differences?  What is necessary to attract a wide audience?  Below are a couple of articles on Mad Men I have annotated that get to the core of the art vs. commerce divide.  My comments follow.

LA Times: The TV Hits That No One Watches
By Scott Collins

“Mad Men” was the most-honored of any drama series this year, a surprising achievement given that it represented AMC’s first real stab at traditional series development. It was only the latest stop in “Mad Men’s” astonishing trip from a spec script hammered out by a moonlighting TV writer to cultural phenomenon, critics’ darling and Golden Globe winner.

…Too bad, then, that about 98% of Americans have never watched the show. In fact, whatever the interest in this acting showdown or that snub, this year’s Emmy nominations may be most notable for underscoring a growing cultural trend: the yawning gap between what critics and industry veterans cherish and what the rest of the public actually watches.

It’s the relentless narrowing of what was once, in a pre-Internet era, a mass culture, a shift that mirrors what’s happening in movies, books and other art forms.“In terms of nominations, it is a very elite group,” said Shari Anne Brill, an analyst at New York-based ad firm Carat.

Referring to today’s most-honored TV shows, she added: “They get an upscale audience; they just don’t get a mass audience. ”Scripted series, from “I Love Lucy” to “Dallas” to “Friends,” traditionally netted some of the biggest audiences in television history. But now TV’s comedies and dramas are, with a sprinkling of exceptions, becoming expensive diversions for the cultural elite, akin to opera in the 19th century or foreign films in the 1960s.

Critics may love shows such as “Mad Men,” FX’s “Damages” (seven nominations) and HBO’s “The Wire,” but not many other Americans have caught the fever. Even popular network dramas such as ABC’s “Lost” and NBC’s “Heroes” have far fewer viewers than comparable series even a few years ago.

Instead, the TV masses tend to flock these days to major sporting events– such as February’s Super Bowl telecast on Fox, which drew a record audience of 97.5 million– and live reality shows such as “American Idol” or “Dancing With the Stars.” The latter were Emmy-nominated but mostly in the relatively low-prestige “reality competition” category.

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/18/entertainment/et-emmysmad18

My comments:  What makes these “low prestige” show so compelling to audiences?  They are immediate, urgent and authentic. Yes, these shows (and their contestants) are also manufactured, manipulated and managed.  But the contestants, in any situation or challenge created for them, respond by revealing their true characters.

They are real people struggling, failing or overcoming obstacles in real time.  They can’t help showing us who they truly are– that’s what every human being does under extreme pressure.  Over time these contestants’ facades are stripped away.  The audience sees everyone at his or her most vulnerable.  Strengths and weaknesses are exposed. The contestants fall and battle to rise again.

Forget the shiny floor or the flashy lighting.  In these shows something is at stake.  There is struggle, pain, and disappointment but most importantly there is hope.  If your football team falls to take home the trophy at this year’s Super Bowl, there is always next season.  If your favorite singer or dancer is defeated there still is joy in seeing a new star emerge.  And you can pick a new favorite next year.

Another key factor is that these “low prestige” shows are entertainment the whole family can watch together.  This is viewing that isn’t dark.  It isn’t edgy.  It doesn’t “push the envelope.”  And then at the end, there is a sense of affirmation, joy, triiumph or even redemption.

Contrast this with Mad Men and it’s dark relentlessly downbeat tone and stylish but rather empty lives. The characters seem to drift through the story much like the cigarette smoke that fills their homes and offices.  There is little flesh and blood urgency and little worth fighting for.  There is pervasive disillusionment, detachment and disappointment.  Each of the characters is distanced from their emotions (and from us as viewers). The show is stunning in its careful attention to period detail.  It looks beautiful and is beautifully written.  It is also as slow, measured and somber as a classic Requiem Mass.

The Hollywood Reporter
Mad Men Bottom Line: All Pitch and Windup with a Soft Delivery
By Randee Dawn

…(I)f the pieces are in place for “Mad Men” to break big, why does its center feel so hollow? Watching characters indulge with relish in what today are vices has a transgressive quality, yet it’s all done with an insider’s wink to the audience. A fawning tone would grow just as tiresome, but who can identify with characters from whom even the writers seem to shrink?

…There’s much to admire about “Mad Men,” and much worth tuning in for. But so far, it’s all soft sell. At one point, Draper advises a cigarette exec (John Cullum) that they’ll promote his product’s “toasted” quality,” thus ushering in the era of pitching lifestyle over product, the birth of selling nothing. Unfortunately, at this stage, “Mad Men” is giving its audience pretty much the same thing.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/television/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=9514

If you are a fanatic fan.  Here is a great site analyzing each episode along with PDF episode scripts.  High art or “low prestige” mass audience. It is your choice.