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Fire Bear

By Robin Rowe

In this charming animated feature adventure, somewhere in tone between Disney's The Jungle Book and DreamWork's Shrek, a young black bear finds redemption fighting forest fires.

Fango is a juvenile black bear who cuts bear school to hang out with his friends. After accidentally starting a fire, Fango finds himself in real trouble with the law. Banished forever by the Bear Council, Fango vows to start a new life in Alaska. However, after years of cutting school, Fango has no wilderness skills. A mockingbird Lang befriends him on the trail as Fango's "native guide". They embark on a great adventure and friendship. In Alaska, Fango is rescued from some tough grizzly bears by Ranger Joan. Fango starts learning how to fight forest fires from her. Fango returns home and proves himself by saving the black bears from a big forest fire.

This project is in development. There's a completed draft of the feature-length screenplay. Concept art, storyboards and a 3-minute animated short teaser are being created.

Selected Story Highlights

1. The Forest - day
   Juvenile black bears Fango and friends play…but should be in school.
2. Bear School - day
   Fango's little sister Rain is a good student.
3. Fango's tree house - night
   Fango plays with stolen matches from picnic basket…Fire!
4. From a nearby hill - night
   Tree house burns down. Fango succeeds in stopping fire from spreading.
5. Judgment Rock - morning
   Fango found guilty of playing with fire. Banished by Black Bear Council of the Cascades.
6. On the trail to Alaska - day
   Fango meets the mockingbird "Screaming Eagle" Lang. Lang guides Fango.
7. The berry bush - day
   Battle with the blackbirds for berries.
8. Alaska - night
   End of the trail: Lang abandons Fango.
9. Forest - day
   Tough grizzlies want to fight. Firefighting instructor Ranger Joan rescues Fango.
10. Ranger Station - night
    Fango seeks shelter from thunderstorm.
11. Ranger Station - morning
    Ranger Joan teaches Fango the rules of fighting fires
12. Forest - day
    Lang returns. Fango puts out smoldering tree. Arrested by grizzlies for playing with fire.
13. Grizzly amphitheater - day
    Guilty! Fango paroled, recruited as firefighting instructor to teach in grizzly bear school
14. Ranger Station - morning
    Ranger Joan leaves Alaska.Fango misses Joan and misses his family.
15. Train Tracks - day
    Fango travels home with Lang and grizzly fire team by hopping freight train.
16. Cascades Forest - day
    Fango and grizzlies arrive just in time for Rain's birthday party. Told to leave by black bears.
17. Cascades Forest - continuous
    A big fire nearby! Black bears don't know how to fight fires. Run for your lives!
18. Cascades Forest - continuous
    Fango and grizzlies running toward the fire to fight the blaze, tell black bears to help.
19. Cascades Forest - continuous
    Urged by Rain, black bears join the fight to save their homes
20. Cascades Forest - continuous
    All bears fighting the blaze, but it's too big!
21. Cascades Forest - continuous
    Fango sends Rain for help. Get a ranger!
22. Cascades Forest - continuous
    Bears continue to fight the fire, being pushed back, the wind is picking up
23. Cascades Forest - continuous
    Rain finds a ranger, has Lassie moment convincing him to come with her
24. Cascades Forest - continuous
    Ranger sees big fire, radios for help. Calling all rangers!
25. Cascades Forest - continuous
    Rain and ranger on ground, ranger fire fighters in helicopter with hotspot team leader Ranger Joan, and television helicopter news crew all converge on fire.
26. Cascades Forest - continuous
    Wind shifts! Fire turns and rolls over Fango and grizzlies. Black bears horrified! Fango and grizzlies must be dead!
27. Cascades Forest - continuous
    Singed, Fango and the fire team emerge from smoke and rejoin the fight. Cheers from black bears.
28. Cascades Forest - continuous
    Humans arrive. Wild bears are in the way! Do we shoot them?
29. Cascades Forest - continuous
    Ranger Joan reunited with Fango. Bears and humans fight fire together
30. Cascades Forest - continuous
    Amazed TV journalist reports bears fighting the blaze.
31. Cascades Forest - day
    Fire out, celebration!
32. Freighter - morning
    Fango, Lang and grizzlies return to Alaska by freighter.