Joel Barragán – 2024 Pilot Script Winner
The Opossum
A reserved garbage truck driver living in the gloomy Pacific Northwest is forced to come out of hiding and use his secret technological talents to seek revenge for his family.
On its surface, The Opossum is about a man named Iván living a reserved, simple, and humble life as a garbage truck driver while possessing secret mastery-level technical and computational skills. We follow him throughout the pilot using these talents to carry out his version of vigilante justice on an individual who we learn committed a terrible crime against his daughter. At its core, it serves as a reminder that we all live complex and multi-faceted lives despite first impressions and stereotypes of race, class, occupation, and social hierarchies.
Having been raised alongside three sisters by two Mexican immigrant parents, these themes have always been a part of me growing up. I have seen firsthand the dedication in devoting one’s life entirely towards their family’s prosperity. First from my Father, a waste truck driver of 40+ years and second from my Mother, a stay-at-home Mom and reseller of 2nd hand goods. The struggle they have endured has been very real. This has left an indelible impression on my siblings and I in knowing our parents started with nothing, yet got us to where we are today. To know that they have done everything in their power to not only support us but also to defend us, is what fuels the engine of this story. To what limits will you go for family?
Although the themes of this script have always been with me, the spark for it was first ignited by a single photo my Father took one day while on the job. It depicts a ‘possum on top of his garbage truck. What fascinated me was that he had developed a familiar bond with this animal after repeatedly coming across it while picking up a particular bin. One day when arriving at that dumpster, he worriedly noticed that the opossum was nowhere to be found. He lifted the bin, emptied it, and lowered it back down. From the large shadow cast by the truck, he noticed something moving atop it. He turned and to his delight, saw the ‘possum sauntering across the truck’s fork. He pulled out his phone and snapped the photo (provided here) that would ultimately inspire the script before you.
With all that said and put simply, my goal as a screenwriter is to tell a great story; Stories that connect with people on a visceral level and that touch on themes like: family, class struggles, race, morality, and right vs wrong. I feel there is no better medium than cinema to convey and express these themes. However to achieve great cinema you have to start with a great story, and this is why becoming a screenwriter is so important to me.
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