So – with some guidance from our dynamic trio, it was back to the drawing board to better understand their characters, drop the artificial conflict, and create an antagonist. As experienced actors, our writers know what a good script looks like, but it’s another thing to be able to put it to paper and have your characters DOING something instead of BEING something.

Now Alex and Amanda are well on their way with a specific breakdown of what the first six episodes of the Web series will look like AND potential storylines moving forward. There’s a lot of great stuff happening at the Film Connections and with the Web series. Want to get involved? Contact Megan at MCooper@filmdayton.com.

Who’s this “we” that’s producing it? Well, it’s me. And you. And – yeah, you over there who’s not too sure if you want to get into this. Get ready for a great time!

So – - – what’s next?

Alexandra and Amanda are going to be working hard on more fully fleshing out the outlines for each episode. Then comes meetings with our illustrious panel on recommendations to get the actual drafts created.

Our goal – a TABLE READ at the next Film Connections (Tuesday, November 29).

This is such a cool opportunity for FilmDayton members to join the Production Co-op bringing this film to life. You can offer expertise, learn new skills, or just experience what it’s like on a set or in production. Plus – you meet new people and have a great time! Don’t miss out! See you at the November Film Connections at Think TV on Tuesday, 11/29 at 7 PM.

Genre: ROM-Com

Logline:  A young professional meets a local girl on his first Skype
call but blows it through poor video etiquette. He pursues her but a rival frames him as an evil hacker. He falls asleep at his computer and dreams he is a Sherlock Holmes-type detective solving a similar case within online videos.

Premise:  This is an update of the Buster Keaton classic Sherlock, Jr. In our version, Joe, Perry and Eliza learn how to Skype—how to make video calls on their computers. It turns into a love triangle as the guys get creative, adding fake backgrounds via green screen technology. It soon becomes a surreal comedy and a cat and mouse game of reality and illusion. The biggest and subtlest illusion is left to the end: how much of Eliza’s computer image is real? It would be fitting to wind up with Joe stuck in a Carillon Park set, circa 1920—fade to black and white and Joe’s deadpan, quizzical look…

Character Breakdown:

Joe, a young Dayton professional who works on his office computer but doesn’t have any special computer skills. He is pretty
expressionless but very kinetic.

Perry, Joe’s evil, slick coworker in a rival department (sales vs. service or similar)

Eliza, a cute potential local customer who they both meet
online

If practical, Joe and Perry could work at ThinkTV behind the
scenes in sales, etc. This would help out in the finale.

Brief episode breakdowns:

1. Meet cute. Video vs Audio/black screen: Video clicks on to
a dark room. Joe A gets his first video “skype” call on his computer from a cute local customer, Eliza. All goes well; he sleuths out her issue and she’s getting interested until he turns on the room lights/video and she sees his pigsty cube. After, he tells coworker Perry who teases him. “Way to go, Sherlock! Why don’t you just clean up your office, Buster?” Joe: Don’t call me that. Man, how can I fix this?…”

2. Perry sees Joe’s brainstorm: a jury-rigged greenscreen backdrop. Joe: “It’s how they do it in Hollywood. See, the computer will replace the green with another image, anything I want it to be.” The second call goes even better until the screen collapses, revealing even more clutter. Eliza is secretly amused but clicks off. Perry spies the situation and woos Eliza through
video chat also. It takes us a minute to realize his backdrop is fake too…

3 Joe begins to get creative on his third call. Meanwhile Perry sets up Joe as a hacker than stole files from Eliza’s computer when in
fact it was Perry. Perry ‘saves the day’ and wins the account—and perhaps her heart. Joe Skypes Perry and realizes he’s learned to do green screen as well.

4 Their Skype calls grow increasingly elaborate; Joe and Perry fight a “duel” through increasingly elaborate green screen backdrops—neighborhood pictures, screensavers, palatial penthouse views, even abstract/surreal stuff and live video. Sometimes the backdrop turns out to be real as they travel around town making calls by laptop from unique Dayton locations.

5 Joe falls asleep and dreams he is a Sherlock Holmes-type
hacker who solves a similar case, only this time Joe is inside the computer “background” images and video. Things get surreal when Joe find himself inside one of the other’s backgrounds…

6 People start jumping in and out of each others’ backgrounds
in a mad chase. Finally Joe finds the stolen file—a background itself turns foreground. The ending is catastrophic but happy, although Eliza turns out to be a computer pretending to be a person on screen. And our audience receives a stealth education in how to Skype while seeing some Dayton area hidden gems.

Script Sample:

Side view: Joe working at computer, very limited view of his
surroundings. Coworker Perry appears.

PERRY: Joe, take this customer, you slob. [Sneers]

JOE: Who–

PERRY: Figure it out, Sherlock.

JOE: Hello, XYZ company, how can I help you?

ELIZA (AUDIO ONLY): I was supposed to speak with Perry Keaton in video chat so he could show me how your product works. Do you know how to do that?

JOE: Uh, I saw the demo a couple weeks back, let’s see here,
give me your email address…

CARD: 5 Minutes Later

JOE: Ok, almost got it—yes! I can see you, and, uh, wow…

He stares, then notices his own camera

ELIZA: Yes?

JOE: You’re…cute!

ELIZA: Thanks, wish I could say the same but I still can’t
see you. I really need to figure out how the widget works. And email is so untrustworthy, don’t you think?

JOE: This is embarrassing, I’m supposed to be tech support.
[He’s Woody Allen at the keyboard…]

They talk cute, Joe scrambling to get it working and inadvertently being funny. She’s growing interested. Then he finally gets his
video camera working and she sees his grubby cubicle and cuts the call short.

PERRY: How’d it go?

JOE: Fine, until I got my video working. Boy, she’s cute.

PERRY: I’ll bet, for you.

JOE: I don’t get it, we were going so well.

PERRY: You always wanted to be the great detective, figure it
out. [Flips a mystery paperback and nods to the crap behind Joe.]

JOE: Oh, all that. I gotta figure out how to get her to video
chat again.

PERRY: Clean up your cube.

JOE: Nah, there’s something way better if I can work it out.
Way, way better…

FADE OUT

Motorcyclists actually love on cupcakes.

Theresa Lucia (mid 20s): Theresa is a recent graduate of pastry school. She’s smart, but
is a self-proclaimed technophobe.

Caroline Cahill (70s): Theresa’s grandmother. Caroline uses old-fashioned courtship in
attracting members of the motor-mob. She is not one to underestimate!

Myrna Nichols (early 40s): Myrna is a food blogger hired by Caroline to deal with the
business side of Cahill Cupcakes. She’s smart, but doesn’t always have “tact”.

Jimmy Fallon (mid 20s): The clumsy yet loveable guy who’s so awkward you can’t help but
cheer him on in his various approaches to wooing Theresa. He may not be as highly trained or skilled as her, but it’s his connections with the local bikers that gives Buff’s Cups the edge. He also has a horrible fear of water.

Buff Fallon (70s):  Jimmy’s grandfather. Buff is the leader of the local motorcycle mob; but he’s surprisingly supportive of Jimmy’s culinary ambitions.

Felicia Fallon (70s): Jimmy’s grandmother. She’s very articulate but also very vindictive. Caroline’s arch-nemesis.

Episode 1: Cupcake Lord

The episode begins with Theresa’s meeting of Jimmy in line at the checkout at a
cooking supply store near Davidsonville. Theresa clearly shows no interest in
Jimmy as he tries to impress her. She also has no idea what she’s getting into.
Can her oh-so fancy culinary degree help Cahill’s Cupcakes win some customers?
Or will her cupcakes crumble as Buff’s Cups once again enamors the motorcycle
mafia?

Episode 2:  Cupcake Only

Caroline addresses the technological deficiency Theresa has by hiring none other than
Myrna Nichols. Meanwhile, a motocross competition attracts people to town and
Cahill Cupcakes and Buff’s Cups face off once again. Theresa uses her charms to
attract some more business for her cupcakes. Caroline can’t help but interject
some of her own allure as well. Jimmy can’t decide between being disgruntled or
enamored by the charms (Theresa’s, not Caroline’s. That’d be weird.).

Episode 3: Cupcake Match

A local wedding gets Caroline fired up. After winning business and the privilege of
catering the wedding, Theresa notices weirdness with her grandma. At the
wedding itself, Caroline burns with envy when Myrna gets asked on a
motorcycle ride with Buff and not her. A crafty Felicia notices the attraction
and slips a little “spice” into some cupcakes. Jimmy scores some points with
Theresa as they laugh about the oddness that is their grandmothers.

Episode 4: Cupcake Venom

The rivalry between the Davidsonville grandmas gets more intense after Buff invites
Caroline and Theresa to watch him bike at a new track that opened nearby. Poor
Jimmy is caught in the crosshairs as Felicia goes to great lengths to sabotage
Caroline as she finally gets to cruise on Buff’s motorcycle. Theresa actually
appreciates Jimmy’s ineptitude when it comes to biking.

Episode 5:  Cupcake Gloves

Jimmy finally manages to get Theresa to visit the Buff’s Cup’s kitchen. Theresa
notices how many latex gloves Jimmy uses and throws away. Finally Jimmy scores
a chance to hang out with Theresa at the Cahill house. In his awkward Jimmy
ways, he’s pretty successful in the flirtation department. He’s reveling in his
success- all until Myrna doses him with some unexpected H20.

Episode 6:  Cupcake Meister

The Davidsonville mayor contacts Jimmy and Theresa with the exciting news- Bobby
Filet is coming to town! Or his motorcycle-riding nearly identical cupcake-making goons are (oh, the sudden death wrath of a celebrity chef franchise)! Jimmy finally gets to team up with Theresa as they tackle the name brand drones in an epic battle of the big man versus the little guy. Can the two blast these fakers off their turf and straight into Harleyville?!

Action/Drama/Fantasy

Logline: A young woman develops an unlikely friendship with a group of bloggers who are “beyond normal.”

Premise: Olivia Turnpike (“Oliv”) is a recent college graduate living alone in Dayton, Ohio.  After a frightening encounter with a shadowy intruder, Oliv reluctantly attends a meeting with a group of paranormal bloggers, labeled by the people who know of them as the “Freak Club.”  Although Oliv does not want to be involved with this notorious band of weirdoes, a mysterious disappearance leaves her no choice but to turn to the Freak Club for help.

Main Character Breakdown:

Olivia (Oliv) Turnpike (20s) – She is an upper-middle class Dayton native and former “Snob” who is reluctantly inducted into Freak Club. She lives alone in the house she grew up in due to a tragic accident that killed both her parents, and she is continually haunted by a shadowy figure.

Morgan Green (20s) – She is a geek-chic girl with round-rimmed glasses who is interested in parapsychology (study of telekinesis, clairvoyance, etc.).  She has a nervous, quirky, and excited energy, and wants to go to medical school to become a neurologist

Pinkerton (Pinky) Wright (40s) – A chubby British paranormal blogger covering the topics of ufology and aliens.  He is a believer in nearly all conspiracy theories and is convinced that he has been abducted many times by aliens.  He wears cowboy boots and
flannel shirts, fears the government, and loves to line dance.

Ravenrose (30s) – She has a split personality – Raven who is gothic and interested in the occult, and Rosie who is religious and obsessed by angels.

Baxter (mid 20s) – He is interested in cryptozoology (study of magical creatures – Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster, etc.).  Bax is an outdoorsman with a fancy camera and dresses like he raided a boy scout’s closet. He dislikes Oliv at first…

Sage (50s-60s) – He is an African-American voodoo priest.  He seldom speaks except for when he has something very profound to say, and then he often speaks in riddles, metaphors, and proverbs.

Minor Characters: Cynthia and the Snobs, Neighbor Mom, Neighbor Kids, Cult Leader, Cult Members, Perry Poodle

Brief Episode Breakdown:

1.1: Closet Freak – Living at home alone, Olivia Turnpike (“Oliv”) has a weird encounter that has her searching for answers in an unlikely place…

1.2: Meet the Freaks – Oliv meets the bloggers of the Paranormal Society of Greater Dayton, also known as “FREAK CLUB.”

1.3: Just Give Freaks a Chance – A mysterious disappearance next door forces Oliv to another club meeting to ask the members for help.

1.4: Into the Woods – Oliv and her freaky new friends have a life to save…

1.5: Out of the Woods – …And they find themselves running from danger.  Will they make it out of the woods in time?

1.6: Freak is Contagious - Oliv has to choose between old and new friends.

Intro:  The introduction to the web series would introduce what would be made on the show and also explore/explain some uses of that film tool/effect. (Perhaps the  tool/effect that is chosen to be made comes from viewer suggestions or FilmDayton member request.)

Example
1:  “With Halloween coming up we are going to show how to make a squib.  A squib is a device used to simulate a gunshot wound.”

Example
2:  “Today we are going to make a dolly.  The request came from FilmDayton member John Smith who is making a short film and needs an inexpensive dolly.  A dolly is used to make tracking shots run smooth, usually along a track.”

Budget & Shopping list:  Next the shopping list will be made and the budget will be set for what is going to be made on the episode.  The shopping list should only include things that can be bought at a local hardware or grocery store.

Example for dolly: Budget $50

Wheels:
6 inch pneumatic casters (2 fixed 1 swivel) -$40

Carriage
bolts with nuts and washers and long drywall screws -6$

Scrap
3’4 inch ply wood and a two by four

The Build:  Next it is time to show how to build the tool.  A wide angle shot of
people building it accompanied with a narration and text description of what is
going on.  (Time lapse the build if it takes to long.)

Demonstration:  Finally make a very short scene that demonstrates what was built.

Example for dolly:  A scene with a short dolly push

Overall the web series will be educational to independent film makers who would like more professional tools but don’t have a big budget.

An example of this style would be at Indie Mogul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6KGlAo_ozE

Genre: Comedy

Logline: A struggling self-published author tries to promote her self-help book at a business convention. But the “Kissing Booth” sign she is forced to exhibit in front of attracts an assortment of wild kooky colorful characters asking her for a kiss.

Premise: A metal sign on the wall behind Dawn and her table’s display reads “Kissing Booth”. Since she’s not allowed to move to another space or rip the sign down, she has to make the best of it. No matter what she does to distract people from the sign, they still approach her wanting a kiss. She gives each visitor a dose of comical sarcasm, especially the ones who won’t take no for an answer. She also has an ongoing feud with the handsome bad-boy thriller-suspense writer John Smith whose impressive book exhibit is right next to hers.

MAIN CHARACTERS:

DAWN PORTABELLA – 30 something, has quick wit and uses catchall phrases like a fluent second language. Her favorite response whe she feels threatened is, “I’ve got pepper spray and I’m not afraid to use it.” She plays tough, but secretly she’s a softy on the inside and full of unrealized dreams.

JOHN SMITH – 30 something, wealthy, Best Selling author, Dawn’s nemesis. He calls her mushroom to tease her about her last name. Ironically, his latest novel features a female protagonist named Dawn.

EPISODES:

Five Kisses For A Buck – Dawn’s niceness wears off on day one when a tipsy business executive insists on Dawn giving him five kisses for a buck.

A New Booth On The Block (Meet John Smith) – John Smith arrives three hours late complaining because his display is not up to his standards. He and Dawn cross words when Dawn tells him to suck it up and be glad he’s not stuck with a card table and a meager display like hers. Meanwhile, a nineteen year old whiz kid tries to talk her into a date.

My Booth Is Bigger Than Yours – John posts a sign on the wall behind him that reads, “Loaded Kisses” to compete with all the attention Dawn’s table is attracting away from his.

I’m Not Shamika Bell – a puzzling case of mistaken identity gets out of hand.

Little Fluffy Go Home – A customer agrees to buy Dawn’s book if Dawn agrees to kiss her little stuffed dog, Fluffy. Unfortunately, Dawn has a phobia about kissing dead animals.

The Guy In The Booth Next Door – Dawn and John are starting to become attracted to each other despite their squabbling but neither one will admit it.

What if you could “adopt” someone as a substitute for a lost loved one?

SYNOPSIS

A beloved grandfather is forgetful and confused. He enters a skilled nursing facility
after a home fire that the family thinks he caused.  His grandson started the blaze by accident, but no one believes him because he is a ‘special needs’ child. The grandson
doesn’t understand why a man that looks like his “pa paw” soon doesn’t recognize him.  His parents separate. Depressed and withdrawn over these losses, a school friend suggests that Jonathan ‘adopt’ a new grandfather. They go looking for likely candidates.  After several unsuccessful attempts, he meets an elderly widower and they form a close bond. His father realizes how neglectful he has been, and supports the “adoption.” Together they create a new family.

CHARACTERS

JONATHAN PHILLIPS is a gregarious 14 year old boy who is developmentally disabled and functions on a 6 to 7 year old level. The great loves in his life are his grandfather Albert, Hugo (the family dog), and Eddy (his stuffed dragon).  He is well liked by his peers and the teaching staff at his school.

ALBERT PHILLIPS is 82 years old, has Alzheimer’s disease, and is confused a majority
of the time.  The love of his life is his grandson, but he is losing his memory and ability to function.

DONALD PHILLIPS is 42 years old, and a victim of the economic recession.  He is worried about his family’s financial situation and his only son’s future.

LINDA PHILLIPS is 40 years old and secretly ashamed of her son’s disabilities as well
as the loss of her husband’s income and social stature.

“SPUNKY” SPENCER is 15 years old and Jonathan’s best friend at school. He has a quirky sense of humor that resulted in his nickname.

DANIEL PLEASANT is 78 years old, African American, and a widower.   He is in good health and financially comfortable. His children and grandchildren live in another state. Daniel is resigned to a life of isolation and loneliness when he meets Jonathan.

EPISODES

#1:  “Playing with Fire” – Albert and Jonathan Phillips are burning autumn leaves when the fire gets out of control because of Jonathan. Albert is moved to a skilled nursing facility.

#2: “Where have you gone?” Jonathan visits Albert who is now mute. His mother leaves.  Ronald Phillips withdraws from his son.  Spunky Spencer suggests the grandfather ‘adoption’ plan.

#3: “Searching for a New Pa Paw” The boys leave school undetected, and go downtown where they are rejected and ridiculed. Their teacher realizes that they are missing
and notifies police.

#4: “Love is Hard to Find” The boys are mugged. Their backpacks and shoes are stolen.  They stay overnight in a warehouse. Ronald organizes a search, but is told to expect the worst.

#5: “Believe in Miracles” The boys give up and start back. Spunky notices Daniel Pleasant   who resembles Albert from behind. Daniel recognizes the boys from a news report and takes them into his home.  The boys explain the nature of their search. Daniel is speechless when Jonathan asks if he can ‘adopt’ him.

#6”A Chance to Rewrite Life” A visual montage of still pictures showing the
growing relationship between Jonathan, Daniel, and Ronald over the winter and
spring.  It is now summer and they are enjoying a fishing trip.   The three men
are bonded and ‘adopted’ each other — creating a new family.

INT. / NURSING HOME – COMMON ROOM – DAY

JONATHAN PHILLIPS enters the empty room carrying a paper bag.  The scene is entirely from his POV. His grandfather, ALBERT PHILLIPS, is in a wheelchair. For a moment, he ‘sees’ in his mind the vibrant and alive “Pa Paw” who loved him.  The sudden realization of the difference between his memory and reality melts his smile. He walks with leaden feet toward the now unfamiliar figure.

PHILLIPS

“Pa Paw?”

There is no answer from Albert.  His gaze out the window does not waver.  Jonathan lightly touches Albert’s shoulder then jerks his hand away as if his fingers are burned. He leaves the paper bag at Albert’s feet.

PHILLIPS

“Bye”

 Jonathan backs away tears filling his eyes. He opens the common room doors to leave and
hesitates. He does not look back.  There is no one there.

Genre:  Comedic reality series

Premise:  Local history/mystery detective tests urban legends centered in Dayton with the help of others.

Our detective uses web resources and also feet-on-the-ground work, such as tracking down the actual Hangar 18 and the current status of fabled Dayton funk players.

Character Breakdown:  Detective is really an actor playing the part of an amateur sleuth/journalist a la the inflated “experts” on the Daily Show

Brief Episode Breakdowns:

• The truth on the aliens in Hangar 18
• The origin of Murphy’s Law
• Whether Dayton is really Funkytown
• In search of the first search engine—decades before the Internet
• Legends of Dayton’s grandest eccentric, John Patterson
• Think local, act global—how one man accidentally changed the world’s atmosphere, twice!

Episode One

Hi, I’m [Dayton Detective], here to find out the truth about Hangar 18.  Wright-Patterson Air Force Base blossomed as the Air Force’s main research center after WWII, when the first UFO sightings began to be reported. Coincidence? Then in 197X came the tale of alien creatures, survivors of a crashed flying saucer who had been brought to Wright-Patt for “study.” So what’s the verdict: truth or urban myth?

[Credits]

The rest depends on actual research. We’ll get on base and get a shot of the actual hangar, and network locally to see who knows what.

The detective boasts this show not some out-of-town deal but a local production that can somehow spot what others miss. This is done in a slightly over-the-top manner but he/she also delivers some local nuggets, and we get a closing verdict. We end on a cliffhangar: next time we really get down and funky and find out whether Dayton really is the fabled…Funkytown.

Genre:  Action/ Political Thriller

Logline:  As America moves into a new era, Ex-Marine McIntyre Ison stumbles across a piece of information that puts his life on the line and threatens to change the landscape of the country forever.

Character Breakdown:

• MCINTYRE ISON (30s). A hardened, self-sufficient individual. He can use anything as a weapon and has the military intelligence to overcome most scenarios.
• ERNEST BAKER (60s). A ruthless, capitalistic, CEO type. His main objective is to obtain the information McIntyre has by persuading him by any means necessary.
• REBECCA ISON (30s). McIntyre’s wife. Ernest has kidnapped her and is using her as bait in order to make McIntyre do his bidding.
• ELEANOR DUBOIS (60s). Considered an elder among the insurgents. She will be a main contact for McIntyre but only through Morse code. This is not revealed until the final episode.

 Premise:

“The Insurgents” is a minimum location, action based, web series. After the first episode, the remaining episodes will take on a real time feel a la “24” which allows each episode to
move quickly and have a great cliff hanger.  After the first episode, McIntyre is told that he has twenty five minutes to reach his destination or his wife will die. In the episodes leading
up to the finale, we will get a glimpse of how McIntyre came across the information that has him on the run, as well as his life with his wife, through alternate flashbacks similar to “Lost.” This will keep actors and locations at a minimum as we focus solely on McIntyre, his life, and the obstacles that have risen.  The attached treatment will shed light on episodes which would be included in the series.