Need Help with Series Idea for Class

[RunningAway]

I'm taking the second half of my TV writing class. This semester we get to come up with our own idea for a show, write two episodes, along with 13 ideas for further episodes, (to show the series is sustainable).

I want to base the series on a short story I wrote, "Crossing Lines," (some of you may have read it on my Myspace). It's about a 17 year old girl, Amy, who was a very talented guitar player until her boyfriend rapes her. Since then she's stopped playing music. Once her 6th sister (Amy is one of 7 girls) goes to college, Amy's mother, desperate to reintroduce her daughter to music, drives Amy to California, supposedly to visit her mother's friend from college. Once there, Amy's mother wants her to audition for bands. This is no easy feat seeing as Amy wants nothing to do with music. While in a store, her mother sees a sign wanting a new drummer and guitarist. Amy's mother wants her to audition. When Amy refuses, her mother makes a deal; she doesn't get in, they'll leave California and go home. Amy agrees and goes to audition.

In short: Amy goes to the audition, there running into an auditioning drummer, Darren, who's convinced Amy and he were meant to be good friends. The band auditions her. She plays the guitar for the first time in a long time, and for a moment, feels like her old self. It's fleeting, and after the audition leaves as quickly as possible.

She gets into the band, thereby solidifying the deal she made with her mother. Both women will remain in the area as Amy joins the band: Ben(singer), C.C. (bassist), Greg(manager), and Darren, who makes it in as well.


I'm looking to keep the band mostly in one area, with small touring here and there. This show will take off as a look more behind the scenes of a band trying to make it, rather than a look at a successful band touring the country. I'm hoping to make it mostly light-hearted and comedic, but of course some drama as well. Right now it seems like a serialized show (continuous story).


So if anyone has suggestions on any ideas you want...like a band name, for starters...let me know. Or just generally what you think. What could each episode do, roughly? I'd love to hear your opinions since this is a forum of fans of music.

Thanks!

[allie]

ooo.... i like this idea. well obviously i am a music fan, but i dont know much about behind the scenes for bands... so im not quite sure what to include in an episode. but i think it could be interesting to see one where maybe someone in the band has a "stalker fan" (but keep it light hearted and funny since you said you wanted witty comedy type stuff?) and the episode is about the one trying to avoid her, maybe the others find it amusing and play tricks on the one being stalked. and that could be one of the more funny episodes where not much "serious" plot development takes place. i feel like the audience may need an episode or two like that what with the topic of rape and such being so intense.. i think itd be nice to have an episode just be more relaxed.

and ill leave it there. im not the most creative person, but i thought id give my two cents and maybe itd spark something for you. good luck! oh and keep us posted maureen!

[RunningAway]

thanks allie! i like that, and i'll keep that in mind. i'll definitely keep you posted.

[gogonutz]

Yeah, I was thinking that with the seriousness of the rape-theme there will be a big contrast if you want to keep the show comedic for the most part. Obviously there will need to be some depth to the main characters, so as the episodes go by the 'viewer' needs to learn more about them so they can connect with them. I would maybe try to avoid to center episodes solely around 1 specific character too much though.

Something I thought would be interesting in your concept is how you can maybe see how the band members deal with things for themselves before coming together as a band and how more and more they become a unit and do things together and deal with things together and how this might reflect in their music and performances.

The other thing I was wondering.. how big a part did you think for Amy's mother to play in this show? Cause it would create another angle to pursue.

[RunningAway]

yeah, the whole rape background is more a dramatic backstory for Amy, why she's stopped playing music for so long. I was actually planning not to show why Amy is so depressed and reluctant to be around men, (sort of a, 'what happened to this girl to make her so reluctant to do what she's so talented in?') and her background would come out to the audience later in the season...and at a later date for the band, who doesn't know. so it's like, when Amy's on her home side (home, with her mother, and alone), that's more of the serious portion of the show, whereas when she's in this world with her band, that's the more humorous, light-hearted end of the show.

i do like the idea of showing who the guys are as individuals. They're all principal characters, but, yes, Amy's the main protagonist of the series, but with the idea that one of the guys can be a protagonist in an episode.

and i was thinking of the mother as a minor character....who Amy comes home to for now while the band is pretty much staying in south California region to earn money and a name.


Thanks so much for the input. I'm really nervous about this. My main thing is how to explain how this series could go on. What happens in each episode? Stuff like that...