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SKIN DEEP THE SERIES SYNOPSIS
“SKIN
DEEP the Series” is a dramatic web series where 7 different characters, linked together through a brutal attack, explore their
own racial and cultural biases and hypocrisies as they struggle
with their own reality of who they have become and their ability to
change it."
ROD: White
male, a secret from his family's past puts him face to
face with his own racial prejudices.
PAM: Asian
American female, newly pregnant at 42, after
years of trying, risks everything -- both legal
and illegal -- for the safety of her unborn child,
all while her rapidly building fear of motherhood consumes her life.
MARCUS: Black
male, shy and introverted, a witness and victim to a racially-motivated event, is
catapulted into being an unintended spokesperson for race relations
within the gay community a midst a growing controversy and festering
hate.
WHIT: White male,
extremely handsome and known for his good looks, until a brutal attack forces
him to reexamine who he really is and his privileged status after it’s all
taken away.
TYRONE: Black
male, a 17 yr old wannabe thug is really an
undiscovered artistic prodigy. His trouble with the law pushes
him into a path of self-discovery uncovering his fear of his own
potential.
AMAL: Muslim woman is faced
with the choice to hide her religion as she pursues life
in public office promoting her platform of “religious freedom”.
JAYE: A recent
trans-gendered person, along with his fiancée, does their best
to live as a normal heterosexual couple until Jaye no longer feels
the need to hide, turning their lives upside down.
Similar
to the Oscar Award winning movie Crash and the Netflix hit
series Sense 8, Skin
Deep the Series follows the journey of each
character, revealing their own prejudices, struggles and conflicts.
The characters are unknown to each other, but
their lives quickly become intertwined when a highly publicized assault is perceived as a calculated, racially motivated gay
bashing, deeply dividing the city with explosive consequences!
The
ripple effects of the incident runs deep into the lives and
perceptions of the characters, changing their
lives forever. Will each character find a truth they
were seeking or will they remain blinded by their own biases?
This
series is designed to promote thought, ask questions, and invoke change to foster
a better understanding of human relations.
Skin Deep the Series is for
those willing to question what and who we are individually and collectively,
and far more importantly to do something about it.
Picture from the shooting of the campaign pitch video
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OUR PROJECT AND GOALS
Now that we are producing it ourselves, Skin Deep will be a Web Series allowing time for exposure on the internet and to build a following. We are here to raise $20,000 to shoot seven, 9 minute scenes which also creates a one hour pilot for television. During production we will be shooting in 4K, which is the highest quality in digital film formats. We are working with a two camera production but a small crew of four.
Pictures from the Skin Deep stage reading for a VIP Audience:
The entire show will be shot here in Atlanta. Our cast will feature the best available actors
who also recognize the importance of a project like this. We are shooting for the stars
and going to
make it the highest quality that our budget will allow. Our goal is to
be distribution ready and ultimately be picked by Netflix, Amazon,
Hulu, Sundance and various digital networks. We will also be submitting
the show to various film festivals.
We are ready! We have a powerful script along with a talented and dedicated team and crew. This process however does
make us depend on people like you for support and spread the word
about our project.
Some of our local business investors include Blakes on the Park, The Jungle, Pride Medical, Steve Hightower Hair Design, Metrotainment, and scores of individuals.
While we've definitely reached some success and have been touched by the outpouring of support, we now have a unique opportunity to finally tell the story that we want to tell and needs to be told, we just need your help to get it to the finish line.
That's where you come in!
OUR BUDGET AND YOUR REWARDS
It's
important in this world of commerce to have an equal exchange when
receiving gifts of value. Our budget below breaks down the categories and total cost of each. In appreciation for your pledge that is helping us reach our goal, we are very excited to offer you the rewards listed along the right side the page.
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OUR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Today's Social Media has created an atmosphere that makes people feel if
you make a statement on Facebook or create a hashtag, you're doing
something to help a cause. Our project will make people want to take a
stand and motivate them into action. Whether it's to point out
unacceptable statements to someone in a conversation or recognizing your
own negative words, thoughts, behaviors and attitudes and filter them
out of your life.
Conversations are a good thing, so to keep our project socially responsible any unused funds we go towards an outreach website connected to the show that allows viewers to write in and discuss the episode (s) they just watched, or a particular issue. As the show grows the needs for the site may grow as well, so it will expand as time may require. But initially there will be opportunities for viewers to log in and ask questions to the actors as well as the writers . There may even be an opportunity for a viewer generated story line to be integrated into a scene. This site will be professionally monitored so there will be rules of engagement required at all times. But everyone will be welcome to participate.
PRODUCER'S BACKGROUND
The Producer, Director and
Creator David Summers is not new to big challenges. With 25 years in
theater and 17 years as Artistic Director of his own company, he always thinks outside the box. For example, Summers saw an alleyway in
downtown Lebanon, PA as a
perfect setting for an "In the Street" production of the classic West
Side Story. In spite of difficult funding and rain two weeks
straight before opening night, the show sold out to 700 seats per night and
they went on an extended run!
Summers' biggest challenge however was when the City of Lebanon commissioned him to create an event for their 250th Anniversary Celebration. Transforming a vacant steel mill
into a theater, he produced his concept for an original musical "Through
The Eyes". But every challenge was overcome and once again performing to
sold out audiences and standing ovations for the full run of the show.
THE WRITERS ROOM
After initially working solo with Skin Deep, Summers added Adult Swim Production Assistant Sean
Hosam and local actress/writer Sheri Mann Stewart to the team. Then after months of
writing, creating, challenging, laughing, debating, and revising things
again, they came up with the final script.
A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT : By adding three
time Emmy Award winning Mike Von Ruden as our Director of Photography to
the team we are now ready to move forward with producing Skin Deep the Series ourselves.
Stage reading was held at the Pinch N' Ouch blackbox theatre
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On January 31, 2016 we held a stage reading of Skin Deep
the Series. The videos below provide you with audience feedback about the
show itself.
We held a 2nd stage reading March 20, 2016 by request of a group of investors who can help us get to our fundraising goal.
So see for yourself the excitement, passion and
determination people feel for this project!
IT'S A MISSION!
It's really important to understand this is more
than just a web series. It really has turned into a mission! We've
been able to look at a changing world and reflect what is wrong with the
world as well as what is right.
This team feels that the
purpose of art is to lift social consciousness. We've done more than
create a hashtag, we took a stand in creating this show and now we ask
YOU to come stand with us!
Stand with us to reach our goal so we
can produce Skin Deep the Series and really make a difference to all who
see it. Stand with us and help spread the word using social media
tools such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, blogs etc.
We hope this project
has moved and inspired you to give and support Skin Deep the Series and
ask yourself the question... How deep will you go to find your own
humanity?