TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. 2025 GOALS
B. CAST BOARD
C. CREW BOARD
D. SERIES NOTES
INTRODUCTION
— Check here for achievements and setbacks in trying to make a series from the bottom up. In 2025, the major projects will be discovering the main cast and determining key crew members. Well, in addition to fundraising, but that’s just the eternal endeavor for anything. So, here, we’ll focus more on the tangible people and pieces that will make up So Far Bound. We’ll update as we go and also consolidate news and profiles after each quarter.
2025 goals
NOTE — In 2025, the main focus will be getting people into place, like series leadership, the main cast and some, key crew members. 2026 will focus more on pieces. It should start with the final location, then review of scripts, before moving on to settings and filling out the crew. We’ll target filming by Summer (26) for an end of the year premiere, depending on how many episodes we can make.
SPRING
1. Series board final.
2. Main cast (A) shortlists.
— From roughly April through June, we’ll work to finalize the leadership (producer) roles which we’ve been interviewing for over the past two months, plus we’ll start the process of identifying people for the main cast. The approach to the cast will be fluid, but to start, we’ll split the search in two.
SUMMER
1. Main cast (A) final.
2. Main cast (B) shortlists.
— After the first half of cast members are shortlisted, we’ll go through final auditions, while also combing through photos and reels on the next half of cast members.
I should say, in my mind, casting will likely always be happening, until it’s time to shoot. Other roles, behind the camera can come into place quicker, but the cast is the cast, you know? It’s who you see, so, while giving ourselves time posts as guardrails for casting, just note that it can always be happening while other pieces of the project come together.
FALL
1. Main cast (B) final.
2. Creative crew shortlists.
— While continuing casting, we’ll also work to identify some creative-focused team members like the Production Designer and the Director of Photography to start developing the visual and design elements in earnest as we gear up to finalize a filming location at the beginning of 2026.
cast ensemble
“Devika”
“Mei Ling”
“Samirah”
“Valya”
“Al-Haj”
“Dwi”
“Gustavo”
“Jonathan”
We’re casting! For information on the open roles, please check here. Photos and profiles to be added as team members are.
crew company
Senior Director
Creative Producer
Managing Producer
Associate Producer
Production Designer
Costume Designer
Cinematographer
Art Director
We’re searching! For information on the open roles, please check here. Photos and profile to be added as team members are.
series Notes
WINTER (Q1) NOTES.
Site 1.0
— I’m going to give myself a little credit. I had no experience in web design prior to making this site, and over a lot of trial and error, I’m pretty happy with this “final” version of the site. It ain’t perfect or totally professional, but it’s a good base camp for the objectives of the project today: to find team members and to raise funds by laying out the ideas and ambitions of the story. There’s more to add, though, like updated imagery and video, so expect a Site 2.0 probably in the Fall.
“Series Board”
— That’s my code name for three producers and a director who can help continue to shape the series moving forward. After reviewing about 800 submissions and holding a few dozen interviews in February and March, I’m finally closing in on potential people for the roles. The process to date has been exciting, but also clarifying — the great “adventure” of making So Far Bound will actually happen over hours and hours … and hours at a desk, in front of a screen. It’s scrolling through profiles; it’s video calls; it’s writing emails or site copy or planning documents. It’s gonna be “survive through 25” to make way for more on the ground and creative action in 2026.
“Dawn to Dusk”
— This didn’t happen in the past three months, but I suppose it ultimately set them up. Last year I wrote the final (as in the latest) scripts of the first four episodes. Those episodes, of course, were the catalyst for everything you see on site, from the story which informed the references and also informed the production estimate, which then informed the funding goal and so on and so forth. But, it took some tinkering to get those episodes to a place I liked. I got there by taking a step back and creating a framework for script writing that worked for me. I call it “Dawn to Dusk.” It’s a five-act structure that helped me organize my ideas on the first scripts and it also ended up helping me unlock the current, five-season story arc. The name simply comes from mirroring a story to a day:
At Dawn — Open Eyes
The Morning — First Journey
The Afternoon — Altered Journey
The Evening — Final Journey
At Dusk — Deep Breath
Mr. Beast
— Since Bound is independent, I’ve been studying up on YouTube and how people and companies in spaces like that operate apart from standard studios or networks. I found about Mr. Beast and his staggering number of subscribers. I also found out he’s from Greenville, North Carolina, which is about 45 minutes from Rocky Mount, where I’m from. That’s pretty cool - and inspiring. Shout out to Eastern NC!