big, dumb plane. WHOLE new world.
— THE STORY GOES that half the way on a long-haul, international flight, a faulty plane is forced to land off-course, leaving a few passengers from around the world stuck in a far off place. Over a few days in a troubled hotel, those passengers connect and then decide to stay and start a life together during what becomes a historic time in that new land. … That’s So Far Bound - a scripted, live-action TV series, and this site is to raise funds and find people to make it. Please browse around for details on the series and, if you dig it, please consider supporting or joining the efforts to create it. Thank you!
Before we get into it, let’s do a quick introduction. I’m Evan Sandoval; I’d be an actor and writer on So Far Bound. I’ve been in and around film and TV for over a decade, doing all kinds of work on productions larger and smaller, and for now, it’s me writing in the first (and third) person throughout the website. I really appreciate that you’re here. Please read on for the Top 5 things to know about Bound. Cheers!
01
There’s stories in the name.
Bound (for) adventure.
— The first meaning in the So Far Bound title is the idea of going somewhere or toward some thing. The inciting action for the entire story is that the characters all decided to catch a flight to someplace new to them, and that action of traveling shapes an overall series theme of expedition. Over time, we’ll see the characters discover, explore, settle and then advance or fall in their new world.
Bound (to) others.
— A second meaning is the idea of being tied to or connected with others. Once the characters find themselves stranded, they’ll each make way to the same hotel, and from there, we add a second shape to the story: the evolution of a found family. Within the the hotel (and the city), the strangers will cross paths, attach, and soon, they’ll bind and grow in harmony and in conflict with each other.
02
It’s got the new, cool spots.
— After the flight makes its emergency landing, a few passengers are shepherded to a hotel that has seen its better days: “The Wild Horse.” It’s envisioned as smaller, in a city center location; it’s quaint and eclectic and with a few issues. After a few days in waiting, once the flight passengers decide to stay a little longer, the hotel will act as their home for the near future. … Across the street stands “The Lime Tree,” a bar and cafe that will become a de facto kitchen and living room for the passengers. It’s envisioned as compact, but with enough room to boogie when the music is on. At night, its tall, wide windows should light the street’s corner. (Pictured: an early idea of the main sets layout).
— The hotel and bar are located in Lina (lee-nuh), the fictional city in which the plane lands. The final filming location is to be determined, and we my ultimately decide to use the real name of the selected location. It’s the goal of the production to make the series on-location, somewhere authentic and unique to the story. That way, we can have a base within that city or region and then make great use of the surrounding area by using secondary locations (and local people and crew) to really feature the story’s world. (The adjacent photo is just for reference of the kind of setting envisioned).
03
Worlds collide!
— For Bound, we used the setup of a “large, international flight” as an opportunity to create characters of not just varied personalities, but also of varied backgrounds. For one, the banter between them should be great, and also, so should the tensions. By featuring people from different worlds who would together - but each in their own way - try to build a new life in a dynamic setting, the opportunities for both drama and hi-jinks are abundant. … The main cast (aka the flight passengers) would operate in a co-lead manner - kinda like that one, hit show from the ‘90s. The main characters are:
“Devika”
— A hair stylist by day and musician by night. She’s the most “normal” one; she has big sister energy within the group.
“Mei Ling”
— A pediatric nurse who used to practice ballet. She’s a little dorky but has some spunk to her. She brings sweetness.
“Samirah”
— A sous chef who draws comics in secret. She has a cool manner but still likes to get down. She brings stature.
“Valya”
— An engineer and decorator of random things. She’s a little weird but only because she’s curious - and blunt.
“Al-Haj”
— A plumber with a passion for skate-boarding. He’s streetwise and lively. He makes others laugh but by accident.
“Dwi”
— A beekeeper who likes to write and paint. He’s easygoing but also more aloof. He brings a bit of grace with him.
“Gustavo”
— A roofer who used to play guitar in a band. He’s sort of a brute but with some sincerity. He can bring the bash.
“Jonathan”
— A bin man who can make damn near anything by hand. He’s sunny, smooth but with bite. He connects with anyone.
— There’s the collision of the main characters and also the collision of those characters with the people local to the place in which they land. To add depth to the setting and variety to the story, we’ve created a secondary ensemble of local characters to interact with the main players. There’s “Fernanda,” a former teacher in her 60s who takes over The Wild Horse; there’s also “Jimmu,” a man in his 80s who tends bar as he pleases at The Lime Tree, plus more, unique characters.
04
We’re gonna have fun, first.
— What’s the tone of the series? How do the actors play? What’s the intent? So Far Bound would mostly feature a lighter, more spirited vibe. We’d primarily show characters in a sillier manner, with more farcical acts, and then, the exciting challenge is trying to deftly slide those same characters into moments (or plot lines) of quiet or drama, or mania or sensuality, when times come and the story calls for it.
If I had to keep it simple, and choose only one work as a guidepost for Bound, it would probably be MASH (1972-1983). MASH was about a group of American doctors, nurses and crew operating a mobile hospital in Korea during the war. It, too, was about people from one part of the world, living in another, much different part and featured the hi-jinks and tensions that ensue. It was a “sitcom” first, but it could also, often, be the opposite of one. The weight of war in the background would lead the show to more serious or sincere plot lines, but even through its meditations - and rebellions - the show always carried a fundamental sense of levity and endearment.
To be clear, Bound won’t look and sound like MASH, which filmed on a single lot and had a laugh track (and, you know, is one of the ten greatest shows ever). Our presentation would be different, but it’s fun to consider what the soul and the intent of that show could look like in the modern day.
05
A plan is hatched.
— You’ve got a five year plan and so do we. First, the goal for the project would be to build an ongoing series that plays yearly and on schedule - like the good ‘ol days. Currently, the story is outlined for five seasons. In general, it’s structured as a story of resettling and advancement over a six year period within the story world. Seasons would ideally feature a few more episodes (again, like times past) and it would be less serialized, with threads for longer story arcs but also room for one-off, “ventures of the week” and recurring specials. … The adjacent drawing features a scene from Episode 3. Two of the flight passengers enjoy a night out in a new world while a couple of locals watch on. Over time, as all parties and place become more tied together, what can they build and become?
Thanks so much for checking us out. If you’d like to see deeper dives on the story or production goals, please see any of the links at the top. And before you go, please consider helping to make the series below. … On our end, we’ll work hard to make something that’s fun and that has a few ideas, and we’ll use our grassroots stature as a power to try and to be new things. *