TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. The Ideas
B. The Pieces
C. The Format
D. The Style
INTRODUCTION
— The story goes that half the way on a long-haul, international flight a faulty plane is forced to land off its course, leaving a few passengers from around the world stuck in the same, far off place. Over a few days in a small hotel, those passengers connect - and then decide - to stay and start a life and offbeat business together during what becomes a historic time in that new and different land.
the ideas
The stories in a name.
Bound (for) adventure.
The first interpretation of the So Far Bound title is the idea of going somewhere or heading 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 interpretation of the title 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 walls of their hotel, the strangers will cross paths, attach, and soon, they’ll bind. … Who’s gonna do what with who and why and what next?
The “Bound” book club.
“The Sun Also Rises”
“You can’t get away from yourself by moving from one place to another. There’s nothing to that.” — Jake says that to Robert; they’re two Americans in Paris arguing about whether to go to South America to find some kind of excitement, or life. They don’t go. But, they do travel across Spain with a group of friends. The book tracks that group, all in their late 20s/early 30s as they sojourn in Southern Europe in the after years of World War I. So Far Bound will model a similar, though much longer spin in places unknown, in a manner that’s more reckless than regulated, like Rises.
“One Hundred Years of Solitude”
100 Years recounts the lives of generations of the Buendia family and of the town of Macondo, which was founded by the first Jose Buendia. On shape, or plot, it aligns in that in tracks the discovery, settlement and later cycles of a people and their new homeland. In Bound, though the place they end up is already founded, it’s exotic to the passengers and thus ripe for discovery. It’s also on the edge of tense times, which may lead to shifts for the city and the people within it. Finally, the deeper bench of characters in Bound mirrors the wide array of characters in 100 Years.
The pieces
The larger world.
— The story takes place in the fictional city of “Lina” (lee-nuh). It’s written as a place with a nice blend of the urban and the natural, with varied architecture plus greenery and the sea. It’s likely smaller - a place whose airport might struggle with the unexpected, international flight - but still big enough to hold some social dynamism. (The adjoining picture is reference only of the type of city preferred).
For now, Lina exists within the “Aras.” Think of it like the “South” in the US or the “Balkans” in Europe - a distinct, cultural area within a greater union of land. … Though, once a final, filming location is selected, we may ultimately use that country or region’s name. The general plan for the story setting is to embrace the cultural qualities of a real location and to take advantage of fiction, here and there.
The local spots.
— After the flight makes its emergency landing, a few passengers are shepherded to a smaller hotel that has seen its better days: “The Wild Horse.” It’s envisioned as being in a city center location. It’s quaint and eclectic and with more than a few issues. After a few days in waiting, once the passengers decide to stay 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 a one-stop shop for food, drinks, music and other vices. It’s envisioned as compact, but with enough room to boogie. And at night, its tall, wide windows should light the street’s corner. (The adjacent drawing shows an early sketch of the block’s layout).
The main characters.
“Devika”
— A hair stylist by day and a 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 regal manner but still likes to get down. She brings stature to the room.
“Valya”
— An engineer and decorator of random things. She’s a little weird but only because she’s curious - and the most 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 the “chill” one; easygoing but also more aloof. He walks in with a distinct gait.
“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.
The support characters.
“Fernanda”
— 60s. Owner of “The Wild Horse” hotel. A former teacher; has a worldly quality.
“Katayoun”
— Teen. A housekeeper at “The Wild Horse.” She’s in her bad attitude phase.
“Paz”
— 70s. Runs a small, city newspaper. She’s luminous; she has a killer smile.
“Vicky”
— 40s. The district, delivery driver. She has a kooky, screwball manner to her.
“Boo”
— 60s. Owner of “The Lime Tree” bar/cafe. A former soldier; a real straight arrow.
“Godwil”
— Teen. A security guard on the block. An aspiring policeman. More reserved.
“Jimmu”
— 80s. A bartender at “The Lime Tree.” Used to build ships; a charming guy.
“Red”
— 50s. A hustler and a frequent taxi driver for the hotel. Spiritual; strange.
* The main characters (aka the flight passengers) would operate in a co-lead format, like that hit show from the ‘90s. The support characters (or the locals) are either native to the city or have lived there for a while. They’ll add depth and variety to the setting and story in limited roles.
* It’s expected - hell, it’s inevitable - that the profiles or existence of characters and settings will shift or change during further development of the series. As such, we’ve kept everything shorter and broader for the time being.
the format
Runtime & runway.
“Half-hour.”
— Though the story has sometimes heavier themes, which are often paired with an hour runtime, we want Bound to be more in the bucket of our own, favorite shows, which are more often in half-hour format. We say “half-hour” because the scripts right now fall in between 30-40 minutes, making use of the extra room in streaming, but still with that shorter, lighter and less serialized style in mind.
Added episodes.
— Many of our favorite, “old-school” series had too many episodes, hitting up to 24 in a season. But now, the eight-episode season often used by series today can feel too short. Bound would try the space in between, where we can have longer arcs or threads and also room for one-off, stories-of-the-week, plus recurring specials like a “Holiday” or “Travel” episode, where traditions can start.
The series outline.
— Today, Bound is outlined at five seasons and the intention would be to complete those five seasons, on time, over five years. Below is a breakdown of how the seasons might generally play out. Of course, it’s all always up for change during the course of development, and so, for now, we’ll keep the summaries short and broad.
Season 1 (Go)
— Tracks the arrival and then discovery of a new world (for the characters). Details the first days after landing, then a rowdier “on holiday'“ period before moving into ideas on why and how to stay more permanently.
Season 2 (Keep going)
— After the long, honeymoon (sometimes nightmare) period is over, we get into the trials of trying to build up a life in a place that’s different to what the characters are used to. By the end, they should be settled (sort of).
Season 3 (Let go)
— Time and events further cement the characters into their new world and, in some cases, further to each other (here comes a wedding!). As a result, older ideas and identities are shed, or maybe, just layered onto.
Season 4 (Go, again)
— With the perspectives and consequences of all that’s come before, the characters start to embark on a newer and maybe crazier adventure. By the end of the season, there’s a full push into that new direction/endeavor.
Season 5 (Go off)
— Characters go further in their new endeavor and soon come up to the bottom line of it all.
the style
NOTE — Bound is set in the present day, but its references use projects from the 1950s and ‘60s. It ended up there through my mother. When I [Evan] was a kid in the ‘90s we had one TV and when it was her turn I had to sit through whatever was on Turner Classic Movies. The first, non-kid movie I remember getting through was Some Like It Hot, and well, you know how it goes. In many ways, we stay who we were as kids or teenagers, as far the things we like. So, my affinity for that time in movies and TV endures, and it’s a few projects from that period that I’ve always thought of for So Far Bound’s style templates. — And I know; I should be Marvel-izing or Friends-ifying the references for the show, but, what I should do isn’t the truth.
Pictured — Some Like It Hot, 1959.
How Bound could play.
— What’s the tone? How do the actors generally perform? Answer: Like Billy Wilder in beast mode. In the 1950s, the director Billy Wilder went on an all-time hot streak starting with Sunset Boulevard in 1950 and ending with The Apartment in 1960. You’d call both of those films a “comedy” first, with their bouncier dialogue and spirited characters, but each gave room for sincerity and, at times, darkness. Even Some Like It Hot, the silliest movie of the streak, shows grace through the delicate but still rowdy performance by Marilyn Monroe. … In Bound, we want to take inspiration from Wilder and company. We want to have a good time first, showing characters in a sillier manner to start, and then, the fun challenge is trying to deftly slide them into moments of quiet or drama, or mania or sensuality, when the story calls for it.
Pictured — Rio Bravo, 1959.
How it could feel.
— What’s the vibe of the world, in which the characters perform? Hang with me here, but the answer is similar to the vibes in old westerns. Obviously, Bound won’t look like a western, but qualities found in that sub-genre were considered during writing. Qualities like: a “frontier,” outlaws, posses, a bit of grandeur and certain kind of “edge.” … For the characters in Bound, they’re in a similar “pioneering” position in a world that’s new to them. As for outlaws and posses, no one is on the run, per say, but it’s a group of people coming together who were happy to get away from home. Finally, most westerns have an “edge,” born of reckless times, that could feature in Bound as the city around the characters undergoes a transformation. (But just like the old westerns, that “edge” might play more tongue-in-cheek).
Pictured — Blue Hawaii, 1961.
How it could look.
— What’s the general design guide? Answer: Like the “Elvis Goes Places” sub-genre. Presley starred in a dozen movies in which he went off to some place, sang songs and got the girl. The movies, god bless ‘em, aren’t good, but going to Hawaii or Acapulco in technicolor ain’t a bad way to spend some time. What separates the Elvis movies from other cool, location films of the time is that they’re so kitschy but in the best ways. For example, the sets in Blue Hawaii or Fun in Acapulco are “chic” on one hand and like a Margaritaville on the other. — Either way, you like to be up in there. … Bound also aims for a “destination” feel to the place in which the characters are stranded. It doesn’t mean we won’t get into the grime of a setting, but overall, we’ll promote color and nature and go for a little flair with both person and place.
Pictured — Aretha Franklin
How it could rock.
— How’s the musical score? What kind of songs are used? The primary theme and score of the series will tailor to the cultural traits of the setting and filming location. In writing, that setting has been envisioned as something more Caribbean, and so, a lot of the current playlist features music with Afro and Latin roots. In addition to that theme, we hope to feature other, great music in Bound. In a perfect world, the whole, damn series would open with a set piece featuring the song People Get Ready. A good picture’s got to have some soul, you know? It comes from writing and acting, sure, but also, you could just cheat and bring in Aretha Franklin to go off and make ya knees buckle. … Here’s a four-pack of songs that got heavy rotation on the writing playlist and set a guideline for the series: SO FAR SOUNDS.
NOTE — Bound is Bound. Understandably, though, everything needs a comparison these days - something to “hook” onto. A valuable thing about using older references is that we couldn’t copy them if we tried; the times and filmmaking have changed too much. So, in the end, all we can do is have reverence for the classics above, soak them in, and do and be our thing. *