THE LINE — One night 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 troubled hotel, the passengers connect and then decide to stay and start a life and business together during what becomes a historic time in that new and different place.
the larger world.
— The seed for the series came from a time in my early 20s spent traveling abroad in South America. At the time, I had no ideas of pursuing writing or filmmaking, but years later, when I did, the experiences there were ready to be drawn from. While the final location for Bound hasn’t been decided (the above picture is just for reference), a Caribbean or South Atlantic setting was pictured during writing. In the scripts, the place the characters land is called “Lina” (lee-nuh). It’s written as a city with a nice blend of the urban and the natural, with varied architecture plus lush greenery and the sea. It’s got dynamic politics and population and will influence the story of the characters as it undergoes a changing time.
The passengers.
“Devika”
— A defense lawyer with a love for the theater. She’s maybe the most “normal” one. She brings big sister energy to the group. She’d like to hold importance.
“Mei Ling”
— A pediatric nurse who used to practice ballet. She’s a little dorky but has some spunk to her. She brings some sweetness. She’d like to be liked.
“Therese”
— A vegetable farmer who likes to write and paint. She has a cool manner but still likes to get down. She brings stature. She’d like control of things.
“Valya”
— An electrical engineer who draws her own, secret comic. She’s a little strange, or maybe it’s just her candor. She’d like to know why (a lot).
“Al-Haj”
— A garbageman with a passion for photography. He’s streetwise and lively. He makes others laugh but often by accident. He’d like to have his place.
“Dwi”
— A high school teacher who can make anything by hand. He’s easygoing and maybe a little aloof. He brings grace. He’d like things to be straight.
“Gustavo”
— A roofer and builder who used to play guitar in a band. He’s sort of a brute but with some sincerity. He can bring the bash. He’d like a little attention.
“Jonathan”
— A police officer who mans a few instruments in a local orchestra. He’s smooth but still with bite. He brings sun. He’d like to know what you’re about.
The locals.
“Fernanda”
— 60s. Owner of “The Wild Horse” hotel. She has a mature, worldly quality.
“Catalina”
— Teen. A maid at “The Wild Horse.” More reserved; wants to work in fashion.
“Joy”
— 70/80s. Runs a small, city news blog. Luminous; has a killer smile.
“Vicky”
— 40/50s. Owns a small, hair & nail salon on the hotel block. More outgoing; kookier.
“Samuel”
— 60s. Owner of “The Lime Tree” bar. A former soldier; a real straight arrow.
“Boo”
— 80s. Bartender at “The Lime Tree” (when he wants). Charming; thoughtful.
“Red”
— 50s. Owns a corner, drug store (with a secret theater in the back). He’s … spiritual.
“Wilson”
— Teen. A delivery driver that frequents the block. Independent; wants to study animals.
— I love a broad ensemble. In So Far Bound the main cast (the passengers) would perform in a co-lead manner, kind of like that one, hit show from the ‘90s. There would also, ideally, be a secondary group of “local” characters to give further variety to the story and depth to the setting. The main characters are all written as in their 30s, with the support characters ranging widely in age. … Note: It’s expected (hell, it’s inevitable) that characters will change or edit out altogether during development. As such, we’ve kept things broader and shorter for now.
the main sets.
— After the flight makes its emergency landing, a few passengers (the main characters) are shepherded to a hotel that’s 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. Once the passengers decide to stay a little longer, the hotel will act as a makeshift home and workplace. … Across the street stands “The Lime Tree,” a bar and cafe that will become a de facto kitchen, living room and secondary workplace 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. (The drawing shows an early idea of the main, story sets/street).
ALT sets.
“Victoria’s [Salon]”
— In addition to the main hotel and cafe/club, there’s an idea to build out a “block” which the characters inhibit. The hair & nail salon would be owned by a supporting character named Vicky. It could be a place for fun conversation, and maybe side operation for the main characters and locals.
“Rott’s Wiel”
— Rott’s would be a corner, drug store owned and operated by Red, another supporting character. The store would be unique in that its interior is filled with books for sale, mixed in among the foods, et al. Also Red, being a cultured man, might have a small, secret movie theater in the back.
stories in a name.
“Bound” for adventure.
— The first meaning in the So Far Bound name is the idea of going off somewhere and what can follow. 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 the central structure of the series: expedition. Over time, we’ll see the characters discover, explore, settle and then advance or fall in their new world. They’ll try to build lives and a business in a city exotic to them and also become intertwined in the city’s changes in the upcoming months and years.
“Bound” to others.
— The other meaning of the So Far Bound name 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 another, central structure to the series: the evolution of a found family. Within the the hotel (and city), the passengers will attach, and then grow in harmony and in conflict with each other. Together - but each in their own way - these strangers will try to build new (but familiar) life in a different kind of setting.