SHOWRUNNER / PRODUCER PARTNER
Original Sci-Fi Series – Pilot & Multi-Season Arc in Place
I’m the creator and primary writer of an original sci-fi series titled The Phoenix. The 90-minute pilot is complete, and the full four-season arc already exists.
I am seeking one experienced industry-minded partner to step into a Producer / Co-Showrunner / Development Partner role (title flexible based on experience).
This is not an editing or polish gig.
This is a true creative and strategic partnership aimed at getting the project packaged, pitched, and sold.
WHAT’S ALREADY DONE
Finished pilot screenplay
Defined mythology, characters, and tone
Long-term multi-season trajectory
Clear series identity and thematic spine
The creative foundation is solid. What’s needed now is the industry-facing half of the equation.
WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR
Someone who understands:
How projects actually get developed and seen
What belongs in a professional pitch deck / pitch pack
How to shape material for buyers, networks, and streamers
How to collaborate on story changes without breaking long-form arcs
The balance between creative integrity and market reality
Script changes are welcome and encouraged — collaboratively. I need to be part of those decisions to protect the four-season architecture.
THE OFFER
Up to 49% ownership of the project
Long-term partnership (not one-off work)
Shared creative authority
Loyalty and continuity across future development
This percentage reflects the value of the role.
If you help bring this series into the world, you deserve to share in it.
IDEAL BACKGROUND
Producer, development exec, showrunner, or writer with industry experience
Strong understanding of pitch materials and buyer expectations
Comfortable working via FaceTime or in-person
Values trust, communication, and long-term collaboration
NOT A FIT IF
You’re looking for a quick credit
You want unilateral creative control
You’re dismissive of vision-first creators
You’re expecting a blank-page project
If you’ve ever been the person who bridges story and execution, vision and market, I’d like to connect.
Please message me with your background and how you see yourself contributing.
— Jay A. Swendris
Creator, The Phoenix
2 people like this
Wow- this is so specific and actionable! I really hope you find that ideal person!
2 people like this
Hi, Jay A Swendris. Hope you’re having a great year! I like the title. What's The Phoenix about?
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90-Minute Pilot – Series Breakdown
Created by Jay A. Swendris
GENRE
Elevated Science Fiction / Mythic Thriller
Arrival meets The Bourne Identity with ancient mythology, grounded emotion, and modern surveillance paranoia.
FORMAT
90-minute pilot
Ongoing serialized drama
4-season arc planned
CORE PREMISE (ONE PARAGRAPH)
When an ancient, human-looking being named Bennu awakens from a bronze sarcophagus beneath the Andes, his emergence triggers a global response from governments, scientists, and shadow agencies. Bennu is not a god, not an alien invader — he is a survivor of a lost advanced human civilization tied to Atlantis and Earth’s forgotten energy systems. As he struggles to survive in a world hostile to his biology, he forms an unlikely bond with Nicole Simons, a sharp, grounded civilian who becomes his protector, witness, and moral anchor. Together, they are hunted by those who want to weaponize him — and pulled toward a truth that could redefine humanity’s origins.
PILOT STORY BREAKDOWN
ACT ONE — The Awakening
A sealed bronze sarcophagus is unearthed in the Andes, covered in impossible Sumerian cuneiform.
At UCLA, scientists discover it opens not by force, but by sound — a resonant frequency.
When activated, the sarcophagus releases Bennu, who shuts down all surrounding electronics and vanishes without violence.
Governments quietly mobilize. This is not first contact — it’s containment.
Tone: mystery, awe, restrained dread
Promise: This is intelligent sci-fi grounded in science and mythology, not spectacle-for-spectacle’s sake.
ACT TWO — The Human Anchor
Bennu, biologically dependent on saltwater and natural resonance, collapses near the coast.
He encounters Nicole Simons, a civilian with no clearance, no agenda, and no fear — just empathy.
She helps him reach the ocean, where he stabilizes, revealing his abilities are biological, not supernatural.
Surveillance begins quietly tracking them.
Emotional hook: the bond between Bennu and Nicole is formed through trust, not exposition.
ACT THREE — Truth & Threat
Bennu reveals fragments of history: Atlantis was real — a resonance-based civilization, not a myth.
Humanity was once genetically modified and exploited by the Anunnaki, who viewed humans as property.
Bennu is dying. To survive, he needs rare materials and energy sources that no longer exist openly.
The solution points to Las Vegas — a city of concentrated power, gold, and noise.
Escalation: the world closes in as Bennu becomes impossible to hide.
ACT FOUR — Exposure
In Vegas, Bennu’s presence disrupts electronics, gambling systems, and surveillance.
He wins millions unintentionally, triggering alarms.
Federal agents and black-ops units close in.
A violent confrontation ends with Bennu critically weakened and captured — but not broken.
Theme: Power attracts ownership. Ownership destroys humanity.
ACT FIVE — Choice
Nicole inherits Bennu’s phoenix amulet, temporarily bonding with his energy.
She chooses action over fear, rescuing him from full government containment.
Bennu refuses godhood, worship, or cages — choosing freedom and responsibility instead.
The pilot ends with Bennu alive but hunted, Nicole fully committed, and a new destination revealed:
The search for Mira — the last of Bennu’s kind.
MAIN CHARACTERS
BENNU
Appears human, ancient by origin
Advanced biology tied to Earth’s resonance
Rejects godhood and domination
Represents lost human potential, not superiority
NICOLE SIMONS
Civilian, blogger, observer
Grounded, pragmatic, emotionally intelligent
Audience surrogate
Becomes the moral compass of the series
DR. HENRY KELLER
Scientist burdened by discovery
Knows too much, regrets waking Bennu
Represents humanity’s curiosity vs. responsibility
MAT DONOVAN / NSA
Not villains — pragmatists
Fear chaos more than injustice
Represent the system’s inability to trust what it can’t control
SERIES ENGINE (WHY IT CONTINUES)
Each season explores:
Hidden ancient technologies across the globe
The truth of humanity’s engineered past
Competing factions (governments, corporations, myth-keepers)
Bennu’s people — who survived, who didn’t, and why
Whether humanity deserves access to what was once taken from it
Season One Spine: Survival & Trust
Season Two: Revelation & Conflict
Season Three: Global Consequences
Season Four: Choice — transcendence or repetition
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https://www.stage32.com/profile/1186315/Screenplay/The-Phoenix-Pilot
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Hi Jay A Swendris, welcome, and thank you for such a clear, thoughtful introduction. I’m Ashley, Head of Community here at Stage 32, and I really appreciate how explicitly you’ve outlined both the creative foundation and the kind of partnership you’re seeking.
To increase visibility with the kinds of industry-minded partners you’re describing, I’d encourage you to stay active in the Screenwriting Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting) and the Producing Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/producing). Those spaces are frequented by writers, producers, and development professionals who are actively thinking about packaging, pitching, and long-term strategy.
You may also want to connect with our Success Team at Success@Stage32.com. They specialize in helping creators prepare projects for the industry-facing side of development and can offer curated guidance around pitch materials, positioning, and potential next steps when you’re ready to move toward buyers.
I also recommend making sure your profile bio clearly reflects this project, your goals, and the kind of partner you’re seeking. Many meaningful connections here begin with someone clicking through your profile page after seeing a post like this. Currently, your bio is fairly brief, and you may benefit from sharing more details and information as you have in this post.
Wishing you the best as you look for the right collaborator for The Phoenix. I hope this post sparks exactly the kind of aligned conversation you’re aiming for, and I look forward to seeing you around the community.