Disheartened by the mind-numbing brutality that led to the senseless murder of one of his students, a teacher becomes the reluctant hero of a populist movement which begins because people are tired of the way things are.

SYNOPSIS:

"We won't survive if we don't start taking care of each other. And I’ll stake my life on it if things don’t change." That's the message of John Willoughby, "The Gray Champion," as promoted by Anne Mitchell, a Sacramento radio reporter who's looking for a horse to ride to save her job after D.B. Norton, media magnate, acquires her radio station and fires everyone who isn't producing enough "fireworks."

Anne writes a series of reports on the Gray Champion that turns Willoughby into a populist hero; the enemy of all the evils in the modern world: the greed, lust, hate, fear, and inhumanity. Her reports strike a nerve. The public response is enormous. It even gets the attention of powerful people like D.B. Norton.

Against his better judgment, Willoughby becomes the spokesperson for "The Fourth Turning" Movement – named after a prophesized cyclical, historical moment of crisis, danger, and opportunity.

When Norton proposes to support the movement on a national scale, Willoughby initially refuses. However, when faced with the hope, optimism, and true belief generated by his message in the common people, he reconsiders. Then, while stumping across the country, Willoughby and Anne discover the true nature of Norton's generous philanthropy. He intends to use The Gray Champion and The Fourth Turning to further his own political ambitions and agenda.

Willoughby threatens to expose Norton and the entire movement at a massive national rally to be held on the Sunday before Christmas. But, Norton is too good at what he does. At the rally, he discredits and shames Willoughby in front of millions. And Willoughby disappears.

In one of her first radio reports, Anne wrote that The Gray Champion – in protest and disillusioned by the state of things – promised to jump from the top of the Tower Bridge into the Sacramento River on Christmas Eve if nothing changed.

It’s Christmas Eve and Willoughby finds himself standing on the Tower Bridge, prepared to carry out his fictional promise. Just then, Anne and dozens of John’s supporters appear. As well as Norton and his cronies. Anne talks Willoughby into continuing the battle, explaining: "If it's worth dying for, it's worth living for." Faced with his true believers on one side and Norton on the other, Willoughby agrees, saying: "A change is coming. And we'll be ready for it."

Tag Line: We all need something we can bleed for.

TURN, TURN, TURN