Pilot: During an eventful first day as a film extra, a teacher has a brush with celebrity and unwittingly plays a pivotal role during an on-set crisis.

SYNOPSIS:

Format - 30 minute television series

Genre - ensemble workplace comedy

Logline - A diverse group of extras form a dysfunctional family to navigate the absurd & often surreal world of TV/film production in Atlanta

BACKGROUNDERS is a half-hour sitcom following an unlikely group of accidental friends.

_Synopsis_

COMMUNITY meets EXTRAS. This impromptu 'work-family' of talented misfits serves as an emotional support system for our troop, while actively encouraging its individual members to pursue their own dreams. Come join our colorful cast of underdogs as they embark on an epic quest for fortune and fame in the cutthroat Bizarro World of the entertainment industry. The idea for the series was born during many months spent booking gigs as a background actor in Atlanta, where I witnessed more than enough compelling drama, ruthless ambition & unexpected hilarity to provide source material for many seasons to come.

_Details_

Background talent resides at the bottom of the food chain in this dog-eat-dog media landscape. They don't get starring roles, invites to flashy Hollywood premieres, or even decent food. Yet most remain undaunted, upbeat & optimistic, generally being supportive & looking out for one another. Attending a 'cattle call' casting provides some truly World-Class people watching. Once the horde invades, the vast white tent fills with hundreds of would-be actors of every conceivable age, race, sexuality, income, & religion. Digging deeper, I found a unique community of fascinating individuals, a multicultural tribe of colorful personalities sharing their artistic trials, tribulations & triumphs. All doing their level best to overcome the roadblocks & challenges familiar to nearly all aspiring creatives. After many long hours on set & languishing in holding for paltry wages, what has remained with me is an appreciation for the warmth, humor & essential goodness of my fellow extras. We share a familial camaraderie born out of shared experiences good & bad, all for the sake of a moment's fleeting fame. There are 10 principal & several ancillary characters that will reappear periodically throughout the season. Loosely based on people I've met during my time on set, these are their (made-up) stories.

_Main Characters_

THOMAS COVINGTON: Tom is a 40 year-old English teacher doing Background work to pay for school supplies while satisfying a lifelong curiosity with filmmaking. A frustrated screenwriter, this middle-class Yankee transplant is learning the ropes as an extra, embracing his diverse new castmates & making new friends. Married to lawyer SARAH and father of preteen CHARLOTTE, this likeable everyman soon discovers that the reality of working in Atlanta's booming entertainment industry is not quite as advertised.

BENJAMIN PATEL: Benji is a self-employed 35 year-old data analyst & cinema nerd, fluent in movie quotes & Hollywood trivia. Born into a large immigrant family, this hopeless romantic is a first generation American. A single, gay vegetarian who is plugged into the rumor mill & knows every crew member by name. Loves to dance & will eagerly volunteer for any on-set assignment. Has a surprising number of hidden talents.

GLORIA HAYNES: Talented self-taught Black actress from Chicago, Gloria is 45 but looks years younger. A savvy & streetwise veteran of numerous independent film productions, she knows the ins & outs of life on set & always manages to negotiate things in her favor. From getting extra screen time, bumps in pay, even better food, she understands how the power structure operates & acts accordingly, expertly navigating & exploiting the system to her personal benefit.

PENELOPE LAFLEUR: A heavyset 25-year-old from North Dakota, Penny has an inspiring story, a sunny disposition & a positive attitude that is downright contagious. With her atypical body type, she is also a most unlikely candidate to be a professional stunt person. In spite of the odds, she will not give up on her dreams; optimistically saving money to pay for training courses & striving to achieve her goals with focus & single-minded determination.

HELEN MITCHELL: Obviously in her golden years (it's impolite to ask, Bless Your Heart), Alabama native Helen is the prototypical sweet, silver-haired Southern Matron. Loves Elvis, Dolly & Gone With the Wind, but don't be fooled; This tart-tongued Grandmother, Sunday School teacher & Daughter of the Confederacy does not suffer fools or carpetbagging scalawags lightly. Praise the Lord & Roll Tide!

WAYNE SCANLON: His body covered in tattoos, Nevada-born Wayne rode with West Coast motorcycle clubs for years before receiving an accident settlement & heading East. With his long silver hair, gruff voice & handlebar moustache, Wayne is still an intimidating figure at age 65. Usually cast as a criminal, convict, or henchman, he's really a big-hearted teddy bear with a soft spot for children & animals. He takes acting jobs because the missus wants him out of the house.

DEONTAE FERNANDEZ: Black & Cuban, charming 20 year-old Miami native Deontae is a true multi-hyphenate; an actor, rapper, DJ, dancer, rideshare driver, part-time weed-dealer & full-time ladies' man. This smooth-talking Latin Romeo can't help himself, flirting shamelessly & creating fake 'six-degrees of separation' connections to A-list stars in hopes of getting a date or finding a sugar-momma.

BROCK BRADLEY: Texas-born former Navy Seal & SWAT Team Member with ties to numerous Federal Agencies. At 50, this chiseled Kurt Russell lookalike loves to regale his fellow background actors with outrageous tales of his black-ops adventures, narrow escapes & epic heroism. Thrice-divorced gun enthusiast & protective stage father of Brianna.

BRIANNA BRADLEY: Singing with the voice of an angel, polite former HS Drama Club ice-queen & current Theatre Major Bree is brunette, sweetly pretty & outwardly cheerful. In reality the 19 year-old ingénue is a manipulative 'mean girl'; a foul-mouthed, sociopathic diva who somehow manages to keep her scandalous behavior hidden from her overbearing father.

KIM CHEE: While her real name remains unknown, 'Kim' is a plump 55 year-old Asian woman who rarely speaks, & then only in snarky Chinese non-sequiturs. Dropped off & picked up by a mysterious white cargo van, she is always the first to arrive at holding with her trusty camping chair & exotic snacks. The eyes & ears of Base Camp, she silently observes the proceedings behind oversized sunglasses & a poker visor.

_Supporting Characters_

JEFFREY LACHMAN: Perpetually sleep-deprived and weary, 30 year-old Jeff is an overworked AD responsible for Background. A talented filmmaker who graduated near the top of his class at USC Film School, he has big dreams but is frustrated by his apparent lack of advancement up the studio career ladder. Drinks too much coffee & is trying to quit smoking (again).

KELLEY DELORENZO: Authoritarian PA Kelley is an on-set Nurse Ratched, universally feared for her volatile temper & disdain for Backgrounders. With her omnipresent headset & radio, she rules her terrified subjects with an iron fist wrapped in a flannel shirt holding an energy drink.

MATTHEW O'LEARY: Biracial Matt is a handsome gay 20 year-old stand-in, college student, & aspiring stage actor. An insider source of on-set scuttlebutt & rumors, this one-time child star is a well-liked ally & confidant of the Backgrounders.

REBECCA LYNN DEERING: Lovely & aloof, 20 year-old brunette Becky is a stand-in & viral social media influencer. She is the oblivious object of Deontae's unrequited affection.

ANASTASIA GLASS: Beautiful 30 year-old blonde Stacy is a stand-in, socialite, & former runway model. She is the ruthless, amoral object of Jeff's unrequited affection.

CHADRICK RASMUSSEN: Hunky Nordic immigrant Chad is a 25 year-old stand-in, personal trainer, & part-time exotic dancer. He is the self-absorbed object of Matt & Benji's unrequited affection.

GERHARDT KLUUNDT: Jerry is an eccentric, award-winning German director best known for his violent, over-the-top indie crime sagas & unorthodox filmmaking methods.

LAWRENCE MALONE: Veteran New York gaffer extraordinaire Larry keeps the juice running & runs the light show with assistance from surly grips DARRYL & DARRELL.

MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM: California-born sound engineer Mickey hears everything in range of his trusty boom mike. Like, even a mouse fart, dude.

BACKGROUNDERS: FEAR AND LOATHING ON THE E-LIST