Flavortones

I'm at school, studying and learning how to make movies, waiting for Ultimate to start back up again, and searching for a summer job so I can fly out with Ari for Avodah/CIT countdown.

I miss waking up and being crazy and fun... and TAN. Ugh, this snow! I MEAN COME ONE EAST COAST! COME. ON.


I'm preparing my application to attend FAMU in the Fall, that would be the world famous film academy in Prague... a girl can dream, right? This preparation basically rushed me into more advanced classes, so I'm the youngest kid by far in every one. Seriously, they are all masters students or seniors, aged 23 and up you know? I'm 19. But my 26 year old friend commented, "You seem a bit more mature than the rest," SO THERE!

One of the big things I get to put on my resume is a television pilot I am trying to get picked up by NBC. I want to elaborate because this pilot is really big for me.

My first week of classes, I walked into my Intro to Studio Television class (yet another class I am the youngest student in) and my professor says, "Today we are meeting with executives from NBC to discuss what they are looking for in a pilot. Next week we will be walking over to their studios so you all can pitch your pilot idea to them. You will have 90 seconds." The opportunity is incredible, but the timing was quite short.

When NBC came into the studio to sit down with us 25 minutes later, they discussed how they are looking for something to really show off DC, that could show us a flavor of the district, and they wanted something viral that could easily be forwarded, AND would widen their usual audience whose average age is 54.

So I came up with "The Flavortones" a show that features musical restaurant reviews. Mixing the two most popular forms of entertainment right now, "Glee" and the Food Network. They appeal to a wide audience, including the younger generation that NBC is craving.

The Flavortones have the ability to travel as well as stay in studio to review tons of food types from around the city. From landmarks like Ben's Chili Bowl, to a small vegan bakery in Georgetown. It caters to a wide audience AND the jingles will be catchy enough that grandma and your roommate will want to forward it around.

I pitched to NBC, and you know how I get when I'm excited... I practically buzz and vibrate with energy. Well apparently I was passionate but had all my points together, because out of the 12 pitches (students teamed up on ideas in order to have more time to speak) mine was NBC's top pick to produce.

The challenge is writing a new and original jingle every week BUT one of the guys in the class is double majoring in music/composition and has attached himself to me in the class as my working partner after the pitch session.

Basically the show could air as a segment or work fine online. Either way it should be posted online so it's link can be put on food review sites like Yelp. The show can provide local residents, college students, and DC visitors a fun way to find different flavors around the district. And apparently NBC thought it was awesome AND doable.

And all of the students whose pitches weren't picked split up and volunteered to work on one of 3 rough pilots, and the most people volunteered to work for me, a guy had to leave my group to help another student. So we produced a rough pilot in only a week (really difficult!!!) and we watched all three rough pilots in class and they almost unanimously chose mine.

And the class has chosen, based on the rough pilot I put together, that we'll produce 16 episodes as a class. NBC just has to decide if they want it or not. Either way, my University (especially my department called the School of Communication) is incredibly excited about Flavortones. They have lawyers working to trademark the name that I came up with! A pitch I presented while my hands shook and I dutifully ignored my scrawled notes on my notecards! Even if NBC doesn't pick it up, the SOC and its dean will look for other networks and ways to broadcast it. I could get real sponsors! Restaurants as well as corporations!

MY original idea is going to television. It's crazy. My professor turned to me and complimented me on how passionate and put together my pitch was. How my excitement and my thoroughness shone through. That this idea is incredibly exciting to everyone, especially the higher-ups in the SOC, and that nothing like this has ever been done. This is something new. There is something about it that puts a smile on your face and draws you in. It is fresh and incredibly original.

This is like... people liking my original ideas, appreciating my creativity when they have no reason to... these aren't my friends or family or teammates... these are objective viewpoints and they LIKE me! It's crazy. And because it is SO different, they turn to me to make creative decisions so Flavortones is truly my vision.

So many other things are going on but I just can't stop being excited about this opportunity.

It's called "Flavortones" and this rough pilot isn't the best, it's just a sample taste. I hope you enjoy.

I should go to bed, I'm getting up to hit the grocery store at 8AM so I can bake cookies for a LOST premiere party before I go to class to learn how to write movies (ie the 30 page script I have to write for my final piece).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QccKFJBs70c

P.S. My dad is furious because Jack [in his description] made it sound like it was all his idea and blahblahblah, but we know the truth don't we bbs?