Sex in the Suburbs - Treatment & Screenplay

Aim

Sex in the Suburbs is the adaption of my novels. To approach the Studio's for optioning I require a professional Treatment and Screenplay

Who am I?

Hi, my name is Terri Boas I am 42 years young, married to Rich and mummy to Portia 7. I live in Farnborough UK and work as a Learning Support Assistant at an Independent school in the daytime.

At night time, I am a night owl and a dreamer. I have self-published two novels – Two Scoops, Not Three & Two Scoops, Too Much with a dream to have a Netflix movie and or/TV series based on my books and a wish to spread my message of Love, Friendship and Acceptance.

Two Scoops, Not Three - Two Scoops, Too Much

Two Scoops, Not Three & Two Scoops, Too Much have ***** reviews on Amazon and feedback has asked for the characters to come to life on the screen.

Briony, Natalie and Lauren have been best friends since school. Now, in their 30’s their lives couldn’t be more different. Throughout May 2017 they enter many challenges together representing our real lives - love, lust, friendship, a same-sex relationship, depression, suicide, sexual harassment at work and they also have lots of funny moments too.

I’d like to bring the girls to life so that the audience can become friends with Briony, Lauren and Natalie; embrace and empathise with them, through joy, sadness, love and their long lasting and by far trouble-free friendship.

“Sex and the City” heads to the suburbs of London.

For my next step I contacted Voyage Media.

Voyage Media was built to break down the closed doors of "Hollywood" and enable emerging creators to get the access and information needed to make real progress with their films, TV shows and branded entertainment.

Their thesis is that by connecting creators to high-level producing mentorship, the projects would become truly great and connect with a market. And that by offering self-service education and training by real industry pros, the creators can learn to become a professional.

Voyage Media's programs have now helped over 7000 screenplays, books, concepts, reality shows, documentaries, and branded entertainment projects get set up with producers, sold, made or distributed. And the coolest part about it, is that when the creator invests in the development of their projects, they're more likely to retain a higher degree of ownership and influence over how they turn out!

After a long, really exciting and positive conversation with successful Producer Ilyssa Goodman she designed a RoadMap about how to move forward preparing my project to sell for the studios.

                                                    THE HOOK

Logline/Hook:

“Sex and the City” heads to the suburbs of London as three, thirty-something best friends navigate love, sex, and relationships, finding a few surprises along the way. In the end, things between them will never be the same.

What are the strengths of this project? And why?

The underlying book IP for this story is a big plus for this project. Lauren, Natalie, and Briony are lovable, flawed, and fun protagonists on the surface, yet each of them is far more complex as their stories unfold, and together, they are capable of delivering enough drama to sustain a movie or series, or both. (Suggesting a backdoor pilot). On their own, each of these girls is compelling and relatable. Together they are funny, caring, and at times, a hot mess, leading to challenging moments that test their friendship. Blended within the drama and comedic moments, are some satisfying, steamy story beats.

What are the weaknesses of the project? And why?

The main plot of the story unfolds over a span of just a few days and this provides a neat hook. It also creates a few challenges in providing enough time and fodder for viewers to bond with the characters and feel the stakes of their lives - which will need to be addressed via smart screenwriting. The action takes place in the UK which requires playing up the character of Mani, in order to provide an American connection. There are and have been a number of “Sex and the City” inspired projects over the years and it will take solid development for this story to stand out. Further, Hulu recently produced “Four Weddings and a Funeral” as a limited series. The show focused on women navigating love, relationships, and marriage in the UK. The comparisons are close.

                                                      THE MARKET

What is the identified market for this project (genre & financing/distribution source - for example indie or studio; network, cable or streaming, +*dca./Ѷ etc.)?

Underlying book IP should give this project a boost in marketability. Cable channels and streamers are the most likely home for this project and it is recommended to develop a two-hour telefilm that could serve as a backdoor series pilot. With a third book in the franchise on its way, there is much episodic opportunity ahead.

Target buyers or attachments: financiers, distributors, or individuals (such as major talent or producers) whose interests might be compatible with this project:

Given the IP and women-centric subject, consider partnering with a female-fronted production company. A company run by a known actress would be a good fit. From there, Lifetime Television and streamers such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon are worthy pitching targets. The series takes place in the UK, and an international co-production should be pursued.

                                                     THE ROADMAP

Step 1:

As stated, having a published book/franchise as a basis in rights is a good start. There are a number of valid pursuits, the one-off TV movie path with an eye toward a subsequent series is recommended. The story needs to be honed in and distilled into a multi-act structure that fits that of a TV movie. An outline or treatment needs to be developed in order to focus in on the characters, storylines, arcs, for the movie.

Step 2:

A creative producer should be brought on board, and given that the story is female- friendly, adult-focused, and character-driven, it’s advisable to find a female creative producer who is adept in this arena where juggling multiple storylines is common. Additionally, an understanding of the nuances of international co-production would be ideal.

Step 3:

The Creator is interested in writing a treatment, hence the creative producer should guide the creator in developing a treatment using the book and existing characters and storylines within the structure and creative guidelines of a TV movie. Once a solid treatment is developed the team should consider adding a professional screenwriter.

Step 4:

The screenwriter should have experience in this type of adaptation and a high profile with the buyers. The screenplay would likely go through a number of drafts, revisions, and polishes until it is ready to be pitched/submitted. Consider developing brief outlines for future episodes in the franchise to pitch with a script to illustrate the franchise potential.

Step 5:

A submission strategy for the movie would likely include packaging desirable talent known to be successful in this marketplace. Consider well-known actresses and a director who is able to share a vision for the one-off as well as the franchise. And, in this case, always seek auspices with international experience.

Other:

The Creator/Book Author has shown interest in writing the treatment and potentially the screenplay. It is recommended that if the Creator wishes to write the script, it should be completed prior to pitching. If the Creator decides to defer to a known entity screenwriter, an attachment prior to pitching should be suitable.

My next, next step

I had a conversation with the Development Coordinator at Voyage Media and he explained that for my project to be taken to the Studio's I would need to invest $20,000. This is the cost of the best writers in the business who would create a Treatment and Screenplay for Sex in the Suburbs.                                                       

Hi Terri,

I hope you're well! In preparation for our 7/28 call, please go ahead and see the breakdown of the process and expenses below.

Treatment - $5000

7-10 pages, with all 3 act structure, short descriptions of all the scenes as well as a character list with their story arc.

This will include 4 development sessions.

Screenplay - $15,000.

Total 4 developmental sessions, 3-5 months and you will have two drafts of the screenplay, a one-sheet and after this process we will take your project to market.

How you can help bring Sex in the Suburbs to the UK.

I believe that Sex in the Suburbs is what we are missing on our telly's right now. It will be so popular that tourists will want to visit England to go on the Sex in the Suburbs film venues tour. I think people need the characters for friendship and to feel that they are not alone in going through similar situations to them. It's the right time!

1. Make a pledge. Please contribute (no matter how small, all donations will be greatly appreciated).

2. Spread the word. Please share my project on social media pages and tell the world to get behind "Sex and the City" heads to the suburbs of London.

100% of all donations will go to the project! I'll get your name added to the credits!

This project closed unsuccessfully on 4th September 2023