Story Synopsis

LOG-LINE - Future Racer learns it is easier to help a dear friend, than himself.

VISUAL - Multi-Environment Race Craft (“MERC”): a future single-occupant vehicle that launches from orbit, unfolds wings for aerial course, unfolds wheels for ground course, unfolds skis for water course and folds-up again for underwater course – an ideal original visual for licensing as a “transformer” toy, racing e-game, theme-park attraction, and other spin-off products.

SETTING - Earth 2080: The MERC Series is the highest rated and attended sporting event. Media moguls have signed individual MERC pilots to exclusive representation deals and have dedicated crews to broadcast/license each pilot’s performance.

THEME - Coming to terms with misplaced feelings of responsibility: A MERC pilot (“Gaines”) loses his will after inadvertently causing a pile-up accident that took the life of his younger brother (a competing pilot). Gaines is only able to reconcile his emotional unrest when he helps his former crew chief (“Setro”) come to terms with a similar crisis: Setro’s misplaced feelings of responsibility for pushing the team’s replacement pilot (“Ford”) too hard, which resulted in her career-ending injury.

PLOT - Eighteen months after Gaines’ tragedy, his former MERC team (“Fastbreak”) is purchased by a new owner (“Faith”), who negotiates her new team’s sponsorship with a media mogul (“Sinclair”). Sinclair’s deal requires Faith’s alignment with Setro, who demands complete control of team, including the pilot. So, against her better judgment, Faith signs Setro, who then brings back Gaines through good-intentioned manipulation. Gaines’ does well in the trial for Faith and Sinclair’s blessing, but then drops out of the first race due to emotional unrest. This significantly jeopardizes both Faith and Sinclair, who then demand that Setro immediately sign an available, but less capable pilot ("Ford") to save their investments. When Ford proves not to be a winner, Gaines encourages Setro to mentor Ford as Setro mentored Gaines at the beginning of his career. Setro takes Gaines’ advice to heart and repeats to Ford the philosophy he instilled in Gaines. During the very next race, Ford is doing remarkably better, but as Setro is pushing her to trust herself in taking chances, she crashes. Setro is devastated. Knowing what Setro is going through and feeling responsible, Gaines arrives and shares his personal understanding of his tragedy. Through his expression, Gaines has an emotional catharsis as he realizes he can learn to live with his experience. As a result, Gaines convinces Faith to allow him to race again to help Setro come to terms with his demons. For his courage and selflessness, Faith falls for Gaines.

SUB-PLOT - As MERC Circuit ratings are very competitive and, thus, crash footage is extremely valuable, an unscrupulous media mogul (“Goldman”) pays illegal cash bonuses to his sponsored pilot (“Conrad”) to cause accidents. In fact, it was one of Conrad’s intentional bumps that caused Gaines to crash and create the pile-up that killed his brother. Moreover, to ensure favorable future ratings for his network ("SynthNet"), Goldman also gives cash bribes to other pilots who drive recklessly (or do something exceptionally risky) to switch their media sponsor to SynthNet. Therefore, when Gaines comes back after Ford’s career-ending injury to win the first race against Conrad, his successful and seemingly risky race maneuver gets Goldman’s attention. Goldman attempts to offer Gaines a bribe, but is turned down. However, when Goldman further attempts to bribe Gaines, Fastbreak’s license and Gaines’ career are placed in jeopardy with the MERC Series Committee. Moreover, during the championship race, when Conrad attempts to bump Gaines in the final stretch for the win, Gaines is ready and bumps back just as they’re crossing the finish line. The two go down, spinning and tumbling in a spectacular, highly-rated accident -- or was it? Gaines MERC Series Committee testimony then determines whether he can continue his career and whether Faith can keep her team.

Character Synopsis

The film will be produced with a photo-stylization technique that seamlessly blends live-action with CGI. In short, our photo processing eliminates the most expensive part of Animated Film Production: Character Animation – our live-action characters will be stylized to appear animated and, thus, we save the cost of having to produce CGI characters with perfect expression, fluidity and proportion.


JOSH SETRO (Avery Brooks) – “Fastbreak” MERC Crew Chief. He’s focused, calculating and a natural leader. He brought up Tyler Gaines from the Minor League Circuit and made him a champion with his philosophical approach to winning: “Winning is not settling for less.” His style is to inspire his pilots to trust themselves in taking chances, while he focuses on fine-tuning their choices. Josh is also a deal-maker, used to getting his way. He’s not above manipulation if he thinks it’s the right thing to do, but will never intentionally hurt anyone. As consequence, he’s seen and loved as a father figure.

TYLER GAINES – “Fastbreak” MERC Pilot & Male Love Interest. He’s talented, humble and revered by his fellow racers. However, he’s battling the demons of misplaced responsibility, which has shattered his former world and caused him to withdraw: not be “responsible”. On this note, the only quality he has that’s stronger than his self-doubt is his loyalty. Therefore, when his dear friend/mentor Josh Setro is in trouble, he responds without hesitation. He’s immediately attracted to Adrienne Faith, but does not act upon it – his self-doubt prevents him from initiating.

ADRIENNE FAITH – “Fastbreak” MERC Owner & Female Love Interest. She’s driven, savvy and an opportunist. She also suffers from loneliness (a desire to be one of the gang), which makes her unexpectedly sympathetic to those who are banished. This is what draws her to Tyler Gaines, especially when he demonstrates the courage to help Josh Setro. Her attraction to Tyler is based on earned respect, not sex appeal. This leads her to stand-up for Tyler’s reinstatement, despite her sponsor’s protest and the media’s confusion.

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MICHAEL SINCLAIR – “Fastbreak” MERC Sponsor & CEO of Nascom Media Corp. He’s shrewd, commanding and a marketing visionary. He puts tremendous pressure on Faith, but also rewards well when her team wins.

CYRUS GOLDMAN – “Powerout” MERC Sponsor & CEO of SynthNet Media Corp. He’s corrupt, aggressive and shortsighted in the pursuit of ratings. He will go to any expense to sponsor reckless drivers.

LIA FORD – “Fastbreak” MERC Interim Pilot & former financee of Gaines’ younger brother, Joe. She’s ambitious, fearless, and thinks of Gaines as a brother, but suffers from a lack of instinctual talent as a racer.

LINC CONRAD – “Powerout” MERC Pilot & Gaines’ Nemesis. He’s shallow, greedy and dangerous on the track. He has a weakness for the night-life and beautiful ladies.