Working Title: “Renaissance City”
Creator/Writer: Dan Pesta,
danpesta@gmail.com,
248-346-5166
Logline A: All but one of Earth’s First Figures have been hunted and destroyed. The “Target Society” sworn to protect the last First Figure chooses to hide it in plane sight, among the medical community in Detroit, Michigan.
Logline B: In 1964, a rookie CIA agent takes his first assignment in the field office of Detroit, Michigan to investigate rising occurrences of odd and supernatural reports. Once there he discovers more than can be explained, along with covert & secret societies, mass cover-ups, and citywide corruption culminating in the Detroit riots of 1967.
Audience: Adults 25+
Suggested Timeslot: Primetime
Episode Length: 60 minutes
Number of Episodes per Season: 13
Genre: Sci-fi Drama: Creative Non-Fiction
Series Synopsis:
-We will explore the technology, life, and times of a once vibrant metropolis brought to the edge of oblivion; ‘Renaissance City’ follows the winding tale of a rookie CIA agent sent to his first assignment, what he uncovers in his new city could cost him his life at the least, and the death of a civilization at most.
-The pilot will open with a shot of ’12 and Clairmount’ the superimposed text will appear, “Present Day.”
-The camera will pan left until we see a building hosting a late-night crowd and popular music of summer 1967, the new text will read, “Sunday, July 23, 1967.” We will not see much difference in appearance. A squad car will silently pull up, cracking already broken concrete as it approaches. Next, we see Detroit police officers raiding the blind pig. Expecting to find only two dozen people inside, they find 82 people celebrating the return of two local veterans from Vietnam. Despite the many people, police decide to arrest everyone present. A crowd soon gathers around the establishment, protesting as patrons are led away. Shortly after, full-scale rioting begins throughout the neighborhood, fade to black.
The next scenes’ superimposed text reads ‘Summer 1964.’ We see a young optimistic agent on his way to his first assignment in a new city.
-Throughout the season, we will witness the development of not only our CIA agent and other characters but the identity of the city of Detroit itself, and those who call it home. Our creative nonfiction story will closely follow the actual historic events (and create some of our own) leading up to the riots and how the ‘Paris of the West’ was impacted and forever altered. We will feature prominent state and city public figures of the time along with landmarks and relevant happenings in the region.
-Every episode will further explore the ongoing supernatural investigations and unraveling of a city, its people and examine its crash course with destiny.
-Shot on location in Michigan with multiple cameras, the scenes will appear in many locations of Detroit with gritty dialog and true to life character establishment scenes. ‘Renaissance City’ should capture the spirit of Detroit, no matter how dirty and hard to look at, by any means necessary.