Synopsis/Details
General guidelines:
Occasionally, dramatic events take place outside of places that are prone to them (hospitals, courts, investigative offices, etc.).
It is not uncommon for common people to engage in drama and conflict. In fact, all of us endure daily dramas involving our livelihoods, relationships, businesses, family members, etc.
My series "Technical Foul" is set in Jersey City, New Jersey, and Manhattan, New York. The plot revolves around seven characters. Other than playing 3X3 basketball together, they don't have much in common. For many years, they have gathered at a high school gym on Saturday afternoons. Various circumstances bring everyone to the same place and at the same time every week.
The characters in my story are common people. Different character traits, both positive and negative, distinguish them from each other. They come from different socio-economic backgrounds. For some, their life trajectory was as expected, but for others, things were different.
They are in their mid-thirties. Three of them are married, two divorced, and two are still single.
Each of them has different conflicts, both within themselves and with their associates and their surroundings, given their different personalities and backgrounds.
The series revolves around past disputes, current disagreements, and challenges the characters face in their private lives. Similarly, different perspectives on prevalent issues might lead to conflicts between the characters or between them and other elements.
Regarding conflicts between the guys, they usually work out in the end. Sometimes, metaphorical blows are exchanged. However, after everyone calms down, apologies are often offered and everyone shows up for the game the following Saturday.
In my series, we will see the aforementioned conflicts and struggles take center stage.
While some storylines will involve more than one character, in others the focus will be on a single character.
Each episode opens with a basketball game scene. In this opening scene, elements of the seasonal and episodic storylines can be introduced.
Some of the storylines for the first season are laid out in the pilot. A specific obstacle will be the focus of each episode throughout the season.
It is these obstacles that drive the pilot and each of the other chapters forward.
The weekly ballgame:
As they play 3X3, the last guy to arrive waits aside at the beginning of the game. When one team scores 12 points, a losing team's player replaces the guy waiting outside.
The guys wear two-sided game jerseys. Light blue and yellow. Whenever one of the guys moves from side to side, he simply turns the jersey top over.
Typically, the game lasts about an hour and a half. It can extend longer on occasion.
