We propose launching a new multimedia franchise that will include a TV series, comic books, web3 innovations and more. The world has responded overwhelmingly to intelligent multi-tiered content from Marvel / Star Wars / Disney — why can’t we take that level of storytelling and bring it to a new franchise, controlled by like minded nerds?
Smoky back rooms. Sexy lounge singers. Overly complicated, easily escapable death scenarios. Toxic Masculinity. Fart Jokes.
This world is called FRONTS.
Official Series Logline: Maxwell King and Bronx Beaumont have known one another most of their lives. What they didn’t know is that they would grow up to become enemies working on opposite sides of the spy and intrigue industry, their companies operating through legitimate business FRONTS: Maxwell’s is a posh hotel and Bronx, runs a swanky nightclub. Now as they begin to battle one another for the fate of the world they can’t get over just how much they personally loathe one another.
This project is special for the following reasons:
- Assembled by a team of film professionals, we already have distribution secured! Being a new property - as is typical with the film industry - they want us to do the early work to prove that we know what we are doing. So this will be a great piece of content that does not have to worry about how to sell itself. We just need to get the first one done to establish tone, quality and potential and we’re good to go!
- This distribution brings us an LOI (letter of intent) for 300K - which is 83% of our total investment ask, or 120% of our TV pilot budget. This does not include any profits from the NFT collection, the graphic novel or the sale of future content that will all keep the ship going for years to come.
- With a wide cast of characters and a multi-year mythology already outlined for this universe, we invite and encourage our DAO to participate in creating content for the FCU (Fronts Cinematic Universe). There will be a few guideposts (i.e. you can’t kill the lead characters or ret-con the main mythology) but otherwise DAO members will be able to pitch and shoot fully funded shorts/episodes that expedite the growth and scope of the story.
- We have already begun assembling a cast that includes actors with major arcs from FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, THIS IS US, STRANGER THINGS, SUPERNATURAL, MAD MEN and more. Our budget is lean but we know how to make this money look and feel like much more than it is!
The Tone of Our World
The inspiration for Fronts is the comic Spy vs. Spy as well as series like Archer, Venture Bros and The Boys. While they lampoon the genre worlds that came before them, their genuine love and understanding of their predecessors earns them the right to play with those conventions and say something new.
Why Fronts?
As kids we grew up reading Marvel comics and dreaming of the day that content like that would cross over to mainstream and not just belong to the nerds in the basements trading “very good” condition X-men comics amongst themselves. Now that that day has come and Marvel is the biggest franchise in the known universe - the next dream is to be able to create something just as creatively fulfilling and unpredictable! As filmmakers our business motto is transparency, collaboration and empowerment - and by controlling our fate with this Intellectual Property - we want to bring more filmmakers into the light with us.
In a world of selling yourself to Hollywood, this is an IP that will remain creator owned, backed by our DAO, who will come along for the ride with us. We are not a faceless corporation, we are filmmakers and content creators trying to have our voices heard and pave the way for more great filmmakers looking for their big break.
Who Are We?
Sean Flanagan is leading the creative team on the Fronts franchise. He began his film work in distribution, working on the release of over 1000 films in all windows of distribution for clients including Sundance Institute, FilmRise, Pokemon, Funimation and more. Project highlights include Al Pacino’s WILDE SALOME, FIRST GIRL I LOVED, ZEDD TRUE COLORS, THE LENNON REPORT and running the social media campaigns for Sting and the Police for CAN’T STAND LOSING YOU: SURVIVING THE POLICE. As a writer he developed and sold the script TOUCH OF FELT to the Tony award winning Tanniger Entertainment as well as having written TO CREATE AND DESTROY and KILLDEER. As part of his mission to educate and empower filmmakers, Sean has participated as a mentor, panelist and jury member of the New Orleans Film Festival, Emerging Voices, Austin Film Festival, San Diego International Comic Con, Women in Film, Coverfly, USC Film School, Coverfly, Roadmap Writers, Stockade Works and many others.
Jim McCann is an award-winning TV and comic book writer. He is the writer & creator of the ongoing thriller MIND THE GAP from Image as well as the writer & co-creator of the Eisner award-winning RETURN OF THE DAPPER MEN. Other works include being part of the writer’s room for STAR TREK SEASON FIVE from IDW, LOST VEGAS from Image and many titles from Marvel including HAWKEYE & MOCKINGBIRD, for which he won a PRISM Award for best portrayal of PTSD. He also wrote NEW AVENGERS: THE REUNION, HAWKEYE: BLINDSPOT, and the Hawkeye/Black Widow team-up WIDOWMAKER, among other titles. Jim has adapted a number of blockbuster hit films into novelizations for junior readers such as SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING, BLACK PANTHER, and AQUAMAN. He has also written for the Disney XD cartoon ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN and the ABC soap operas ONE LIFE TO LIVE and GENERAL HOSPITAL. Jim served as the PR Manager for Marvel Comics for 8 years before moving to Los Angeles.
Additionally we have an award winning director who hails from New Orleans on board as well as an executive producer who has worked with SXSW winning and Spirit Award nominated Jim Cummings.
We have already engaged with lots of “Below The Line” talent in New Orleans including camera, hair and makeup, lighting, sound and more. They remain on standby, awaiting this greenlight!
Benefits to the Nouns Community
- We would like to credit Nouns with assisting in the production in a role similar to an Executive Producer across the first season of the series, with a credit likely being akin to “In Association with Nouns.wtf” across all opening credits and promotional materials.
- Additional press and exposure will come from The Pilot, Our DAO, the Graphic Novel release and additional marketing and social media
- Exclusive content available to Nouns community (i.e. comic variant covers, exclusive NFT)
- With permission, inclusion of the Nouns community into an episode storyline - turning Nouns into a shadow organization that our lead characters interact with similar to James Bond’s SPECTRE.
Phases of Execution
Phase 1 - Development (July-August)
- Close contracts with writer, directors and crew for the TV pilot and graphic novel
- Begin pre-production on the TV pilot including applying for Louisiana Tax Credit
- Officially launch DAO
Phase 2 - Production (September)
- Physical production completed on TV pilot
- Graphic Novel scripts underway with writer
Phase 3 - Post Production (October-November)
- Post Production completed on TV pilot
- NFT collection launches for our Fronts DAO
- Artwork commences for graphic novel
Phase 4 - New Content (January - March 2023)
- Minted NFT collection leads to development & production of remaining season one episodes
- Sale of TV pilot to streaming platform (deal already in place)
Phase 5 -
- Season 1 of Fronts is released
- Graphic Novel 1 (4 full issues plus lots of bonus content) is released
- DAO community content creation forum opens for a selection of spin-off content
- Season 2 and beyond of Fronts goes into development
- 1st Metaverse collaboration enters into development (either Maxwell’s The Cover Up Inn or Bronx’s The Hip Joint)
Our Budget Breakdown
The total budget, as broken down below, is 325K for a 22-25 minute length TV pilot, 4 issue graphic novel and the launch of our DAO and NFT collection to fund the remaining episodes of Season One and DAO created spin-off.
TV Pilot Production - 250K
- Inclusive of crew, travel, accommodation, equipment, editing, post-production, music, legal, etc.
Graphic Novel Production - 50K
- Inclusive of development, writing, art and delivery of a 100+ page graphic novel to publishers
NFT Collection & DAO development - 25K
- Inclusive of promoting NFT collection and maintaining our DAO through phases of creative