P1 Generating Ideas - Idea 3

  

 Idea 3:

Genre: Period Drama

Target Audience: 16-30 year olds

Theme: Set in 2010, with emphasis on the time period, technology from 2010. Also about racism in 2010.

Messages: Nostalgia for 10 years ago, as well as showcasing how different life was even 10 years ago, since technology progresses so fast. Also carries an anti-racist message directed at the upper classes.

Representation: The series would represent a wide range of demographics using stereotypes to identify 2010 culture and groups of people during that time. The main character would be a working class young black man, and he would be represented in a way that challenges stereotypes of the working class and of black people. However, those that oppose him would be white and more upper-class, and would be represented as being prejudiced and cruel towards the main character for no reason.

Storyline: 

A young black man lives alone with his cat in a small terrace house in a small rural town. He works at a local bakery and in the beginning of the series, his life is pretty mundane. However, in the first episode he is mugged by some white kids with knives, sparking a desire for him to learn to stand up for himself, since he has always been scrawny and submissive when provoked. He starts attending self defence lessons and going to the gym, until at the end of the series he finally gets back at the kids when they try to mug him again, disarming them and scaring them off. 

Characters: 

Hero - The main character could certainly be considered the hero, and the audience will be inclined to root for him throughout the series

Villain - The main villains would be the white gang kids that mug him at the start of the series, but minor "villain" characters would include his boss, who is a middle class white woman, and minor characters like stuck-up customers who are racist towards the main character and unnecessarily critical of him. 

Donor - the main character would have a friend who opens his eyes about the racism that he experiences, and pushes him to fight back against it and not let others push him down anymore.

Binary Opposition: 

The main character himself would be a binary opposite of the kids that mug him, in just about every way except gender. 

Series length:

The series will consist of 5 episodes, each 40-50 minutes long.

Age Rating:

The series would likely be rated 12, since the intensity of threat, profanity and other such content would be less prevalent then my other ideas. The series would however include adult themes.

Client Appeal:

I believe that the series would fit BBC3's ethos and style, mostly through the use of racism as a major theme and message.