Castle Hill (Pilot)

I’m a graduate student at Lindenwood University where I’m studying film, and this fall I’ll be producing the pilot for a series titled Castle Hill. The idea for this series was inspired by my own experience growing up in St. Louis and being told not to wander to certain areas in my neighborhood. Upon wondering why these “forbidden areas” were such a big deal, I came up with a story that follows a group of five neighborhood kids who unearth disturbing secrets about their city when they curiously enter an abandoned neighborhood.

I love storytelling because it has been the most effective way for me to contribute to conversations regarding issues in society. It has allowed me to present my frustrations in an organized and creative manner, while also providing the audience with the empathy required to visualize a situation from a different perspective.

I’m most interested in telling stories that focus on topics that people are not always comfortable talking about. I think it’s important to tell stories that reflect racial and cultural diversity in a way that is easy for people to connect with, and that’s what I intend to do with Castle Hill.

SYNOPSIS
After witnessing her brother and his friends debate which of their city’s urban legends are true and which ones aren't, Myra Campbell cautions against Daniel Campbell’s plot to go to Castle Hill: an abandoned neighborhood that everyone steers clear of. All the neighborhood kids know something isn’t right about Castle Hill, but they also know not to go there because their parents would be livid.

Though cautious, Myra is just as intrigued by Castle Hill as the others. So when Daniel and his friends attempt to exclude her from the day’s adventure, she insists on tattling if they don’t let her tag along. They leave without her, but she secretly follows them in hopes of finding out the truth about Castle Hill on her own.

CHARACTERS
Myra Campbell: (Age 9, Female, African-American) Bold, independent, and open-minded. She admires her older brother, Daniel, and effortlessly inserts herself into his circle of friends.

Daniel Campbell: (Age 14, Male, African-American) Insecure about how his friends perceive him when Myra is around. He wants to be seen as tough, so he’s mean and dismissive to Myra in an effort to hide his fear/insecurities.

Tyler: (Age 15, Male, African-American) Peacemaker, leader, and most laid back of Daniel’s friends. He’s the one the friends look to for information about St. Louis urban legends.

Caleb: (Age 15, Male, African-American) Jokester of the group. He hides his fears and insecurities by making jokes about others who he notices may feel the same way. Since he and Daniel are both insecure, they tend to argue the most.

Josh: (Age 14, Male, African-American) Caleb’s sidekick. He thinks that being a kiss-ass will keep him from being the butt of the jokes. Tends to instigate things between Daniel and Caleb.


This production will take place over the course of two weekends (Sept. 28-29 & Oct. 5-6). All donations will go toward insurance, equipment, catering, locations, costumes, props, and any unforeseen costs. Donors who give the following amounts will receive the corresponding incentives:
$1+ Special Thanks Credit
$250+ Castle Hill T-shirt
$500+ Co-Producer Credit
$750+ Executive Producer Credit

I’m very excited about this production and I hope this experience will be beneficial for everyone involved. Any amount helps, so tell a friend to tell a friend to share this link. :)

Thank you for your support!