UNTAMED EVERGLADES Outdoor Reality/Animals Treatment By Bruce Frigeri & Jessie Anderson-Berens For More Information Please Contact: Bruce Frigeri at Lifesize Entertainment bfrigeri@lifesizeentertainment.com 973-884-4884
Producers: Bruce Frigeri and Jessie Anderson-Berens Director: Genre: Title: Jessie Anderson-Berens Outdoor Reality/Animal Rescue 14 x 30 HD UNTAMED EVERGLADES LOGLINE: UNTAMED EVERGLADES combines the strong characters of Pit Bulls And Parolees with the winning group dynamics of most successful reality programming to create an engaging series about the life and times of an Everglades based animal rescue and sanctuary. SYNOPSIS UNTAMED EVERGLADES is a dramatic reality series that chronicles the triumphs and challenges of Bob Freer and his freespirited staff as they struggle to maintain a functioning wildlife refuge on the edge of The Everglades. At the center of the storm is Bob, the resourceful owner of Everglades Outpost. Bob and his wife, Barbara, founded EGO and have run it for the past twenty four years. The mission of the facility is to take in injured wildlife, rehabilitate it and then whenever possible release it back into the wild. Challenges that stand in the way of accomplishing these goals include the dangers inherent to The Everglades (including bears, quicksand and venomous lizards), managing bickering staff and finding suitable forever homes for animals that can t be released back into the wild.
AUDIENCE APPEAL UNTAMED EVERGLADES sports the kind of diverse, likeable characters that are the basis for successful television; reality or otherwise. From the sardonic, wise Bob to the eager, excitable Quinton to the warm hearted, responsible Martha and the resilient, easy going Jeff, the characters in UNTAMED EVERGLADES are the kind of authentic people always at the heart of successful reality programming. interpersonal drama. Additionally, the series is set in one of the most iconic and wild places left in the USA; The Everglades. The swamp s influence is felt everywhere. It serves as an endless source of episodic storylines and is also an incredible backdrop for The personal lives of Bob and his staff play a huge role in the series. A married couple that works at the facility, Martha and Jeff, are now new parents to a beautiful little girl. This situation is a constant source of drama, humor and conflict. When you factor in the normal tensions and relationships between staff and volunteers, what emerges is an ad hoc family with all the intimacy, hilarity, and conflicts that go along with it. The series will reflect the kind of honest storytelling that audiences demand. UNTAMED EVERGLADES does this by trusting the characters and animals, not contrived storylines, to be the focus of each episode. Real life, presented with clarity and craft, is indeed what audiences want to watch. And it is real life, with all its challenges and conflicts that UNTAMED EVERGLADES will present.
AUDIENCE APPEAL (continued) Demographically, the collection of characters portrayed in UNTAMED EVERGLADES guarantees broad audience appeal, with strong minority characters in Quinton (African American) and Martha and Jeff (Hispanic). Given the relatively young ages of several characters, there is strong potential for inroads into the coveted twenty-thirty age group. There is also a good chance for a sizable male audience to develop with three strong characters to relate to; Bob, Quinton and Jeff. Female viewers will also find they have great characters to identify with in Martha and Daisy. CONFLICTS, JEOPARDY AND RESOLUTIONS There are a seemingly endless number of storylines and conflicts in UNTAMED EVERGLADES. Varying degrees of jeopardy accompany each of them. Sometimes the jeopardy is very high, as in; will a crazed emu maul Quinton, while other times the conflict is more macro as in can the search team locate an abandoned baby giraffe before night falls and it succumbs to the swamp? Every episode will feature at least one thread about an animal rescue or rehabilitation. Sometimes there will be a search and rescue deep into the heart of the swamp while other times there will be a rogue
CONFLICTS, JEOPARDY AND RESOLUTIONS (continued) reptile nearby that needs to be captured before it injures humans or domestic animals. The jeopardy is very high when poisonous snakes or predator cats like panthers (or abandoned tigers) need to be saved. Other times it is more manageable, like when a volunteer must clean the venomous snake house for the first time. There will be at least one personal thread in each episode. Here the conflicts will be interpersonal, but their impact on the work being done is very real. You better be able to trust your partner when you are cleaning the alligator pen together, for example. Obstacles that work against the characters achieving their objectives include; The Everglades itself, interpersonal conflict, uncooperative animals (see crazed emu) broken equipment, financial limitations and sheer exhaustion. Audiences will identify and root for the characters as they work to overcome these obstacles and provide for the welfare of the animals and the stability of the Outpost. HUMOR AND TONE There is a surprising amount of humor to be mined in UNTAMED EVERGLADES. Whether it is Bob s sardonic quips or Quinton s constant protestations, a good laugh is not far away. Perhaps it is the constant exposure to very dangerous animals and situations that encourages such humorous reactions, or maybe the characters are just funny. Bob loves playing jokes on his staff, especially Quinton. Regardless of the source, it is our audience who will benefit from the good natured ribbing and humor in Untamed Everglades.
EPISODE FORMAT UNTAMED EVERGLADES is a 14 x 30 HD series. Each episode will focus on at least one animal thread and one interpersonal thread. The interpersonal thread will always involve life on the job, including interpersonal conflicts, etc. The end of the episode will resolve each animal thread with a positive outcome. Each episode will usually resolve the interpersonal threads as well, but some conflicts might extend into subsequent episodes. Small victories will most surely be achieved along the way and we expect most conflicts to be resolved by the end of the season. Judicious recaps will be used at the beginning of new episodes to keep viewers up to date with any ongoing narratives. EPISODE LOCATIONS AND SETTINGS UNTAMED EVERGLADES takes place in Homestead, FL, The Everglades swamp, and its surrounding areas. Specific locations will include the Everglades Outpost animal refuge, various parts of the swamp and the many locations on the edge of the swamp where abandoned and rogue animals are found.
MAIN CHARACTERS Bob Freer: (Bob) 63, (Owner/Founder) Bob got his first alligator as a pet when he was 6. He started the Everglades Outpost in 1992 and has pretty much seen it all. Bob has extensive knowledge of the Everglades and its surrounding habitats, as well as the animals living there. Bob runs the Outpost on a day to day basis and goes out on most rescue calls. Bob is known to have a wicked sense of humor. He is extremely passionate about the sanctuary and the staff. Quinton Glenn (Quint), 20 Quint has been at the outpost since he was 9. At this point he is widely considered to be Bob s son. He met Bob through career day at his elementary school, and Bob gave Quint a business card, thinking he would never hear from him again. Quint repeatedly called Bob until Bob relented and brought him to the Outpost. Basically he never left. Quint is currently a freshman in college, who wrestles alligators, does venomous snake shows, feeds the carnivores and goes out on rescues with Bob. He is known to never hold back on what he is thinking and generally is a big goofball.
Martha Frassica-Rivera, 31 (married to Jeff) Martha currently works at the Outpost day s a week. She gives tours, feeds the carnivores, and is currently learning how to wrestle gators so that she can do shows on her own. She also screens the volunteers, and likes to participate in the field trip tours that come to the Outpost. Martha is known for being serious, but having a fun side that emerges. She s laid back, but once her buttons are pushed, she has a temper. She is married to Jeffrey, another staff member. Martha had her 15 minutes of fame when she started wrestling gators while 7 months pregnant. Now that she has had the baby she is learning to handle venomous snakes. Jeffrey Rivera (Jeff) 32 (married to Martha) Jeff is the go to guy when you need something built, or fixed. He also goes out on rescues, does wrestling shows, and gives tours. He came to the Outpost a couple of years ago, and has never left. He is known for being a people person and having endless energy. Jeffrey is married to Martha, another staff member here. Jeff and Martha are the social hub for the staff, hosting a lot of parties at their house.
Tim Brust (Timmy), 18 Tim is one of the newest staff members at the Outpost. He is still a volunteer and remains eager to learn. Tim will do pretty much anything he is asked to do. He often butts heads with Quinton and likes to boss the younger volunteers around. Daisy Rivera (Daisy) 25 Daisy is back working at the Outpost after some time away. She specializes in exotic birds and the large mammals who are more or less permanent residents of the Outpost. Daisy is outspoken and uninhibited about speaking her mind. She gets along with Quinton but often butts heads with Tim.