Feedback from Kemiyondo Coutinho and Kevin Avery
Past Life by Tish Arana (comedy pilot)
After trying ayuasca tea at a spiritual retreat, a young woman discovers she now has the ability to see strangers’ past lives.
Featuring Rashawn Nadine Scott, Vipul Munshi, Aisha Lomax, Kaycee Campbell, Susan Louise O’Connor, and Skye Shepard
Tish Arana is an actor and writer living in Los Angeles, CA. She graduated from The University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Science in strategic communications from the William Allen White School of Journalism. While working full time as a vendor manager for The Man, she’s pursued an acting career, booking a slew of national commercials. She was in two award-winning short films. Sirens, which was written and directed by Jo Rochelle and Avery Road, had a long run on Amazon Prime. Aside from acting, she’s worked as a contributing writer for the fitness blog, Fit Bottomed Girls and got to meet and work out with Venus Williams. She has one child; a maniacal cherub who she’s managed to keep alive and gangsta for almost six whole years. Last year she brought her first ever piece (a short film script) to First Fifteen. Past Lives is her first pilot script adventure.
3rd Rock Realty by Alex Ubokudom (animation pilot)
An animated situation comedy that centers on a Black female real-estate agent, Patrice Ewing, who is trying to sell apartments in Harlem during an alien invasion so she can keep up her expensive lifestyle.
Featuring Toccarra Cash, Brooks Brantly, David Jacobs, Blair Busbee, Lakisha May, Kyle Schaefer, and Leonard A. Thomas
Alex Ubokudom is a creator, actor, writer and satirist who is based in NYC. He attended the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor for undergrad and the American Conservatory Theater for his MFA in acting. He’s performed in multiple Off-Broadway productions as well as in sketch comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade and the People’s Improv Theater. His satirical video sketches have been showcased by the Huffington Post and The Root. His creations seek to fantastically disrupt realities while bringing people joy, inviting them to imagine and making them feel SEEN!
Vet Centered by Ariel Bell (workplace comedy pilot)
Recently retired from the Army, Renée just wants to be normal again, but everything about civilian life scares her. But in the constant chaos and ridiculousness of the VA she finds comfort and flourishes. Why? Because these are her people.
Featuring Pamela Shaddock, Yvette Cason, Dee Baldus, Alexandra Ryan, Alexis Suarez, Paul McKinney, Susan Louise O’Connor, Newton Kaneshiro, and Gita Reddy
Ariel Bell, a native of Medford, Massachusetts, has always had a love of the arts. After serving in the U.S. Army, Ariel ventured west to Los Angeles where she worked as an audio engineer in recording studios and live sound production. Unfulfilled by the music industry, Ariel went back to school where she earned a BA in cinema & TV arts and an MFA in screenwriting from Cal State University, Northridge. While on that path she discovered theatre. She was asked to work with the Shakespeare Center of LA in their Veterans in Arts program. This experience opened a new journey of storytelling. She currently works in theatre production where, along with her many technical skills in almost every part of theatre production, after all she is a Black woman, Ariel is also honing her skills as a playwright.
