GLOBEHEADS
Briana Cox
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LOGLINE
Genre: half-hour comedy pilot
A down-on-his-luck artist gets dragged into Florida’s conspiracy theory community after taking the only job he can find - producing propaganda for a flat-earth enthusiast determined to spread The Truth.
SYNOPSIS
LEO is an Afro-Cuban artist living with his cat-lady aunt in the Florida suburbs. When his aunt dies and he's unceremoniously evicted, he doesn't know what to do. Along comes WYN, full of Southern charm and promises of a couch to surf on and maybe even some money if Leo can use his artistic talents to help him out. Wyn being a flat-earther who wants Leo's help proselytizing to the masses is neither here nor there.
But you can’t just make a flat earth conference with concept art and a dream. They need financial backers and social clout, whether it be from the Swamp Ape Society, crystal healers, doomsday preppers, or a local astrologer. With the help of the clueless MISS BENCEN, a recent flat earth acolyte with a convenient couch to surf on, they can get started.
Rubbing elbows with the underground world of alternative ideas may be harder than they thought, though. And there’s a shinier conspiracy theory waiting in the wings to steal all their potential supporters...
The Why. Writer & Director Statement
Conspiracies are an intractable part of the internet age. For example, a geriatric Buzz Aldrin punched a guy in the face on camera after being asked to swear on the Bible that he went to the moon. This really happened. For some reason, it’s cited by multiple adult humans as evidence that the Earth is flat. Conspiracy theories like this have always existed. But it’s also safe to say that in the modern-day United States, they’ve become more of an issue than anyone would like.
With the growing popularity of conspiracy theorists in mainstream social discourse, it’s important to ask why. Why do people fall into these rabbit holes? Why don’t they immediately peg it as bs? Why is it so hard to drag them back to reality once they’re in? Those were the questions when I was writing “GLOBEHEADS.” I wanted to look at what inspires people to subscribe to seemingly obvious falsehoods. What makes people really believe that the Earth is flat? That’s easy enough- plenty of stuff to talk about. Plenty of anecdotes and Pew polls. The tough part, though, was that I also wanted to make it funny.
I majored in cognitive science an eon ago- I know how to talk about biases and human perception and misinformation “scientifically.” It can be very dramatic. Paul Thomas Anderson already did that with “The Master,” though, so there’s not much I can add in a dramatic sense. But comedy is the ultimate Trojan Horse for more meaningful commentary. Comedy’s what gets people to engage with ideas that they would otherwise utterly ignore. Satire is what gets people to see the ridiculousness of the world reflected back at them in a way that’s difficult to deny.
So that goes back to my question: Why do people fall into these rabbit holes? The absurdism of diving headfirst into Flat Earth lends itself to more piercing social commentary surrounding conspiracism in general. The idea of a Flat Earth is a safely absurd microcosm that can be used as a jumping off point for a more important message. And it’s also just really damn funny.
LOOKBOOK
Briana Cox. Writer & Director
BRIANA COX was born and raised in Tullahoma, TN — a town inexplicably found on state maps. She is the oldest of seven children and a first-generation academic, now a Swarthmore College and Purdue University alumna.
Briana began collaborative writing projects as a proud playwrighting fellow in 2019 with the TN Playwrights Studio in Nashville, Tennessee and has produced stageplays in Nashville and Beverly Hills through the Wallis Annenberg Center for Performance Art. She is a Stowe Story Labs scholarship recipient and Stage 32 Feature Screenwriting Fellow, with screenplays that have placed in multiple prominent festivals and competitions including the Austin Film Festival, Nashville Film Festival, Launch Pad Pilot Competition, and the Inroads Screenwriting Fellowship. Her work can also be enjoyed via the Studio Ensemble Arts Exchange and Tales from the Radiator short story podcasts.
Freddie Kuguru. Actor
FREDDIE KUGURU is a professional actor best known for his roles in FX’s “Atlanta” and “White Men Can’t Jump” (2023). He has additionally been featured in “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” and “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” In his own words: "As a kid, I felt like an outcast because I didn't fit in at school or at home. But when I put on a TV show or movie, it lifted my spirits because I saw other 'weird' characters that I could relate to. That is why I am an actor, to create art that other weird and eccentric people can connect to, and to remind them that they are not alone."
He has signed on to play the lead role of Leandro in the GLOBEHEADS pilot.
Derek Blythe. Actor
DEREK BLYTHE, also known as musical comedian Soupy Garbage Juice, is a master of crafting musical jingles that pack a high production quality punch, and he takes things up a notch by pairing them with captivating, chaotically edited music videos. His background as a seasoned musician and actor ensures that his performances are always top-notch and entertaining. With the potential to go viral, his catchy tunes are sure to stick in your head long after the music has stopped. Derek has amassed a significant following for his comedic songs and sketches, with over 1 million combined followers on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Bandcamp, and Spotify.
He has signed on to play the co-lead role of Wyn in the GLOBEHEADS pilot.
Lydia Popovich. Actor
LYDIA POPOVICH originally hails from San Jose, CA. Her anecdotal humor and vivid storytelling make her a unique voice in a sea of dick jokes. On stage, she is a force to be reckoned with bringing energy and unparalleled confidence to each performance. SF Weekly named her the #1 Artist to Watch in 2016 describing her humor as "Hilarious and brutally honest" stating "Her comedy does more than make us laugh; it also makes us think." She has signed on to play the lead female character of Miss Bencen in the GLOBEHEADS pilot.
Josh Kiev. Actor
JOSH KIEV is very active in the Nashville Theatre Community and the Nashville-based commercial industry. He is represented by the McCray Agency. A former professional chef, he decided to take his skills to a different art medium and pursue acting. Once you encounter him, he leaves a lasting impression. As described by “Broadway World,” Kiev is “…Easily one of the most versatile and chameleon-like actors to ever walk a stage in Nashville.
He has signed on to play the supporting character of the Street Preacher in the GLOBEHEADS pilot.
Mike Hall. Composer
MIKE HALL has over 25 years of experience in sound design, composing, producing, engineering and mastering music for a vast variety of musical styles. He has worked in many forms of media that include audio cds/vinyl, film/video, and gaming for projects all over the world the best Artistic Visions of Sound.
He has signed on as the composer for the GLOBEHEADS pilot.
Tyler Oaks. Director of Photography/Cinematographer
TYLER OAKS is a Nashville-based IATSE Local 600 Cinematographer specializing in commercials, narrative, and documentaries. I first entered the industry back in 2018 and joined the union in 2022 as a Cinematographer. Tyler has honed his focus on narrative, commercial work, and music videos, filming for artists such as Ashley McBride, Elle King, Thomas Rhett, Tenille Townes, Breland, Jake Owens, Patrick Droney, Ingrid Andress, and Our Last Night.
He has signed on to be the Director of Photography for the GLOBEHEADS pilot.
Kyle Carter. Visual Artist and Consultant
KYLE CARTER, also known as KyletheCreative, is a Nashville-based artist with a unique journey. After an injury ended his college basketball career, he discovered his true passion for art. For over a decade, he has been on a creative journey to LA and back, shaping his skills and sharing his vision with the world. His paintings are a vivid, oftentimes surreal exploration of Black culture and lived experiences.
Now, he is taking a leap to help bring this screenplay to life with a television pilot about an artist striving for his big break. He has signed on to provide visual arts pieces and consultation for the GLOBEHEADS pilot.
Stowe Story Labs alumni can initiate an application for fiscal agency here.
