WELCOME TO ‘STUDIO CITY’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

written by Ally Mielnicki

On a quaint Sunday morning, sitting in the backyard of his rustic ranch home in Shadow Hills, Calif., director Arthur Anderson poses an intriguing question to the group of 12 actors gathered around him.

 

“How many people slept on a floor when they first came out to Los Angeles?”

 

Exchanging hesitant looks and glances of uncertainty, six hands slowly rise.

 

Meet the cast of Studio City, an original, fresh new comedy that follows the daily lives of six friends who move to Los Angeles looking to achieve their quintessential Hollywood dream.

 

Living together in a condo in the suburbs of Studio City, these six individuals, all from different hometowns, will do whatever it takes to make it big in the Entertainment Capital of the World. Written and produced by Michelle Anderson, the concept of 'Studio City' was inspired by her real-life adventures growing up in the entertainment industry and working with many other aspiring writers, directors and actors intent on finding their future.

“It felt very natural to write because it’s so relatable. [The characters] are all based on real people. I’ve had so many ridiculous groups of friends, but they would rotate out because they would give up and move back home and then I would have a new group of friends,” said Anderson.

The daughter of Arthur Anderson, an assistant director and producer whose extensive line of credits include such titles as Mission Impossible II and III, Windtalkers and Face/Off and Tawney Anderson, a long-time casting director, Michelle was raised in a household where comedy was a constant presence. After performing in several theater productions in high school, Michelle got her first taste of acting by landing a small part in the 2003 Ben Affleck action-thriller Paycheck, which her father co-produced. She then moved on to television with stand-in roles in the popular teen shows Pretty Little Liars and Chuck. It wasn’t until college, however, when she first conceived the idea of adapting her Hollywood experiences into a half-hour comedic show. She wrote the pilot episode during her senior year at Biola University, where she majored in film production, but it wasn’t until her mother read the script did she begin to believe there was an opportunity to bring Studio City to life.

 

“My mom sat me and my fellow actor friend down and said, ‘I think the time of other people paving your way in Hollywood is over and I think you have to do it yourself. I think Studio City is the way to do it,’” said Anderson, crediting her mother for sparking the project.

 

“I said, ‘I can’t’ and she said, ‘Well, it’s happening so either you take it, or I will.’ So, one thing led to another and here we all are.”

 

Once electing to shoot the series using a single-camera format, she knew she needed to enlist a director to helm the show. Luckily for Michelle, her father was her first and only choice.

 

“I originally intended if anything happened to have [my father] direct it,” said Anderson. “I’ve been working with him since I was four. I had such a great father figure, but he was also like a brother, so we just grew up laughing and wrestling and we grew up with horses and chickens, so there was constantly a humorous lining to our family dynamic. It’s been great because I can go to him and say, ‘This isn’t funny. Can you act this and make it funny?’ and he will.”

 

With a script in place and a director on board, Michelle next set out to cast the core group of characters. At last, the “Super Six” was finally assembled. Berrett (Sam Marra) is the happy-go-lucky, capricious writer, who is leaving behind his basketball skills for a chance to see his screenplay unfold in front of audiences nationwide. Maddie (Anderson) is the optimistic, wide-eyed hometown beauty, aspiring to be a multiplatinum singer. J.T. (Kenyon Long) is the good-hearted Texan visionary with hopes of becoming a first-class director. Angie (Tabitha Ellis) is the sassy and sarcastic fashion guru, yearning to one day become an illustrious designer. Colin (Anthony Bergeron) is the prototypical self-involved wannabe actor, who thinks he is the next Tom Hanks and Raina (Jessica Blythe Kemejuk) is the sensitive, but positive yoga master, striving to one day walk the runway as a celebrated model. Collectively, these friends work together to fulfill each other’s dreams.

 

When an audition goes unexpectedly dreadful or a proposal is shot down before it’s pitched, the Super Six are always there for one another, providing the much needed words of support and reassurance while adding a touch of cheery humor along the way. They create laughter out of tragedy; they are family members just as much as friends. With their own unique quirks and personalities, they generate a highly-entertaining and thoroughly comical atmosphere inside their home.

 

Likened to the homely camaraderie found in FRIENDS and the dramedy elements of Will & Grace, Studio City invites viewers into the everyday lives of these six congenial aspiring artists as they embark on a quest to do everything it takes to accomplish the Hollywood dream. Through smiles and tears, agreements and arguments, victory and defeat, audience members can relate to all the struggles and obstacles standing in between these characters and accomplishing their goals. Even through letdown and disappointment, there’s always comic relief to brighten the day.

 

“I want the audience to laugh; I really do,” said Anderson. “I want them to see themselves in one character that’s presented and to have an experience while watching it. That’s really the purpose and the heart of this show: to bring people hope and love.”

 

At a time in the business, when the field for ordering a series is more competitive than ever, Arthur Anderson is positively confident that his daughter’s creation will succeed.

 

“[Studio City] has a life beyond itself. It has a synergy beyond itself,” he noted. “Each of us individually have talents, but when you them all together in unison, you lock your shields together and move forward. It’s your mission; you’re going to keep pushing forward.”

 

Though they are wholly aware of the challenges that lie ahead, the cast remains optimistic. For many, the experience itself has proved to be valuable.

 

“We are fully anticipating making this sell, but part of the reality is it might not,” acknowledged Michelle Anderson. “What are the benefits of doing this? For me, if one of these people, before they came here, had been struggling with wanting to stay in the business or wondering if they were talented or having any kind of self-esteem issues or just needing some hope and love, I hope that one person walks away knowing they have that validation.”

 

This is a theme that carries a universal appeal: the initiative to turn a lifelong dream into a reality. What started out as a passion project for Anderson has turned into an opportunity for a group of young, ambitious entertainers to jumpstart their careers. Yet, it doesn’t end there. For all the millions of individuals around the country, unsure if they have what it takes to achieve their goals, these characters are symbols that anything is possible.

 

They invite each and every viewer to join them in their journey to accomplishing the ultimate success. There will be good days and bad; steps forward and steps back, but most importantly, there will always be a dream still capable of attaining. Audience members will cheer for them as if they were cheering for themselves.

 

Welcome to Studio City: a place where dreams become a reality, one laugh at a time.