"Thanks Be To God" - Horror Drama Series
THANKS BE TO GOD is a short pilot for a horror/drama series being made as part of the MFA Showrunning program at Chapman University. This is a story that centers queer narratives and explores the experiences of repression, guilt, and shame. Angelo, a closeted seminary student, struggles to hear the advice of those around him and continues to bottle up both his desires and his feelings of shame and disgust at himself. As he continues to shut out everyone around him, one voice breaks through: a tempting and alluring voice that offers him a respite from his self-flagellation. Unfortunately, this salvation isn’t what he expects when he finds himself turned into a monstrous creature, a vampire. Thinking there’s nothing good in life left for him, he tries to end his existence, but discovers it won’t be as simple as that.
5 roles
He is so deep in the closet he could tell you the names of the dustbunnies who live there. Despite being a born-and-raised Angelino, he has some deeply ingrained beliefs about what is morally correct. He wasn’t raised particularly religious, but finds comfort in the answers that Catholicism offers and the way devotion can distract him from the desires he tries so hard to suppress. But as the shame continues to eat him alive, he makes monstrous decisions that only leave him feeling worse. [LEAD]
She is an ancient vampire seeking out control wherever she can get it. She’s settled into Los Angeles and does her best to keep a low profile, but she can’t help her flashy tendencies and inclination to show off. She doesn't care much for self-pity or wallowing in the depths of depression, but she does have a dark sense of humor. [LEAD]
He’s a longtime friend of Angelo’s, despite their differences in perspective. Oakley does his best to respect others' views but struggles to understand how someone could live somewhere so open and still say being gay is a sin. He has stuck by Angelo’s side through thick and thin, but even he has a breaking point. [SUPPORTING]
One of the oldest living vampires in existence, they have seen empires fall and rulers who call themselves invincible more times than they can count. They don’t waste time on trivial things and can rarely be bothered to care, but when something needs to be handled, trust that they’ll be done with it before you can think to ask. [SUPPORTING]
Having been a priest for decades now, Father Acosta has seen a lot and come to understand even more. He sees the best in everyone and tries to help them bring it out for others to see as well. He knows the Catholic church gets a bad wrap, and he’s trying to help change that, even if it’s just one student at a time. [SUPPORTING]
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