New original series attempts to break new ground in the genre of college-age dramas.
New York, NY – After three years of development, the creative team at Shadow Puppet Cinemas is taking to Kickstarter in order to raise money for the pilot episode of their original series, Social Studies. Social Studies tells the tale of nine college students who become friends at their college orientation, and their experiences together at the fictional Baden University as they embark on their individual college odysseys. Social Studies distinguishes itself from other series of its kind by exploring the deeper elements of the college experience, and the personal growth that takes place during a person’s transition from adolescence into young adulthood. Prevalent themes include individual discovery, time management, career decisions, substance abuse, athletic competition, personal relationships, and the abuse of power.
Social Studies was inspired by series’ creator Matt Kopp’s experiences during his four years pursuing an undergraduate degree at Binghamton University. “Those years were some real important ones in my life,” Kopp reflects, “during those years I made some of the best friends I’ll ever have, learned some very important life lessons, and reaffirmed my passion in life. It was an important personal transformation for me, and that time in my life was very exciting. I have a lot of happy memories my college days.” For Kopp, Social Studies’ ability to relate to its demographic was paramount throughout the creative process. “For us, the ultimate goal was to put something out there that young people could identify with easily,” said Kopp, “For our demographic, for young people watching our series between the ages of 18-25, we want Social Studies to be their anthem.”
Shadow Puppet Cinemas will be running their Kickstarter for 30 days, and are attempting to raise $12,000 for the pilot episode of their web-series. The web-series, titled Social Studies: Extra Curricular Activities, is an eight-episode web-series that previews the hour-long drama. All eight of the episodes for Social Studies: Extra Curricular Activities have already been written, as well as the first six episodes of its successor, Social Studies. Each of the episodes highlights an individual character in the cast, and shows each of their unique personalities through their day-to-day activities outside of their storylines. Subject matter for Extra Curricular Activities includes student ID photos, birthday parties, laundry day, internship interviews and beer runs. For the creative team at Shadow Puppet Cinemas, this Kickstarter campaign presents an opportunity to showcase their passion, as well as the professional skills that they’ve spent a lifetime building to this point.
