Blacks, Dogs, Irish. – Too Much Pressure. An Elevated Table Read.

ELEVATED TABLE READ

Synopsis

Logline

At the dawn of Thatcher’s Britain, a diverse band of kids are fighting for a future, but life, hooligans, opportunistic politicians and an encroaching police presence holds them back.

Blacks, Dogs, Irish (B.D.I.) is about the multicultural, working-class quest to be in charge of your own destiny.

It’s the story of young people being thrust into adulthood and having to find their voice under the oppressive umbrella of a modern world that seems destined to refuse them.

Set against the backdrop of early 80s Britain, Thatcherism, the rise of the National Front and increasingly invasive police corruption and control; it’s all under-pinned by the working-class soundtrack of Punk, Reggae, Ska and Soul.

The central theme will reverberate with anyone aware of the Britain that we sit within today.

It seems as if nothing has changed; the high-street shops are empty, jobs are being lost and the government seem to be too busy making money from people’s tragedies to care, and the rise of a new form of acceptable, electable fascism is all too real.

Our protagonists are three-minute heroes wanting to effect lifelong change.

Episode Guide

1. Time Hard (PILOT)
JOHNJO and JACKIE battle to make a better life for themselves and their child, but after racially motivated violence erupts, JOHNJO and his Ska band (B.D.I.) are tragically caught up between the moves of local politician – and property developer – MR GLADSTONE, undercover policewoman SUE and the FITZROY family gang.

2. Too Much Pressure
JACKIE recalibrates with her MUM and DAD after the violence hacks away at her future, but an unexpected night out as a guest singer with the band provides her with some hope. Meanwhile DONALD struggles to come to terms with the loss of his friend, a brooding ALTON becomes more and more withdrawn.

3. Black and Blue
After the ceremony for JOHNJO, JACKIE and the band members try to get on with their lives. The future looks a little brighter, but the past won’t quite let go, as the rage of local skinhead FITZ and the outcome of the local M.P. MR GLADSTONE’s alliance with MR FITZROY begins to take hold. POPPY becomes concerned as ALTON directs his anger towards her.

4. Out On The Streets
FITZ – emboldened by the support of MR GLADSTONE and the National Front – feels on top of the world as a shockwave is sent across the band; DONALD is arrested. JACKIE leans on POPPY, as ALTON finds support from his new, militant friends.

5. Carry Go Bring Come
FITZ and his gang are on the rise, but SUE’s growing political sway with MR GLADSTONE is creating a rift in the lower ranks. DONALD’s attempt at brokering a deal doesn’t go as he’d hoped, so JACKIE and the band work hard to get publicity for DONALD’s case by joining forces with ALTON’s new action group. Their protest violently backfires however, as opposing gangs clash.

6. Three Minute Hero
Still desperate to find a solution, JACKIE’s first studio session turns into a protest song recording. DONALD’s joy at being release on bail is short-lived as the FITZROY family stir up a violent reception to greet them. With community fury escalating, MR GLADSTONE’s property plans are finally realised.

Characters

JACKIE

JACKIE works whenever and wherever she can to support her new family. She loves JOHNJO more than he perhaps deserves but is becoming increasingly disillusioned by his erratic behaviour.