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Jordan Graham Mr. Borrero English 1102 April 9th, 2012 The Pitch Dear Executives, My name is Jordan Graham, and I am the creator for a concept for a movie called America is born. The concept is based on the later stages of the Revolutionary war leading up to the British surrender at Yorktown. When the British started taxing America, we started a war with the Crown to try to gain independence as a country. This created a war that lasted years, and America is born is about the last stretch of battles that influenced the outcome. I want to create a story of revenge, endurance, and honor, which are all aspects of war. Tragedy will also be a big part of the story to give it some quality. America is born is about a young American whose house was raided by the British, and then joins the continental army when he later finds out his family was murdered. He will battle alongside some of the most memorable commanders until standing alongside George Washington at the surrender of Yorktown. Hopefully the audience can get a sense of the effects of war, and will feel very involved in the story, giving it an emotional aspect. From the late 1760s to the early 1770s Britain was constantly trying to tax America for the goods they were buying. For example, you probably are familiar with the Boston tea party, when Britain taxed tea and other imports, which resulted in the colonists raiding British ships and throwing all the tea into the ocean (Boston Tea Party, 1773). These taxes are the initial

problems that lead to the revolutionary war. The war was very slow for about 6 years, until it moved down into the southern colonies, specifically South Carolina. The opening scene will be very peaceful setting, in Charleston, SC, 1781. As the sun is setting, Jack Daniels is eating dinner with his family. The camera switches to a group of redcoats walking through the fields about a mile away. Eventually, Jacks father sees them from a distance out the window, and tells him and his mother to go out the back door and run. They did what he said as he went upstairs to get guns for him and Jacks two older brothers. Jack and his mother ran as fast as they could to his uncles home. Little did he know, his dad and two brothers had been killed by the British soldiers who then burned his house down. He begged to go back to try to find them, but his Mom wouldnt let him. He was so angry and sad he didnt know what to do, so the next day he left without saying anything to his mom and planned on joining the army with a friend he knew was joining. Jacks friend was Nathan Matthews, a close friend that he had been homeschooling with for a couple years. They were the same age, and had always talked about fighting in a war. Jack went and found his friend and told him and his father what had happened to his family. Nathan and his father were shocked, but furious, and immediately set out with some Patriots to join the Army with General Abraham Buford, who was commanding the war in the south. The first battle came quick, at Waxhaw Creek, SC. The continental army had just came from the north to continue the fight in the south, and were eager to fight. The continentals got slaughtered, Nathans father being one of the first to die. They both got out alive, but after seeing Nathans father die, the effects of war were already overwhelming both of them. Nathan was in shock, and didnt seem like the same person anymore. The loss at the Battle of Waxhaws put the continental army in a major social depression; taking away some of the armies hope.

They had heard that they were getting a new commander in the south, General Horatio Gates. He took them to their second battle where poor tactics caused them to lose, and there commander fled in embarrassment. Washington then sent down Nathaniel Greene and Daniel Morgan to command the war. Jack and Nathan met up with them in present day Charlotte, and then split up in two groups, Jack and Nathan going with Daniel Morgan. He proved to be a very smart but tenacious general in his first battle, where they defeated the British at the battle of Cowpens (The Battle of Cowpens 1781). This boosted Jacks confidence and made him want to keep fighting. But after this victory, the continental army lacked money to pay soldiers, and didnt even have enough supplies. A lot of them protested, Nathan being one of them. He left Jack, and would eventually be recruited into the British army as a loyalist. The war was not the same without Nathan, since that was his only friend. But Jack made other friends quickly who encouraged him to keep fighting. After a long wait for supplies, they finally got them and went straight to battle at the Guilford courthouse. During the battle, Jack shoots and kills Nathan, unaware it was him until after he shot him. Even though the British lost twice as many men, the continentals ended up retreating to save soldiers. Jack was in complete shock because of what had happened. His father and brothers were killed, he left his mother, and now he had just killed his only friend. Despite the tragedy, Jack was starting to feel a part of the army, and didnt want to quit. By this time, he was well acquainted with Nathaniel Greene, Washingtons favorite General. Once Cornwallis and the British set up at Yorktown, Washington came down and set up all of his army around Yorktown, along with his French reinforcements. Jack fought alongside Greene and Washington for days. Washingtons son Jacky was fighting in his first battle ever when he got camp fever and died. Eventually Cornwallis surrendered to Washington with Greene and Jack Daniels along his side (The Battle of Yorktown 1781).

The purpose of this concept is to engage the readers in a story based on a true event that happened on the same grounds as we stand on today. Along with engaging the audience with the concept, I want them to become aware of how our country gained independence, and who was involved. A lot of the battles in the south surrounded the Charlotte area, which is very interesting for people who live here. In all, I want my readers to be able to say that America is born is very eye-opening and emotionally touching and to understand the sacrifice and pain involved in establishing the country they enjoy living in today. While the range of audience is pretty broad, there are some specific groups of people that this concept is aimed for. The audience will be mostly men over 18, since the concept is very violent. A lot of men that are fascinated with war, or have been in the military, will definitely be interested in this, along with people that are interested in American history. Because of the action and storyline, there will also be a lot of additional audience just looking to satisfy their need with a solid action movie. Overall, I think that the concept will have a successful range of audience. Being one of the most exciting events ever in American History, this concept definitely has potential for success. With a promising projected audience, this story will stand out in the market for sure. There is no doubt in my mind that I can intrigue you with a story that explains how we got our independence as a country, while giving you a heartwarming storyline by going in depth battle by battle with a young Patriot named Jack Daniels. Sincerely, Jordan Graham

Works Cited

The Battle of Cowpens 1781, www.BritishBattles.com (2010). The Battle of Yorktown 1781, www.BritishBattles.com (2010). "The Boston Tea Party, 1773," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2002).