Freelancers

Go Beyond the headlines

The team
Betty Sullivan Creator/writer
World tripper, relief worker

Jason Motlagh Expert Advisor

Investigative Reporter

Jason Motlagh is an award-winning writer, photographer and filmmaker. Formerly TIME Magazines Kabul
correspondent, he has reported from more than 40 countries for leading U.S. and international media,
including The Economist, Washington Post, New Republic, Atlantic, Christian Science Monitor, US News
& World Report and Frontline/WORLD. A seasoned backpack videographer, Jason shoots, edits and
produces features for a host of online and broadcast outlets on topics ranging from labor abuse in the
Thai seafood industry to tribal militias in Afghanistan. In recent years, Jason has received grants from the
Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting to explore conflicts and human rights issues across Asia. See
www.jasonmotlagh.com.

FREELANCERS

is a one-hour
serialized drama in the vein of Showtimes
Homeland meets HBOs True Detective
with ten episodes per season.
!

Story:

A gifted intern at a DC media

outlet forms a specialized team of freelance
story hunters dedicated to exposing the
conflict, horror, and triumphs of the human
condition.

All over the world

people commit atrocious crimes, wage war, flee

danger, and ignore natures cries. Freelance investigative reporters with an internal
hunger endanger themselves to cover and expose truth. This is their story.

These reporters root out never seen before stories of peoples suffering and escape
from war, crime, disaster and conflict. Media outlets have cut staff to use freelancers.
Many are young. Some cant help but get involved.!

Video is their tool

Meet the freelancers

Their relationship is based on the shared vision
get the story juxtaposed against save
the sufferer. The team struggles to keep
their divergent views from hijacking
their focus on the goal.!

Helena Masada Octavia, the lead - 25,

fled Israel with her Italian mother at 10 after surviving a
bombing that killed her nanny. Her father, a former
Israeli operative turned biblical guide, stayed behind in
Israel, forcing Helena to be shuffled around the world
between them. She picked up several languages
during summers helping her father on tours in Europe,
getting her Masters degree in Hong Kong, and
working in the garment district in NYC with her mom.

She masks her feeling of loneliness and lack of
belonging behind a sense of wanderlust, pursuing a
job at a media outlet, determined to be an
investigative reporter. While Helenas worldly
experience make her a valuable leader, her desire for
connection and empathy for those suffering, draw her
to action often at the risk of her safety and her teams.!

Melissa ODonnell - 28,

was thrilled to leave her humdrum life in Ireland. She

is a potty-mouthed videographer extraordinaire.
A hard-core auteur, she only cares about her art and
Irish beer. Melissa has worked the freelance circuit
for five years, and enjoys the rush. Her real money
comes from the EU (European Union), on the
ground feeding them information to serve their
interests. While in awe that Helena looks like an
Anime character, shes convinced her on screen
allure and story instincts are spot on. She is solidly
on the team.

Billy Chetty - 26,

dresses like a Sub-Saharan tracker. The friendly chatty

gadget pro, poses as a South African. He downplays
his elite martial arts abilities, tech wizardry, and
tracking skills. He is a Russian operative who hangs
with investigative reporters as a resourceful PA and
sound guy. Hes attracted to the feisty Melissa but
wont admit it. His loose assignment is together
intelligence to keep Moscow informed. He will stay
with the group as long as Moscow receives favorable
reports. Hes not comfortable living a lie and allows his
true self to pour out on occasion.

Quentin Soltis - 37,

is a ruthless star investigative reporter at the

DC Times media outlet. Road worn and grouchy,
hes made his fair share of mistakes that cloud
his joy. Competitive to a fault, he doesnt always
follow laws or the teams plan. Despite being a
charmer hes conflicted about the real thing he
has for Helena. Hes driven to provoke Helena
at every juncture. He doesnt remember another
world, like home. He is an intelligence-mining
master. Quentin Soltis always gets the real scoop.

Deborah Logan- 30,

is an intense born again vigilante, the conscious of the

group. A new age version of Mother Teresa, she runs
a Christian organization that takes down human
traffickers. She travels to hot spots of conflict to save
the meek, women and children. Shes driven to live
out Gods Great Commission. Thats why shes
decided to go with Helena to save the suffering and
their souls, especially Helenas.

The Pilot:

In Washington DC, HELENA OCTAVIA covers a protest inside the Capitol building in an effort to land
a job with the DC Times media outlet shes interning at. At work, she convinces the international
editor to let her translate for the star reporter QUENTIN SOLTIS on an assignment in Greece at the
refugee camps.

Meanwhile, in Syria, a very pregnant RAHIM BOURAN and her family are raided by Assads police
killing her husband, Jarir, and putting her and her two young daughters, Nooda and Sandra on the
run. In Greece, Helenas blown off by Quentin so she seeks friends at the bar with others her age,
MELISSA ODONNELL a videographer, and BILLY CHETTY world tramp currently working boom
and sound. Rahim escapes to Turkey but when she sees the conditions of the camps there she
rents a boat for passage to Greece.

The trio, Helena, Melissa and Billy form a team and set out for the beach to wait for arriving
refugees. While there, Helena interviews Deborah Logan a vigilante relief work and her partner a cop
from the States, Detective Harris. The two take down human traffickers that set their sights on
confused refugee women and children

The Pilot contd:

At dawn, Rahim lands in her rented boat with her daughters. In a struggle with Helenas group,
Rahim is taken by traffickers despite the teams efforts to stop it. But they wont give up on finding
her, or the story and together they follow the clues to her location then convince the frazzled local
Greek police raid the place.

Detective Harris and Helena help with the raid. But its too late for young Sandra whos been taken
by Arsuf Hafrid a wealthy caliph hopeful and leader of terrorist cells. Arsuf left on a jet. Helena vows
to Rahim she will find her. They post their story online and Helena negotiates pay for her first
freelance job. While she calls her parents with the news Melissa and Billy run into their shared hotel
room, the refugee camp has been bombed.

Season 1 - Exile

Location: Middle East!

Episode 2
The scene of the bomb is chaos. The team films the aftermath but end up helping the victims. When
it calms down, Quentin is still distraught. After a long talk he tells Helena he was told thered be a
bombing but he didnt think it would be so soon. Quentin joins the team to find the group that
bombed the camp. Rahim retrieves her money from the police that was stolen and sends her two
children to England with relatives, staying. They follow leads to the bomber. Arsuf was there, to
approve the bombing. He has big operation than. Unbeknownst to the team, Billy squeezes the
bomber for intel before the police arrive. Billys told a mosque in Istanbul.

Episode 3
The team travels to Istanbul after Arsuf Hafrid the billionaire caliph hopeful. Arsuf took Sandra and
Yana. Rahim appears in Istanbul, insistent to help. They begin the hunt, and take to the refugee
camps, nightclubs and mosques to find Arsuf. Billy disappears from a club for the night with vague
excuses. They locate one of Arsufs contacts, the leader in Istanbul. Its Arsufs son, MOHAMMED.
The local police take Mohammed away for questioning but hes released the next day. The trail is
gone.

Season 1 Contd

Episode 4
The group argues, then retrace their steps, and get a lead on Mohammeds trail. About to confront
him, the team has to choose to stop a shooting at a local synagogue or get Mohammed. They
choose saving lives. Mohammed disappears. Another dead-end on Arsufs whereabouts but do find
a catatonic Yana. They interview the terrified Jewish victims. Helena calls her Dad to ask if the Israeli
Mossad is investigating the terrorists too. Helenas father, BENJAMIN OCTAVIA, is a retired agent.
Quentin overhears her.

Episode 5
Finally safe, Yana shares her terror on camera breaking Helena and Rahims heart. It goes viral.
Helena finds out her mother has cancer and flies home. The team follows, except Rahim who
departs for England. Helenas torn whether to stay in the USA or go back to the Middle East. At the
DC Times, Helena and Quentin work together to find Arsufs whereabouts. Quentins global contacts
pay off but his wife leaves him. Shes had enough. Melissa and Billy tear up Helenas new apartment.
Meanwhile, Deborah brings in an expert on human trafficking in the Middle East to advise them.
Their next stop is Yemen the hotbed of child trafficking.

Season 1 Contd

Episode 6
The team travels to Yemen. They stop the marriage of a 12-year-old girl who was sold by her
parents but find its not connected to Arsuf. Helena and Deborah end up on a TV talk show in
Yemen debating age of consent with a conservative Mullah. Billy snags a lead on Arsufs
whereabouts from investigating his finances, but Arsuf finds them from the multi-national TV
broadcast. Helenas kidnapped by Arsufs henchmen.

Episode 7
Caged with other women and children, Helenas destiny is the auction block. Arsuf visits her with his
son. Arsuf plans to be the Caliph of the Muslim state. Mohammed snidely reminds her women and
children are disposable in the ISIS fight. Arsufs men prepare for a big event, part of Arsufs
campaign. Quentin shows deep concern for her, frantic to find her. He locates Helenas father in
Israel to help.

Season 1 Contd

Episode 8
The team crippled without Helena musters together. Melissas uses her EU connections and
Helenas father, a former Mossad Israeli operative joins them on fire to find Helena. They locate the
Libyan compound where Helena and a big event is planned. Theres a big argument whether to
involve military. If so, which country?

Episode 9
Arsuf decides to be with Helena prior to his guests arrival. He tortures and rapes her. Quentin gets
information of Helena from a local source. The team beyond frazzled seeks a group that will help.
Billy convinces the Russian government to raid the Arsufs party. No other countries step up.

Episode 10
The Russians descend on Libya. Theres friction with the plan. Helena chained up, looks horrific.
They rescue her, finding her wounded inside and out. Arsuf slips through their fingers and boards a
helicopter, but Sandra is freed. Deborah takes her to London to start anew with her now complete
family.

Season 2 Latin mafia

Location: El Salvador!

Back at the DC Times, Helena notices the office cleaner, Jermaine ask several staff members for a
loan. He tells Helena a local gang faction in El Salvador tortured his wife and brother. Their graft
demands are so high he cant earn enough to satisfy them. After the rape of his teen daughter, hes
overcome. Quentin and Helena are shocked they will kill every relative he has if he doesnt pay. The
team travels to El Salvador to report on the gangs, manages to find his family and escape the city
with Jermaines wife and two kids. Unfortunately, Jermaines brother has already been murdered and
his dad taken, presumed dead.

Now out of the city of San Salvador, they must brave the elements. Their dilemma, stay alive and
find a way to bring his family back to the USA by making their way through the underground network
fraught with turf wars to Houston. When Quentin saves the day, he and Helena hook up in intense
circumstances.

Season 3 chance of sun

Location: Asia!

The Freelancers sneak into the heartland of China where they report on the horrible pollution from
the factories. The local Chinese authorities track the teams Wi-Fi usage. Their local fixer, Ji Liang is
arrested. In hiding, there is no legal way out for the team.

They bribe Ji-Liangs way out of jail, but are forced to flee to North China. There they uncover and
report on the corruption within the real China, and the hope of the people.

Deborah has a pastor friend in jail in North Korea for smuggling food to the starving. Deborah wants
the team to spring him, from North Korea. Conflict ensues as its beyond a reporters duty. They
finally agree its a story that must be told. In North Korea, its unbelievable how rampant the
starvation is. They rescue Deborahs friend. But, the only viable way out is through Russia.

The Freelancers find out Billy is more than who they thought he was when they work through the
Russian underground to get out of North Korea into Russia and home at great risk. Helena rushes to
her frail mothers side.

Each week, the group Helena, Melissa, Billy, Quentin and Deborah further their investigations, find
stories, and get into deeper trouble. When a season resolves they move onto the next compelling
conflict, war, crime, or disaster from the real zeitgeist in the world. They see the resiliency and fight
that humans possess, propeling them to continue their pursuit of story. The team delves into a lone
cowboy mentality of not identifying with a country and its toll on their fragile emotions. They explore
the new globalization of people as Citizens of the World.

Are you willing to go beyond the headline?