Make "Everyone's Business" Your Business
August 2008

In the Fall of 2007, Ipswich-based screenwriter Alison Taylor, Emerson College student Garrett Williams, Debra Crosby, founder of Debra Crosby's A Quest Actor's Studio in Salem, and Wakefield playwright David Mauriello, along with Beverly Community Access Media (BevCam) and a core cast of talented local actors undertook the production of a TV pilot for an original half-hour show called "Everyone's Business."

It all started in late 2006 when key members of Film North, an organization whose mission is to promote filmmaking north of Boston, approached its screenwriting group looking for creative programming for BevCam. Serendipitously, Film North member Alison Taylor had just recently written an original TV pilot and saw this as an amazing opportunity. Her script was workshopped and polished in a collaborative effort with writing group members including Film North president Morris Leibovitz and David Mauriello.

Inspired by the writing and the team of talent, Debra Crosby of A Quest Actor's Studio joined the project to offer her expertise in casting. The cast of "Everyone's Business" includes actors from the Greater Boston and North Shore area.

Garrett Williams, a talented film student at Emerson College and a veteran intern of BevCam jumped on board to be the Director, Director of Photography AND editor. This type of experience does not come along every day. And, quite honestly, where would the show be without Garrett?

The title of the pilot episode of "Everyone's Business" is Population 3,001. The show opens following Libby Hanson into the fictional town of Appleton, population 3,000. Libby is newly single and in for culture shock. Her first night in town takes her to the "Top of the Hill" B&B where she meets the owner Dennis and his friends Erika, Marybeth, and Scott. They can also be found hanging out at the local cable station (Erika's living room) and in a historic house museum (Libby's office and home of Jane Haley, resident colonial ghost). They experience the classic symptoms of small town New England and use them to exploit each other and their neighbors as much as possible. What else is there to do, really?

Shooting took place in August and September of 2007 at the Ipswich Inn (as an inn is the focal point of the show) on East Street, where several other shoots were held. Deepfelt thanks go out to Ray and Margaret Morley for their hospitality (and amazing chocolate chip cookies). A day was also spent shooting at the Agawam Diner for the opening scene and at the Whipple House for a brief introduction to Jane, the ghost. Except we don't quite know she's a ghost yet...

The pilot was produced purely on a volunteer basis. BevCam generously offered the use of its equipment while the cast and crew, who so strongly believe in this project, donated their talent and time.

With the combination of pure generosity of folks like David Mauriello, the Ipswich Cultural Council, the Agawam Diner, the Ipswich Historical Society, Mercury Brewing Company, and the determination and perseverance of Alison Taylor as producer, we have a year-in-the-making show to be proud of.

We are very delighted to share the pilot with the North Shore community at the 22nd Annual Ipswich Art Show and Sale on September 27th, 8:30pm at the EBSCO Riverside Café. A Question & Answer session and better yet, a reception will follow the 22-minute commercial-free pilot.

You can view a trailer of the show right here!