Years ago we began kicking around the idea of looking into the lives of teenagers. With all the story possibilities in front of us, it was the period just before adulthood that most intrigued us. Those years, however brief, erupt with such ferocity—the hopes, the pains, the humiliations—that it's no wonder they echo across the rest of our lives.
However, what struck deeper was why there seemed to be such a deficit of stories that examined this time with any seriousness or sympathy. Most of what we saw was quirky and crass or sugar-coated and condescending. Where were the compelling portrayals of teenage life and its lasting effects? We all live through the same identity crisis from 13 to 18. Why do all the stories turn soft once we have the chance to write about them?
Coupled with this was our interest in the increasing grasp media and technology have on youth culture. Every impulse of teen life is now shaped by an immersion in electronic media. The time-worn adolescent issues of class and acceptance now come knotted with new threads. How does one unravel to survive? What better place to find answers than in your average American high school?
And thus became 7 Days to Stay Dead (original title), conceived as a seven-part miniseries. It remains complete in that structure, but now has the potential for a series twice the size, with life beyond one season.
Born from teaching experiences in public education and auto-biographical memories of peer suicides, Homecoming has blossomed over the years to encompass a full cast of exciting characters and our culture's fascination with reality television... and death. What has ultimately emerged is a fast, energetic and emotionally explosive story with many unexpected turns.
"As I elaborated my analysis, it became apparent to me the centrality of [teenagers] to the broader society."
photo:vidrio