Franchise/Strategy Marketing MASTERS OF
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Franchise/Strategy Marketing Sony Pictures Television 4/5/13 MASTERS OF SEX 1 hr. Drama. SHOWTIME. Timberman/Beverly Productions. Status: 1st season picked up for pilot +11 episodes Schedule: Shooting season one Delivery date: Ongoing Current Rights: International & Domestic (non-traditional) CREATIVE AUSPICES Michelle Ashford (The Pacific) Carl Beverly (Justified, Elementary, Unforgettable) Sarah Timberman (Justified, Elementary, Unforgettable) John Madden (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) Judith Verno (Blue-Eyed Butcher) Tyler Besinger (The Good Wife) Lyn Greene (Nip/Tuck) Richard Levine (Nip/Tuck) CAST & CHARACTERS Michael Sheen as WILLIAM MASTERS – doctor whose research helped spark the sexual revolution; reserved, focused Beau Bridges as BARTON SCULLY – University Chancellor at the hospital where Masters works Lizzy Caplan as VIRGINIA JOHNSON – Masters’ assistant; progressive woman who engages in casual sex Caitlin Fitzgerald as LIBBY MASTERS – wife of William Masters; has been trying, unsuccessfully, to have a child LOGLINE A period drama that centers on the lives of real-life pioneers of human sexuality, William H. Masters and Virginia E. Johnson. These two researchers pioneered studies into the nature of human sexual response and sexual disorders and touched off the sexual revolution. The series chronicles the unusual lives, romance and pop culture trajectory of Masters and Johnson. Their research touched off the sexual revolution and took them from a mid-western teaching hospital in St. Louis to the cover of Time magazine and nearly a dozen appearances on Johnny Carson's couch. Based upon Thomas Maier's 2009 book "Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the Couple Who Taught America How to Love." POSITIONING STATEMENT A period sex drama that demystifies the innocence of 1950's social and sexual convention. Inspired by the real-life pioneers William Masters and Virginia Johnson whose research pushed the boundaries of intimacy set the stage for the sexual revolution. CREATIVE CUES • 1950's medical offices • Period costuming, hair and makeup • Bodily response monitor (the device they use in the show to measure) WHAT TO SAY • Stories are inspired by the groundbreaking research done by Masters and Johnson • A critically acclaimed cast led by EMMY award winner, Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan • Paired with Homeland for a fall launch, Showtime is well positioning series for success and acclaim • A period medical drama that focuses on the socially unconventional topic of sex in the 1950s • Arousing and arresting WHAT NOT TO SAY • It’s only about sex or it’s only about fact-based medical studies/findings INTERNATIONAL POSITIONING • Critically acclaimed ensemble cast lead by Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan • Breakthrough drama that Showtime places huge confidence in, pairing it with their #1 drama, Homeland – a pairing that can play internationally • Redefines the mores around sexuality – “sex is the study of all life” • Curiosity about the forbidden – intrigue about a study that was initially not taken seriously • Investment in the characters and their relationships • Risking everything for what they believe in – their reputations, career, personal lives and relationships • Blazing new trails and tackling the unknown – forging a path that people will later come to appreciate • Current and relevant – deals with relatable human traits that are still to this day considered taboo • High production value – visually and conceptually captivating CONSUMER & TRADE PRESS POSITIONING MASTERS OF SEX stars Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan, who will portray the real-life pioneers of the science of human sexuality, William Masters and Virginia Johnson. The series chronicles the unusual lives, romance and pop culture trajectory of Masters and Johnson. Their research touched off the sexual revolution and took them from a mid-western teaching hospital in St. Louis to the cover of Time magazine. The series is an adaptation of Thomas Maier's book Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, The Couple Who Taught America How To Love. .