BEHIND THE STORY...
This is another good idea that never seems to get past the gate. Again, I have pitched this time and again. I think the idea of animals riding a motorcycle and causing mayhem in their attempts to save things is funny. Oddly, whenever I bring this up to development folks they seem most concerned that the characters travel around so much. Seems over the past few years the current wisdom is for characters that exist in a pretty enclosed universe – one block, one city, one house, etc. Each time I pitched, I would attempt to tweak the characters a bit.
And now my pitch...
HIGHWAY PET-ROL
An Animated Short Proposal by John Cawley - Dated July 2001
The Highway PET-rol in “Tumbleweed Terror”
The Highway Pet-rol features three fearless, frenzied, furry friends – A Great Dane, a coyote and a manx cat. They have dedicated their lives and motorcycle to protecting America’s wildlife from the dangers of the road. Speeding (safely) from town to town, and road to road, the Highway Pet-rol is always in search of travelers in need. In this episode, the transient trio race to save a stampeding herd of tumbleweeds from a deadly destiny on the local highway.
Cast
GT Dane – A male Blue Great Dane: Proud, Determined, A bit dense/simple, A hero, Never gives up. Think a cross between John Wayne and Adam (Batman) West
Zey – A male Coyote: Nervous, Joking, Frazzled, Blustery, False confidence, Wants to help, Inept. Think a cross between Woody Allen and Bob Hope
Tember (aka “Temper”) – A female Manx cat: In charge, Cattitude, Fast thinking, Bossy, Loud, Prefers to manage. Think a cross between Sigouney Weaver and Bette Midler
Comedy points…
A buddy comedy series in the vein of the classic ROAD pictures.
The trio’s travels bring them into contact with numerous eccentric characters.
GT’s confusion over who needs rescuing and why.
Zey’s continuous, nervous chatter will be full of asides, “bull” and concern.
Tember’s elaborate rescue schemes are most often the longest and least direct distance between points “a” and “b”.
Alternate Pitch by John Cawley – Dated 2002
HIGHWAY PET-ROL
Three critters and a bike!
GREAT DANE – Name: Dane? Duke -- Male; Proud; Determined; A bit dense/simple; A hero; Never gives up; Think a cross between John Wayne and Adam (Batman) West
COYOTE – Name: Dusty? Chicko? Echo? Peso? – Male; Nervous; Joking; Frazzled; Blustery with false confidence; Wants to help; Inept; Think a cross between Woody Allen and Bob Hope
MANX – Real Name: Sister? Princess? Delta? Pryde? Preferred Name: Dangerous? – Female; In charge; Cattitude; Fast thinking; Bossy; Loud; Prefers to manage; Think a cross between Sigouney Weaver and Bette Midler
text, image and format © John Cawley
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