SYNOPSIS
Our story follows Alex, the newbie receptionist of a renowned Hollywood recording studio that boasts quite the music clientele. In her 30s, she still secretly harbors dreams of becoming an artist…just like the stars she caters to everyday.
At the start of her shift, she helps the studio engineer, John, prepare Studio A for a session involving the collaboration of a well-known singer, Lily Beach, and the prolific music producer, Viggo.
Viggo’s surprise entrance as Alex is testing the mic in the live room sets the action off on an already unpredictable note. Later, when Lily storms out mid-session after she and Viggo get into an argument, Viggo grabs the talented Alex as a last minute backup in order to meet his deadline and finish the song before morning light.
Just as Alex starts to have visions of success and finally making it as a singer herself, Lily returns with her manager to rejoin the session. Alex is dismissed from the recording session and makes her way back to her desk, unsure if Viggo ever really intended to use her for the song or if he just arranged the whole thing as a ploy to get Lily back.
As Alex sits at her desk alone, the night playing out again and again in her head, John, the engineer, enters. An employee of the studio for 15 years, John suggests perhaps she’s just a ‘studio rat’ like him — working hard in the shadows — serving the stars while hoping to someday join their ranks…
CHARACTERS
ALEX, the night receptionist
Early 30s, an avid fan of music who enjoys being around other people who love and make music. She has found her ‘tribe’ at Conway. As a realist, she would never admit it, but she still harbors childhood dreams of becoming an artist…
JOHN, the assistant engineer
Mid-40s and longtime employee of Conway who’s been there 15 years. A true ‘studio rat.’ When he first started out, he had hopes of being a producer — but age and financial necessity led him to settle as the go-to assistant. It’s a win to get written credit on the songs for which he assists…it isn’t always a guarantee.
VIGGO, the music producer
Early 40s, Viggo first shot to fame after his remixes of well-known artists when viral at age 21. A perfectionist, he expects the most out of everyone around him. He is most comfortable when he’s in control.
LILY, the recording artist
Mid-late 30s, a pop singer and sometimes songwriter who hit big in the late 2000s. She has grown up a lot since her introduction into the music business, and is less tolerant of any perceived mistreatment in the studio than when she was 23.