The gods conceal from men the happiness of death, that they may endure life. - Lucan, 39-65 CE
Aboard twin space colonies on the brink of war, a thief desperate for a better life and the last honest cop in the cosmos must stop a mad dictator’s vie for absolute power. To do this, they’ll have to seek answers from the past and uncover a shocking truth that will forever change humankind.
FORMAT
Genre: Adult Sci-Fi Series
Length: 10 x 24min episodes per season
Rating: MA (18+) due to sociopolitical themes,
violence, death, and adult language
Lowly criminal Zo Castillo barely scrapes by in the roughest slum in the colony of Romulus. He’d take any job that might help him escape his meager life. Officer Lynh Phan - the overachieving daughter of a high-ranking Remus politician - longs to make a difference in the world but struggles within the confines of a broken system.
When a mysterious assassin kills Lynh’s mother, inciting war between the colonies (collectively named Palatine), Lynh and Zo find themselves wrongfully accused. On the run together and seeking the truth, the two stumble upon a blood feud between the two titans of Palatine, Attis Liviad and Aldo Janus, who for too long have played a deadly game of chess using the citizens of Palatine as pawns. Having discovered the despots’ true intentions, Zo and Lynh are uniquely placed to saved their home and bring the dynasties of both Liviad and Janus to their long overdue conclusion.
THEMES
Technological advancement has long focused on easing the stress of life and staving off death. But what might happen if biological death becomes preventable? Worse, what if this immortality was reserved for a privileged few, worsening issues of inequality and persecution? Palatine will dissect this premise, ultimately highlighting the necessity, value, and even the grace of death in the human experience.
Lyhn and Zo are left to ponder, “Is eternity enough time to finally conquer the evils that plague Palatine?”
“Imagine the good you could do if time was on your side. You could change the world and actually live to see it!” — Lynh Phan
SETTING
Two connected space colonies – Romulus and Remus – reside in a stable Earth orbit at Lagrange point 5, named PALATINE. Remus is a booming economic success. Innovation. Opportunity. Luxury. All kept in check under the watchful eye of Premier Aldo Janus. This success comes at a cost – strict governmental control of the lives of its citizens by a tyrannical leader consolidating power and enacting ruthless reprisals on all opposition.
“Reems are like spoiled kids! Silver spoon and all that shit. Looking down on those of us that have to struggle to achieve just a fraction of their wealth.”
Romulus is a dump ravaged by greed, time. and neglect. Though the lavish estate of the head of Palatine’s largest corporation, Magna, is located in Romulus, the remainder of the colony has been left to rot. Imagine Hell but with more blood, booze, and buzzing neon lights. The people of Romulus hate the people of Remus for their privilege and judgment, and after 300 years the camel’s back is nearly broken. Population swell is pushing both colonies past their limits, while heightened political tensions, fear-mongering, and radicalization make war seem inevitable.
TONE & AESTHETIC
Palatine is intended to be a prestige, anime-adjacent, adult animated series with reverence for 80s & 90s sci-fi anime favorites. Taking the style and rebellious action of COWBOY BEBOP and the political maneuvering of GUNDAM, it will catch audiences’ eyes with its smoky, squalid, fluorescent-lit world.
LORENZO “ZO” CASTILLO is 30-something, bright, and self-assured. Strictly speaking, he’s a criminal, but ya know, one of the good ones…heart of gold and all that. Zo lives in Matera (the slummiest slum of Romulus) with his ailing grandmother for whom he’d do just about anything. In fact, despite her protests, lately Zo’s been taking risky jobs with a local crime boss just to save enough money to get them out of Matera. The thing he wants most in the world is to leave the slums, find safety for his grandmother, and forget all the bad that’s ever happened.
Inspired by his new adventure, he’ll turn his attention to his larger community, full of people dreaming of peace and prosperity. Zo will finally learn that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few…and especially, the one.
“This one job, this one…teensy little, itsy bitsy job…is going to put us over the edge. We can finally leave Matera. Get you a new hip! You’ll be movin’ and groovin’, Abuelita!”
LYNH PHAN, late 20s, is the first ever Remus-born officer of the Romulus police force after years as a star pupil and decorated soldier in the Palatine joint military. She minds authority, upholds a strict moral code, has a strong sense of justice, and lives a disciplined life which has resulted in a guarded loneliness. In her heart, she has an independent streak and longs to break free from her confines, but her sense of duty keeps her trapped, working to change the system from the inside instead.
When her mother is murdered, she and Zo are implicated and must clear their names, find her mother’s killer, and make sure that her death wasn’t in vain. She will soon be forced to see beyond her rigid ideals and learn that some systems are too corrupt to be redeemed…they must be dismantled. But forsaking the only life she’s ever known will catapult her through an identity crisis that will change her forever.
“A crime is a crime. We can’t look the other way just because the criminal’s wearing a badge. If we do, we’re no different!”
ATTIS LIVIAD V is the enigmatic 6th generation leader of the biotech corporation Magna. Attis is reclusive and stoic, his actions are sometimes unpredictable, but he is highly intelligent and wholly analytical. He chooses to stay on his palatial estate populated by genetically resurrected wildlife, preferring their company to the whiny humans that surround him. Through the extensive reach of Magna, Attis’ immense wealth and influence make him the de facto ruler of Romulus. The colony’s decline is largely in part to his negligence and disinterest.
To the citizens of Romulus it often feels like Attis is plugged directly into Palatine. As if he can see all and hear all — a cybernetic god, the personification of Magna Tech’s reach.
“My ancestors have attended to these lands for generations. The creatures who prosper here are infinitely more worthy of my care than the likes of you.”
ALDO JANUS is the premier of Remus. He is confident, quick-tempered, and boisterous. He emerged as a political nobody with a firebrand temper and a finger on the pulse of the people of Remus. During his overstayed term as Remus’ leader, he has been steadily consolidating power to the point of dictatorship. Janus sees himself as the ultimate rags-to-riches story. But riches aren’t enough for a man as smart and resilient as he, and he will not stop until he has conquered it all!
Janus is the dark mirror of Zo - a poor dreamer turned all powerful tyrant, whose pride twists his dreams into nightmares for the citizens of Palatine.
“We, the children of Remus, will not sit idly by and watch Palatine rot. For too long, Romulus has been home to the worst among us - the perversely criminal - but no longer. Remus is rescue. Remus IS Palatine!”
MCMILLEN is one of the many warring crime bosses vying for dominance in Matera. He’s sleazy and probably half-in-the-bag, but cunning nonetheless.
Zo takes on work for McMillen, as his number one blind drop delivery man. While McMillen has never overtly threatened him, Zo knows there’s no easy way off of McMillen’s payroll. McMillen’s base of operations is the Kowloon Cafe, a run-down eatery serving as a rather blatant front for a spate of illegalities. Blind ambition and dark money has led him to taking increasingly violent measures for an unknown client. McMillen hopes this will be the leg-up he needs to tip the balance in his favor for control of all Matera.
LAGADHA is the mysterious assassin sent to kill Tha’m Phan, Lynh’s mother and Remus political figure. By whom and for what reason eludes Lynh, but she will find out.
“...”
VISUALS
The world of Palatine is heavily influenced by 80s and 90s era sci-fi anime: Gundam, Macross, Patlabor, Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, etc. There is a tactile, traditional quality from this period that has been lost in the digital age of animation and background painting. Rather than a nostalgia grab, Palatine intends to resurrect these qualities in pristine detail for the modern age. Painterly backgrounds, an emphasis on vibrant color, and nuanced character acting will combine for an effective visual sucker punch.
The cities of Romulus and Remus are immensely population dense, with architecture ranging from cutting edge city centers to incredible slums of improvised buildings. Inspiration for the depiction of this kind of density comes from Kowloon walled city, the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, and the cliff dwellings of Matera, Italy (the namesake for Lorenzo’s neighborhood). It is key that these environments feel lived in, vibrant, organic, and expressive as characters in and of themselves.
Photo credit from left to right: top - Greg Girard, Greg Girard, Girl With A Battered Backpack. bottom - Greg Girard, Mario Tama/Getty Images
Dense, urban environments are littered with innumerable light sources, all of varying temperatures. It can lead to jaw-dropping palettes and compositions. Color will play a huge role in Palatine, using palettes to accentuate narrative and mood. Romulus comes alive when night falls, in splashes of neon violet, turquoise, and pink. The stark lighting of the sun in the vacuum of space cuts the sharpest shadow, the only other illumination being the blue of the Earth, or the nearest light blinking on a space vessel. Color is a powerful tool and Palatine will wield it with intent.
Photo credit from left to right: Noe Alonzo, Shahriyar Ahmed, Masashi Wakui, Masashi Wakui
SEASON 1
This first chapter from the world of Palatine is set aboard Romulus and Remus, in Earth’s orbit, and on the Moon. It tells a full story, (beginning, middle, and end) while acting as a springboard to a wider and weirder world to be harvested in the future.
SEASONS BEYOND
Palatine’s universe is made to be malleable and provides various opportunities for expansion. Later stories might involve humanity’s expansion into the solar system, settling the Jovian and Saturnian moons hundreds of years later, or reaching the closest star with a habitable planet after a 50,000 year journey. Interstellar travel could become commonplace via discovery of faster-than-light travel, spreading humans across the galaxy. There’s a universe of opportunities, and a near infinite number of fun characters to meet!
KELLAN STOVER
I’m an animator-illustrator and a creative director at Powerhouse Animation Studios, Inc. in Austin, TX. In my time as a director in the studio’s Boutique department, I’ve led countless animated projects for high profile IPs (like Sonic The Hedgehog) across many industries. As an astronomy geek, sci-fi holds a special place in my heart. I see the genre as an effective tool to both instill a wonder for the universe and hold up a mirror to the human condition. With Palatine, we seek to paint a believable world that makes audiences reflect on their mark on the world, as human progress is about empathy as much as it’s about scientific advancement.
CONTACT
kellan@stovepipe.design
kstover@powerhouseanimation.com
(512) 810-2250
DUSTIN WELDON
I’m a screenwriter living in Atlanta with my wife, Sarah and my son, Dash. I’m a film lover and lifelong superhero fanboy. As a film exhibitor and proficient audio/visual technician, I’ve worked with large movie studios such as Universal Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, HBO, and The Walt Disney Company to plan and execute film screenings and premieres. Palatine has been a pleasure to help bring to life. Its characters are timely and diverse, and the world is nothing short of magic. We hope there’s a nugget contained within this story that will make you think ethically, and spur you to stand against injustice.
CONTACT
dustinweldon@gmail.com
(770) 778-0898
Brad Graeber - CEO
brad@powerhouseanimation.com
(512) 346-3456
POWERHOUSE ANIMATION STUDIOS, INC. was founded in 2001 in Austin, Texas with the goal of proving that animation is a medium and not a genre. It has succeeded in this mission by producing premiere boundary-breaking television,commercials, and adult action animation such as Castlevania, Masters Of The Universe and Blood Of Zeus.