#1 STORY STATEMENT:
When a woman in the midst of her quarter-life crisis wins the chance to live amongst her favorite influencers from the world's hottest social media obsession, the StarPower App, she discovers the platform is a cult worshiping perfection, and the price of perfection is losing yourself.
#2 ANTAGONIST
Raphael knows that you think he looks good. As the #1 performing Starfluencer, he is used to getting his way and revels in the attention. When Elle rebukes his advances, no is not an accepted answer.
#3 BREAKOUT TITLE
AESTHETICS
[Alternative]
PERFECTION CORE
YOU COULD BE PERFECT
#4 COMPARABLES
The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld: Aesthetics is for the readers of The Uglies who are now grown up and have thought about becoming influencers. Both novels spotlight the obsession with artificial beauty, and the lengths people will go to achieve it.
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles: The protagonist of this novel shares an “outsider looking in” approach to experiencing the world of luxury for the first time. With a dry sense of humor and never fully losing herself despite having moments of wavering. w
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid: The structure of this story volleys between main characters and weaves in their past throughout the story.
The Glow by Jessie Gaynor: This novel follows a privileged woman who started a cult focused on selling beauty ideals to privileged women in upstate new york. It shares a leader with a warped vision for what is too far in the name of beauty.
#5 CONFLICT:
LOGLINE: Amidst a quarter-life crisis, an uninspired woman wins the chance to shake up her life at a luxurious villa for social media stars, where she discovers the dark cost of perfection.
Aesthetics upmarket fiction novel asks the question: what if the world's most influential social media platform was run by a cult?
#6 CONFLICT PT 2:
Inner turmoil - primary conflict: For the past twenty-six years, Elle has been the passenger to her own life. Now that she finds herself newly single in a job she doesn’t care about, searching for meaning the only way she knows how: on her phone. As wins a trip to become fully-immersed in the highly aesthetic “Starfluencer” world, she gains access to the expensive beauty treatments, parties, and leisure time she was craving. This search for meaning will never end until she learns to listen to her intuition when making intentional choices in her life, and learn to appreciate the small beautiful moments in life that were already there.
Inner turmoil example: Elle finds it morally wrong that she’s producing content videos telling viewers tips and tricks to look healthier, when StarPower has a team of estheticians, high-tech fat-burning gear and personal trainers to actually change her body. She suppresses the nagging feeling however and continues to make content.
Environmental Scenario - Secondary conflict: Elle finds it impossible to tell off Raphael, the most powerful Starfluencer who continues to make passes at her. Despite screaming inside, she says nothing when he tells her to play nice and she could go places. Her inability to stand up for herself comes to a head when Raphael forces himself into her room after dinner.
#7 SETTING
Desert: The blazing orange horizon line cut through the emerging indigo sky as the sun dipped behind the rock formations in the distance. Beneath the intense skyline a smaller glow danced. Upon first glance, Elle thought it was the trick of bleary eyes. She followed the path down, each step intensifying the light until it took shape as a thriving contained fire, its amber flames competing with the sunset. Around the haze of campfire flames sprawled a series of canvas tents that might be used to hold a small wedding ceremony or council of the village elders. Elle strained her neck for a peak inside and caught a glimpse of four queen-sized beds arranged in a horseshoe. White furs sprawled across the covers with leather trunks at the foot of each bed. Pink shadows flickered across the floor from the crystal chandelier’s reflection. Vanities housing beauty supplies too pretty to touch sat beside each bed.
StarPower Villa:
Mansion: Settled dust revealed a brutalist beige cement wall standing at least 12 feet high, creating one visual plane of dirt and barricade. At its top sat a tousled crown of spiked perched at full alert that gave it the appearance of a prison. However when the expanisve gates opened it revealed a dirt road lined with cypress trees groomed to a perfect triangle. Brushstrokes of golden sun streaked through the caps of the trees into their hazy eyes. Parakeets in vibrant hues of green, yellow and blue fluttered back and forth as if visiting the porches of old friends. Through the Cyprus trees, an image of modern day Versaille emerged. A pool-sized fountain replaced the rows of trees. Sirens and mermen chiseled from stone intertwined at the center. Swans circled around the sprouting water, leaving a quiet ripple that rocked the lily pads like a bassinet. Winding paths of multi-colored rose bushes wove a tapestry of lanes for strolling bodies to meet at the fountain’s edge. A palace spanned acres, challenging the sky in its brightness. The sun bounced off the impeccable white facade and ornate gold trimmers giving it a glimmering luminescence. It had been written that the chateau’s architect had hoped to design a ladder up to Olympus with this creation. Inside are individual living suits, the grand banquet hall where you’ll enjoy Sunday evening dinners, and a myriad of amenities such as the StarPower spa, gym, boutiques, library, fine dining, and night club.
Peace park spans five miles of trails surrounded by trees with a private beach inside
Content studio: Content studio A and B were designed more like the dream resort of an upper class tech mogul than a studio lot.
Trainees Lodings: A glass structure with solar panel roofs and sleek slate walls. Inside Inside an expansive lobby with a “Moonlight Cantina” bar and restaurant featuring a waterfall wall, bar that warped itself in a wave formation, a smattering of pristine white couches, abstract art, and gorgeous people placed around it. The state-of-the-art gym and additional dining were attached, along with the pool oasis. The oasis featured a tumbling waterfall cascading over the rock fixture, creating a hidden alcove in a pool wonderland. Palm trees surrounded the deck lined with lounge chairs and perfect bodies filling them. Music thumped from the DJ table as models reclined on inflatable pineapples floated down the lazy river.
