Ashley Weinberg

TAILWIND 

“A warmhearted, episodic adventure takes place when a dog and a boy, upon finding a magical gateway in their hometown dog park, travel to a medieval kingdom inhabited by domestic pets.”  

OVERVIEW 

Emery Farber is a humorous, yet well-mannered 13-year-old boy with a typical life and a typical pet: his best friend, Samson. Samson is getting older, so in the evenings after school, Emery takes Samson to the quaint little dog park directly near his house so his old bones can get some exercise.  

One day, Emery is sent home from school earlier than expected and catches Samson sneaking off to the dog park by himself. Worried that he’ll run off or get lost, Emery tails after him, but eventually cannot find Samson anywhere. That’s when he discovers the gateway...

Before Emery can even register what had just happened, his knuckles pressed onto what looks like cobblestone, he wakes up on the ground right in the middle of a bustling market square! However, when his eyes adjust, he realizes this is not the world he knew. It’s medieval times, and all of its inhabitants are domestic pets.

Frantic, yet amazed at what he’s witnessing, Emery instinctively runs until he tires. This is when he runs into the rag-tag group of friends he’ll never forget: Ike, the axe-wielding, rough-and-tough chihuahua, Shyla, the sweet, musically inclined Bedlington terrier, and Reuben, the mute, yet endearing crested gecko. Together, although strange, they form an unbreakable group.

Finally comfortable with a group of pets willing to help him, Emery realizes he feels a strong, supernatural urge he cannot shake; his dog is here with him in this vast kingdom, and he needs to find him in order to find a way back home.  

STRUCTURE  

The Secret Life of Pets or Zootopia meet the setting of Middle Earth and the intrigue of Disney’s Amphibia. 

Tailwind is a warmhearted, episodic adventure series for kids, the kids at heart, and the pets that sit and watch television with their families whether they know what is going on or not. Besides the pilot episode, which will explore Emery’s first arrival to the new world and his mission to find his dog, each episode for the bulk of the series will act as individual medieval “quests” with Emery and his friends. These adventures, which all take place in the kingdom of Tailwind, will contain loads of humor and heart while also hinting at the bigger world. Emery will utilize his preexisting knowledge of common pet species and of modern times to find creative ways to help the kingdom’s problems. Despite being around pets and their shenanigans, Emery will learn more about being human and growing up.

Before all else, Emery’s goal is to find his dog-- since he knows how to enter and exit the world, and none of the other pets have figured it out yet, or rather, don’t know what the heck Emery is talking about! Emery is also a bit worried about his own skin, since he has no idea how much time has passed in the real world while he’s been gone. To reach these goals by the end of the series, Emery is aided by his close group of friends, but during their search, they still make time to help characters in need and have fun. Besides, this is an adventure of a lifetime for any 13-year-old kid!

Tailwind, at its core, is a timeless love letter to the love between humans and their pets. It should convey the idea of adoration towards pets and animals, while also alluding to the proper treatment of them, which many children grow up learning if they live with a pet or are gifted one. The colorful cast of characters Emery meets also act as a parallel of forming bonds with other diverse people in life. Not everyone will be just like you, and that is okay. And finally, the series end will be about the necessity of letting things you love go. 

CHARACTERS 

EMERY FARBER -- One of the only humans in this series, Emery Farber is a humorous, yet well-mannered 13-year-old boy. He’s kind in nature, a pacifist whenever possible, but still loves a good joke here and there. He doesn’t come from much and is the only child of a hardworking mother, but he does have his best friend: his ol’ dog Samson, who he is so grateful for. While in the new world, Emery is reasonably stressed at first. His limits and independence are tested as a kid without his mom or dog by his side, along with his slight fear of being alone. He’s a bit rash when meeting new characters, but quick to befriend them as long as they treat him well. He is elated to form bonds and explore the world! 

When Emery was just 4 years old, he developed soft tissue sarcoma cancer beginning in his left leg. It was a scary time for both him and his mom, but they ultimately decided the best route to go was amputation. It took time especially for a very young child, but years later Emery absolutely owns disability, and it does not bring him down whatsoever. He is fairly well-liked by his peers at school and adores history class, although some might consider him boring for not really caring about the hottest new fashion trend or celebrity drama. Emery enjoys living in the present and doesn’t really care about being popular or “in-with-the-times.” He’s fairly content with himself and doesn’t try to be anything bigger than an average student and didn’t try to become anything bigger than himself. That would all change after his experiences in Tailwind, where he realized that achieving greatness is within his reach and his kindness deserves recognition. 

Emery and Samson’s bond is unlike any other. Emery and his mom picked out an adult dog from the shelter not too long after Emery’s procedure, and the two immediately bonded like glue. Samson was there every step of the way while they were growing up, and his intuition was so strong, he almost seemed to understand Emery like an older brother. Samson is Emery’s rock.

SAMSON (FARBER) -- Samson is a 10-year-old Wirehaired Pointing Griffon dog. No one knows why this sporting breed was thrown into the shelter as an adult, but fate was on his side the day Emery and his mom passed by his kennel. Samson latched onto Emery like it was his new goal in life to protect and mentor him, and they have been together ever since. In the present, Samson is older now and doesn’t have as much energy as he used to. Still, he and Emery frequent the dog park right by their house every day after school so he can get some old man exercise. Whichever day Samson discovered the magical gateway is a mystery, but he liked it so much in the new world, he decided to sneak there in the afternoons while Emery was in school.  

The first day Samson travelled to Tailwind, he realized 3 things: he could speak to others, he could walk and do tasks upright like everyone else, and he felt so much younger and spry. Like Emery, he also awoke in the middle of the market square, but instead of the confusion upon seeing a human, most villagers just wondered why he was on all four paws. How barbaric!

Later on, Samson stumbled upon an inn where he met two very kind girls. Beads-- the old guinea pig owner of the inn, and Chripy—a spunky little kitten who helps around. The two of them were kind to him despite his confusing situation, so he decided to repay the favor. Now, Samson loves working at this inn and considers Beads, Chripy, and the village regulars his second family. It’s a bit impossible to explain where he actually comes from, so he tries to be inconspicuous about leaving and returning. Samson has an older, paternal grace about him and respected by those he interacts with at the inn. To people his age he is a pal to drink with, and to those younger than him he is sort of a fatherly figure. He assumes his secret is still safe and has no idea that Emery is trapped in Tailwind. He sometimes feels a twinge of guilt, wondering if visiting this strange place in secret was a betrayal to his best friend. He does not want to abandon his newfound family, but he’d do anything for Emery’s trust and happiness.

IKE/IKEY -- Ike, or Ikey (both are equally interchangeable) is a small and feisty chihuahua who carries an axe almost larger than himself at all times. He’s dauntless, loud, a tiny bit mean, and attempts to label himself “the toughest in all the land.” He is a bit self-conscious about his smallness and overcompensates for this with his huge personality. He will talk back to anybody no matter the size, and this tends to get him in a jam. This has also caused him to become a bit of an outcast within the peaceful communities, who honestly don’t want this spitfire of a guy around them. Even though he exerts himself as rude and abrasive, Ike’s ultimately goal in life, although he hardly wants to admit it, is to form the baddest warrior squad in Tailwind that fight for good. 

Deep down under his thick fur and temper, Ike does have a heart and sensitive side. He was reluctant at first to add Emery to his group, but he is now extremely loyal to the boy and determined to help him on his mission to find Samson and in their missions to help other townsfolk in need. Ike acts as a foil to how mellow the rest of the group can be and adds a lot of comedic relief to their various quests.

SHYLA -- Shyla is a tall, sweet, and somewhat ditzy Bedlington terrier who immediately adored Emery from the start. She exerts the energy of the youngest in the group, but don’t underestimate her innocence. Shyla is extremely intelligent and often randomly blurts the smartest solution anyone’s heard that day. She adores food, especially anything sweet. She was the first to meet and stick around with Ikey; mostly because she was a bit lonely, but also because she found his foolery so stupidly entertaining. He thought it’d be tolerable to have “brains” on his team, but Ike secretly enjoys her presence too.

Like Emery, Shyla also tries to blend in and not try to be anything more than average and perceives herself as boring compared to her peers. She assumes she has no talent or ambition and assumes she’ll not do much in her life. However, during the series, Shyla will discover she is very interested in learning music and will become incredible at various medieval instruments!

REUBEN – Reuben is an endearing crested gecko who joined the friend group after Shyla and before Emery. He is a warm soul and an appeaser, matching the kindness Emery brings as well. Reuben is mute, meaning he does not talk throughout the series, but he chooses to communicate in other ways, such as his eyes changing sizes, various hand motions, and his head crests flaring with certain emotions. Everyone in the group understands Reuben or takes the time to understand him if his thoughts are too complex. He’s equally willing to help on missions and sometimes utilizes his gecko ability to climb anywhere and everywhere on their adventures.

BEADS – Beads is a sassy, no-nonsense grandma guinea pig who has been operating Beads Tavern N Lodgings for countless years. She’s adorned with a medieval bonnet and gives great hugs, but she will not hesitate to put you in your place like any bossy and snippy old lady. She’s lively and wise, always offering to tell wild stories from her years at the inn. Although she’s a little prickly, Beads is also very nurturing. She always cares deeply for her guests and cares a lot about Samson. She wants what’s best for him.

CHIRPY – Chirpy is a young kitten who lives at the inn and is basically Bead’s adopted granddaughter. Beads found her in rough shape one day seeking refuge from stormy weather. Chirpy had no place to go and no family to go back to, so Beads decided to let her stay with her in exchange for light housekeeping help. Beads also named Chirpy because she was so young and didn’t remember her name (if she even had one). Chirpy is spirited, talkative, and precious like any little girl. When Samson works at the inn, she reminds him of when Emery was little.

THE ROYAL COURT – Tailwind is a medieval-inspired world that is not ruled by one singular monarchy. Instead, there is a court with 5 members that oversee and control decisions for the kingdom along with input from all citizens. Each member is a representative of a different type of pet. There is one dog, cat, bird, reptile, and rodent. The current court that is ruling when Emery arrives consists of a male golden retriever, a female oriental shorthair cat, a male tegu lizard, a female rat, and a female budgie. These five characters, who all bring a mix of quirky personalities, will make very limited appearances throughout the show.

LORINE FARBER -- Emery’s mother. Lorine is a doting mom and loves Emery to death. Although she is very hardworking and busy with work while Emery goes to school, she still tries to be there for Emery whenever possible. As a single mother, it was stressful to physically and emotionally deal with Emery’s sarcoma cancer diagnosis at 4. Years later, and with the addition of the family dog, things are much more peaceful. Since she would be at work while Emery attended school, this gave Samson the opportunity to head to Tailwind. It will be a mystery about how much time will pass when Emery is gone and in the new world, but he won’t stop thinking about her.

BETHANY “BERRY” AKRIDGE – Berry, and she always goes by Berry, is your typical, braced-face, slightly nerdy 13-year-old schoolgirl who is Emery’s best (human) friend. They got assigned seats next to each other in history class and both love the subject, so they easily hit it off. They’re the teacher’s pets in class and goof off virtually anywhere else. During the series, flashbacks will sometimes occur with Emery remembering shenanigans he and Berry got into. These flashbacks could either be helpful to the quests or just silly callbacks 

KEY LOCATIONS  

EMERY’S HOUSE -- Not seen at all except in the very beginning and end of the series, Emery’s house is one story in a neighborhood where the houses are spread pretty far apart. This gave Emery and Samson infinite room to run around and play while growing up. 3 people live in this house: Emery, his mom, and his dog. Samson sleeps in Emery’s room.

BARON MIDDLE SCHOOL – The middle school Emery and his friend Berry attend. This middle school will only be shown in flashbacks. It’s not very far from his house so Emery would walk there and back home, eager to greet Samson who’d wait in the yard for him.

RED CASTLE DOG PARK – The name of the dog park right near Emery and Samson’s house that they go to every day. There is no actual castle at this park and the name is purely coincidence, or it perhaps foreshadows the secret gateway hidden in the shady corner...

TAILWIND – This is the kingdom populated by domestic pets. It is heavily inspired by both Medieval European cities and their beautiful countrysides. The kingdom is built on a small rounded continent surrounded by water, but what is outside of the continent will not be explored in the first season(s) of the show.  The part of the kingdom closest to the castle is very citylike-- with cobblestone paths and complex buildings condensed together. As you move outward, you will come to find spacious farmland, dirt fields, and wild flora. Buildings become scarcer and more spread out in these areas. Finally, the coast is gorgeous and there are many harbors with boats. Fishing is a large industry for Tailwind as the main source of food for carnivorous pets. Unfortunately, fish will not be a represented pet.

BARKET SQUARE -- This is the location that Emery and Samson both find themselves when they first arrive. It is the largest market and public square constantly bustling with pets—day or night. Barket Square is circular with rings and rings of temporary stalls and carts selling all sorts of wares. The closer you get to the center, the more open it feels. This open paved space is reserved for performances and special events. The further you get to the edge of Barket Square is where you’ll find more permanent buildings, such as barbershops (or rather grooming salons), armories, booksellers, fortune tellers, and much more. There are certainly buildings all over the kingdom, but Barket Square is like a downtown. It’s where everything’s hopping.

BEADS’ TAVERN ‘N LODGINGS -- This is the inn that Beads owns and operates with the help of Chirpy and Samson. It’s a typical medieval inn with the downstairs containing a counter to order food or drinks and tables to sit at, and the upstairs containing multiple rooms travelers can rent out for the night. The inn is very rustic, mostly made from wood, and is always illuminated by firelight. Many pets who love this inn and Beads become regulars and love to spend time here, and many regulars also grew to love Samson. This inn will be shown occasionally when Samson’s side of the story is highlighted, but it will not be seen as often as Emery and his friends.

TAILWIND CASTLE – The castle is situated in the northern part of Tailwind. This castle is very straightforward in design and is surrounded by tall walls. However, the castle lobby is often open to visitors. The castle houses the five Council members and their families.

MISCELLANEOUS LOCATIONS – Many of the locations, besides the main ones described, will be one-time visits on adventures. These locations could be anything that could fit in a kingdom and fit a specific episode’s adventure, such as a bakery, auction house, apothecary, bookstore, the harbor, an open field, a restaurant, a mill, a playground, a music studio, and many more. Some of these locations could be brand new to Emery since he comes from modern times. 

BREAKDOWN OF A TYPICAL MID-SERIES EPISODE 

The cold open typically begins in the morning of a new day. Emery, Ikey, Shyla, and Reuben wake up at a different location than the previous episode since they spend most of the series nomadically exploring the kingdom. This could be anywhere—from a room at an inn or from camping under the stars. The characters will usually have some sort of humorous morning banter about breakfast or a random conversation topic.

In some verbal way, Emery will remind the audience that he is a human stuck in Tailwind and is looking for his dog, since some viewers may watch episodes out of order. They will then decide as a group where they will go next. This will usually be a place in the kingdom they have not checked yet. From there, the story will be launched. Often, they will come across a medieval noticeboard with a call for help or for a special event, which will encourage a fun episode adventure. Other times, they will just stumble upon colorful characters or conflict. The remaining episode will have typical plot development; with your rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Both humor and emotional moments will be evenly balanced.

At the episode’s end, there will be some form of reflection of the life lesson they learned or if they gained any valuable information about the world around them. The episode will typically take place over one day and end at nighttime when everyone is about to go to sleep. On rarer occasions, the episode might be a two-parter and end on a cliffhanger.  

SAMPLE EPISODES (WITH TITLES) 

PILOT – On one random school day, Emery arrives in the Kingdom of Tailwind. 

The pilot will be the most “different” episodes in both setting and structure. In the cold open, we catch a glimpse of Emery’s home life in the morning as he is getting ready for school. This will also include a scene with his prosthetic leg to further introduce the main character. Promising to take Samson to the dog park like always and hugging his mom goodbye, he is off to Baron Middle School. Later on, the school is dismissed early due to a school hazard and Emery returns in the afternoon. However, he sees Samson running away towards the dog park by himself! Worried for his dog, he chases after him and searches every corner of the park. Then, he takes one wrong step. Blackout. Now dazed and wondering if he had just passed out, Emery wakes up on the ground right in the middle of a market square. Shots of wagons, fruit stalls, and awnings are highlighted. Is this a dream about medieval times? Then, it is shockingly revealed that all of the villagers are domestic pets instead of humans. Emery gasps and frantically spins, catching the attention of many wary pets around him. He runs and knocks things over in his path. The rest of the episode will reveal more setting and focus on Emery’s many fearful thoughts about being stuck in this dreamlike place. Towards the end of the episode, he is approached by 3 new characters; the very first ones to ask if he is okay. Emery speaks to them and gets their names, and although they have no idea what a human is, they eventually decide to help him out. The series end reveals the entire series goal: Emery needs to find Samson. 

AQUE-WHAT? -- A town emergency is called when pets keep drinking from the aqueduct. 

Emery and friends find a new posting one day that shocks them: a dog and a turtle duo were caught trespassing to swim and drink at the top of one of the many aqueducts in the kingdom that distributes water. Pets in the kingdom are shocked, but Emery remembers learning about these systems in history class and can’t help but chuckle. It reminds him a bit of when Samson would drink from the toilet, even though he was never allowed to. Together, Emery and his friends find the two culprits and make sure they don’t repeat their actions. One of the council members could appear at the end to commend the team for their efforts. 

CAT’S CRADLE – The gang visit a weaver’s house and learn a new skill. 

Emery and friends stumble on a building with many medieval looms and seamstresses hard at work. Inspired by their curiosity, a kind cat decided to offer a free lesson to them in exchange for a few small chores, such as sorting fabrics. The four of them are hilariously awful at everything, but this starts to break Ike’s spirit. He blows up in anger and feels like he’s not good enough for this. The gang reassure him that it’s perfectly okay to be good at some things, but not as good at others. 

CAN O WORMS – Two bird siblings argue over small accident.  

Out in the farmlands, a two bird siblings get into a squabble about spilt seeds. While flying back from Barket Square with multiple baskets of sorted seeds, both are dropped all over a field by their house. They fight about whose fault it was (it was both of their faults). The gang is close by and offers to help the two birds pick up and sort the seeds out of pure kindness. They treat it as a friendly competition and see who can pick up and sort the fastest. Reuben the gecko wins, but everyone had fun while helping pets in need. In the end, everyone learned more about forgiveness after mistakes and about realistic sibling relationships. 

MASQUERADE “BALL” – Tailwind puts on a mysterious Masquerade Ball. 

Emery and his friends are super excited when they hear about a Masquerade Ball that the kingdom is hosting. Ike, Shyla, and Reuben have never heard of one so Emery explains what they usually consist of, or at least what he remembers from history class. The gang spends the entire episode getting ready and picking out fun masks, and Emery is extra hopeful his dog Samson will also be at this event. When they finally arrive, the party is odd. All the pets have masks and formal wear, but instead of traditional ballroom dancing, the entire floor is playing with all sorts of ball toys. Dogs are playing catch, cats are batting balls of yarn to one another, and even birds are flying above and kicking a ball around. Emery smiles wide at this amazing community of pets having so much fun and is so excited to join them, even though it’s so different from the norm. 

COME HERE, BOY – Emery finally finds who he’s been searching for. 

The second to last episode of the series. Emery and his friends have had so many adventures and begin to reminisce on all of them. They walk into Beads’ Tavern ‘N Lodgings, a far-off little building they haven’t been to yet, and this will connect the two sides of the story. Beads has never seen a human and asks Emery all sorts of questions like a chatty grandma. Chripy the kitten is also curious about him. Just as they’re getting comfortable, the door swings open to reveal Samson—who's standing upright and wearing an apron. Emery turns and his eyes grow wide with tears, and Samson is just as bewildered to see his boy in Tailwind. They embrace and Emery rambles about everything, especially asking about his dog’s new abilities. Emery’s friends wipe away their tears and Ikey makes a “I’m not crying, you are” tough-guy comment. The episode ends with Emery remembering what the council of 5 had told him. Once he found Samson, he needed to come to the castle. 

MY BEST FRIEND – Emery’s adventure comes to an end.  

The series finale. The reunion the series had been building up to had finally happened. Everyone was together. Now, they must take a trip to the castle to see what the Council wanted to say. When they get there, the viewers finally will see the Council all together for the first time, instead of individual members. Emery and Samson explain everything about where they came from and how they got to Tailwind. According to the Council, the gateway between worlds hidden in Barket Square was not supposed to be there whatsoever and this whole ordeal was a dangerous mistake. Samson profusely apologized about his back-and-forth travel and explained it was due to his love towards Beads, Chirpy, and his newfound life. The Council understood. They then explained that the two of them needed to return home so they could seal the gateway permanently, but before then, they had awards for Emery and his gang. For their bravery, generosity, and help they provided across the kingdom, Ikey was officially granted the highest knight ranking, which has been his biggest wish. Shyla, who now loved music, was offered a place in the royal orchestra that plays the biggest shows in the kingdom, and Reuben was also honored with an award and place among the nobles for his unwavering kindness. The three pets were honored and thought it over. From being outcasts to becoming an important member of Tailwind, it was a dream come true. However, they politely declined these promotions. They fell in love spending their days as nomads in the city helping those in need at ground level and want to do that forever. The Council smiled and accepted their decision. For Emery, he was awarded a medal of “paw”nor to take home for everything he’s done and the growth he’s had as a person. He was as happy as ever, but then looked at Samson and realized something that his gut had known since they reunited. He walked over to Samson and held his paws, asking him one final question: do you want to stay here, in Tailwind? Samson was silent for a while as Emery started sniffling. He explained that he knew he was an older dog at home and his time in that world was almost up. That he found a new life for himself here with new pets he loves, and that he can have a fresh start in a world he enjoys and belongs in. He made sure Samson knew that he appreciated everything he did for him growing and that he deserved this happiness after he gave Emery so much. That he would always be his best friend no matter where he was. Emery let Samson make his decision while they walked back to Barket Square where the hidden gateway was. Emery said one final goodbye to his new friends as they shared an emotional group hug. Emery, with the medal around his neck and a new sense of maturity and self, leapt through the portal with Samson to return to their mom. Once home, Lorine was worried sick they went missing, but she was also relived they were okay and Emery had Samson by his side (sort of). Suddenly, Samson began to talk which shocked Lorine. Emery couldn’t help but smile. They all sat down together and everything from the series was explained to his mom, and she believed it because of Samson’s ability to speak. This included the fact that Samson would leave and continue his second life in the kingdom. Emery and Samson said one final goodbye before Samson returned to Tailwind.

CREATOR CREDIT 

I have had a big love of animals for my entire life, and a handful of kids shows and movies already contain animal characters. In a similar vain to worldbuilding like Zootopia, I thought it would be unique to have a society centered around domesticated pet species (dogs, cats, reptiles, birds, and rodents) and explore how they would act given the opportunity to walk, talk, and thrive in a peaceful kingdom setting. Pets are a very universal subject matter for both kids and adults. Many people have them or want them. The love people have towards pets is akin to another family member, and every type of pet has its own quirks, which will be explored in the humanized characters themselves. I hope to create a show that won’t fall into the trap of becoming dated. A show about pets in a historical setting is timeless and appeals to anyone. This show is also somewhat dedicated to my 13 year old dog who has seen me grow up. He would love a kingdom like Tailwind.