An upcoming scripted web series about a group of High schoolers who play a TableTop Roleplaying Game to try and cope with their friend's recent suicide.
Episode 1
As a part of their premier the "Basements & Bugbears" team raised $1000 with Jasper's Game Day by hosting a celebrity D&D event to raise awareness and donations for suicide prevention on Saturday, February 20th. The event consisted of 3 games of Dungeons & Dragons streamed on twitch.tv/twentysidestoeverystory played by awesome creators and artists in the TableTop community such as NFL Player Travis Frederick;
Illustrator Bri Neumann; Podcasters Lauren Shippen, Andrew Strother, and Wes Cordell; Professional D&D players Vee Mus'e, Shareef Jackson, and Shannon Roby; and more!
How to Support Us
"Basements & Bugbears" episode 1 was filmed in early 2020 in the hopes of building support to film an entire season some day.
If you would like to support us in our endeavor to create an entire season of "Basements & Bugbears" share our pilot and spread the word! Tell your friends, family, and party members because the more people we have watching us the more we can prove this is a show people want to see.
If you or your company are interested in potentially working with or helping to sponsor our show you can find our contact information at the bottom of this page.
And make sure to follow us on social media for updates in our campaign to make this show a reality!
About the Show
Content Warning: Suicide, Bullying
Inspired by actual therapists who utilize the game Dungeons & Dragons with their patients, seven characters work through the grief they have over their friend's recent suicide via a fantastical game.
"Basements & Bugbears is not about uncovering the mystery of why their friend did what he did, but rather about the adventure of discovering something within oneself to move on."
-Writer, Jeff Athey
Ultimately, the show aims to shine a light on the potential for good that games can have on the world.
~Basements & Bugbears Official Poster
Episode 1 of "Basements & Bugbears" was filmed last February. Currently the B&B team is in the process of building an audience and connecting with professionals who would be interested in helping to make an entire season of this show a reality.
~Screenshot from Episode 1
In order to deliver an authentic narrative involving suicide in a way that supports suicide prevention and awareness "Basements & Bugbears" was developed in accordance with the National Recommendations for Depicting Suicide developed by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. The show also deals with issues such as teen mental health, the complexities of exploring and accepting queer identity, and, ultimately, the good that gaming can bring to those that immerse themselves in their stories.
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~Behind the scenes photo taken by Ramy Mam
Characters
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Caleb, The Game Master
Played by Jeff Athey
Now that his world’s been turned upside down by his best friend Aiden’s suicide, Caleb’s realizing he doesn’t know who he is, what he wants, or who to turn to. The only thing he’s sure of is that he’s hurting, and so are his friends.
The Game Master is responsible for the players’ and their characters’ safety. However, while they give a guiding hand, the players’ fates are in their own hands.
Emma, Enlana Elevir
Played by Jordan Cobb
Emma has been playing games with her friends for years and was the girlfriend Aiden who recently died by suicide. She wants to move past everything that has happened but has difficulty separating her feelings about Aiden and Aiden’s DnD character: Arlain.
The main tank engages the enemy first and keeps aggro on themselves no matter how many hits they take.
Devan, Quki Nathtari
Played by Dorothea Gloria
More than anything Devan wants her friends to be happy again, but she’s afraid that moving forward means leaving someone behind. Right now she feels paralyzed by her desire to make change and fear of making a mistake.
It’s the controller’s job to keep an eye on the battlefield and step in when necessary. They direct attention where it’s needed, deal damage when they can, and halt enemies in their tracks.
Ethan, Yael Henaff
Played by Jay Reum
In real life Ethan has difficulty connecting with others. He’s not sure how to handle his friend Aiden’s death in reality and wants to escape into his character that feels more capable of taking this on.
A jack of all trades but master of none, the flex doesn’t want to stop. They care about the adventure itself more than any one job and will do whatever it takes to keep the group going.
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Mia, Viessa Maraive
Played by Caroline Smith
Mia stands her ground even if the world is against her. While she doesn’t want to be shaken by Aiden’s death, what she finds most difficult right now is supporting her friends while staying true to herself and feels she might be losing her grip.
Though not always as sturdy as the main tank, it is the off-tank’s job to keep excess aggro away from the group. They specialize in distracting and kiting enemies away from their allies
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Mason, Adalis Faerona
Played by Issa Best
Mason feels guilty about what happened with Aiden. He desperately wants to feel better, but has difficulty opening up and addressing the hardest questions about himself.
A ranged DPS deals damage from a distance. They hit hard and are difficult to reach, but crumple fast if hit back. However, a good ranged DPS always has some tricks up their sleeve to slip away from danger
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Holly, Shayle Ovra
Played by Frankie Placidi
Holly wants to do the right thing, but doesn’t know how and often goes about it the wrong way. Despite this she still has a strong desire to break through barriers to make the world a better place.
Most melee DPS hit like a truck and deal damage up close and personal. However, they tend to be in close proximity to danger and need to be careful because if they become a threat, they might end up getting hit
The Story so Far
As part of the show's social media campaign, a precursor to the events of episode 1 was released in the form of text messages, social media posts, and even a change.org petition from the characters themselves. These were originally released in real time over the course of 7 weeks, but you can view all of them now right here and get caught up on why these 7 people come together to play this game.
Team
Cast, Crew, & Creative Team for Episode 1
Writer, Creator, Executive Producer, "Caleb"
Director & Producer
"Emma"
"Devan"
"Holly"
Makeup Artist
Assistant Camera
"Mason"
Sound Mixer/
Boom Operator
Camera Operator
Producer & Editor
Producer & Production Designer
"Ethan"
Cinematographer
Color Grader
Stills Photographer
"Mia"
Composers &
Sound Design
Gaffer
Continuity
Gallery
Screenshots
On Set Stills
By Ramy Mam
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