EXCLUSIVE: IMDb TV, Amazon’s free ad-supported streaming service, is developing Bright Young Things, a half-hour drama series from Spinning Out creator Samantha Stratton. Amazon Studios produces in association with Westbrook Studios, the production division of Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith’s media company.
Written by Stratton, Bright Young Things centers on Ellie Brown, a 15-year-old girl from a working-class town in West Virginia who earns a scholarship to the most elite boarding school in the country. When idealistic Ellie realizes the deck is already stacked against her, she finds herself lying, cheating, and stealing her way through the hallowed halls of the school — anything to claim a piece of the American dream denied to her friends and family back home.
Stratton serves as showrunner and executive produces with Terence Carter and David Boorstein of Westbrook Studios. Jesse Uram will serve as producer.
Stratton created, executive produced and showran the Netflix figure skating drama Spinning Out. She previously served as a producer on Audience Channel’s Mr. Mercedes. Prior to that, she worked on E!’s The Arrangement and TBS’ Search Party. She also staffed on TNT’s Agent X, NBC’s State of Affairs, as well as CW’s Star-Crossed.
Westbrook Studios recently received a two-season order from Peacock for Bel-Air, a dramatic reboot of Will Smith’s iconic comedy series The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. The series is being written and directed by Morgan Cooper, the filmmaker whose short fan film garnered Smith’s attention when it went viral.
Stratton is repped by ICM Partners, Industry Entertainment, and Adam Kaller/Duncan Hedges at Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller & Gellman.
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