What is FAM BAM?

FAM BAM is a half-hour TV pilot, part of a 6-episode series, that we are making independently, with your help! We are planning to shoot for 3 days in Los Angeles in the Spring of 2026.

What is FAM BAM about?

Tala and J.R. haven’t spoken in years. When their father dies, they reunite to clean out the house, only to discover he was a philanderer who also left the house to three other kids they never knew existed.

One by one, the half-siblings arrive—each with their own baggage, secrets, and a wildly different version of who their father was. It’s about family, sure, but more than that, it’s about what we carry: the stories we tell ourselves, the roles we outgrow, and the wounds we pretend don’t hurt.

By the end of the pilot, they may not love each other... but they’re stuck with each other. And maybe, just maybe, that’s the start of something real. 

Why am I making FAM BAM?

Filipino-Americans are one of the largest immigrant populations in the U.S.—yet their stories remain nearly invisible in scripted television.

FAM BAM fills that gap not with a lecture, but with a messy, hilarious, deeply human story.

And while we’ve seen immigrant stories before, we haven’t seen many about their children who were born in America. FAM BAM tells the story of the children of immigrants, the second generation. Second-generation kids who are now adults, trying to find their own identity. Honoring the struggles and sacrifices of their parents, while also finding and honoring their own path. Can they be grateful, but also pissed? Can parents be heroic, but also kind of bad?

The second generation makes up a significant part of the U.S. population, with one of the largest groups being Filipino. This is a show about inheritance—not just houses and heirlooms, but trauma, expectations, and unspoken history.

And in a moment when we’re all asking where we come from—and what we carry with us—this show answers: probably a lot more than you packed. 

What is independent TV? Why are we making it independently?

The independent film model has worked for decades. And now, in an industry overrun by remakes, reboots, intellectual property, and the same handful of movie stars, it is prime time to apply that same independent model to television. By self-financing outside of the studio system, we have complete creative control, then can take it to festivals or straight to streamers and networks with the intent to license or sell.

I am done waiting for permission and approval. I am done trying to prove myself and the audience this is for. I want to make this and I want it to be seen and I want whatever happens to be all the proof that anyone needs.

THE CHARACTERS

TALA (played by Charlene deGuzman)

Guarded, self-aware, and allergic to bullshit. Tala left home early and stayed gone—until her father’s death forces her back. She’d rather ghost her feelings than confront them, but something about this house (and these people) won’t let her off the hook. She’s trying not to repeat the past. Which would be easier... if she weren’t living in it.

J.R. (played by Rene Gube)

Tala’s older brother and the family’s charming fixer. J.R. stayed behind, played it cool, and avoided anything that required emotional effort. But grief has a way of cornering you, and his carefully curated bachelor life doesn’t fit so well in a house full of siblings, secrets, and secondhand grief. His motto? “I’m fine.” (He’s not.)

RODERICK (played by Eugene Cordero)

Big heart, big energy, even bigger dreams—most of which he abandoned to care for his mom. He’s trying to find his way back to himself (with occasional detours through reality competition show auditions and bad job interviews). Roderick is the sibling most eager for this new family to work... and the one most likely to start a group karaoke night no one asked for. 

EVELYN

Polished, practical, and repressed in ways even she hasn’t fully unpacked. A recently single mom, Evelyn’s the type who brings laminated schedules to family meetings—and then quietly spirals when things go off-plan. She’s spent her whole life trying to be the “perfect daughter.” Too bad she was always a secret. 

DONOVAN

Precocious, skeptical, and older than his years. Donovan’s spent a lot of time being let down by adults—and he’s not convinced these new ones will be any different. But he’s curious. Quietly brilliant. And deeply protective of his new niece, Jasmine, even when she’s roasting him in two languages. 

JASMINE

Seven going on thirty. Evelyn’s fearless daughter, Jasmine sees everything, hears everything, and is absolutely not fooled by any of these so-called grown-ups. She’s funny, fierce, and operates with a ruthless sense of logic. If there’s one person keeping this family honest, it’s her. 

TONE AND VISUAL STYLE

FAM BAM is funny, raw, and emotionally grounded—living where humor and heartbreak meet, and where grief comes with a punchline. Think Ramy, Dave, Reservation Dogs, Insecure, and Master of None.

Unafraid to be quiet, weird, warm, and brutally honest.

Visually, it’s intimate and naturalistic, with flourishes that reflect each character’s inner world—voiceover, memory flashes, stylized transitions, and surreal moments that show how they remember the past—not just how it happened.

How can you help?

Help us reach our goal of $50,000! Donate to our campaign, share it with everyone you know, and hit that FOLLOW button for updates. Every dollar helps, and will go into helping us with everything we need to make a good TV show: cameras, lights, sound, equipment, locations, production design, costumes, makeup, hair, food, the crew, our cast, and everything in between. We are making this on a very low budget, so all of our producers will be all hands on deck. Your help has a HUGE impact on our production!

And if we can surpass our goal? That money could help us with the many, many post-production needs. So let's get there! WE ARE ALL FAMILY NOW!