Production Company: Mythic Studios, ARP
Director, Writer and Producer: Daniel James Cox
Producer: Susan Schmidt
Associate Producer: Jib Khan
Full credits at bottom page

“Console yourself, please!” is a 6 minute CG animated short / proof-of-concept about two computer game characters: The quick-to-anger Cog and the more affable Turbine, who have been oddly paired together inside a next-generation gaming console. On call 24 hours a day, they quickly find out -- there's more to life than the game!

View the short / Proof-of-concept below

Cog & Turbine in CONSOLE YOURSELF, PLEASE! | 05:58

Posters

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Age demographic: 7 - 13
Episode length: 22 x 11 minutes

SERIES / FEATURE FILM

The comedic short is the first release from COX, MYTHIC STUDIOS and AVENUE ROAD PRODUCTIONS. We are looking for co-production partners to develop the property with, as we believe these characters, and the rich world they live in, would be very popular in their own streaming series, multi-platform game and feature film.

Like the short, the 3D animated television series would focus on these two misfit video game characters and their adventures inside a computer game console in which they live & work. On call 24 hours a day, we follow our heroes during their downtime and laugh at their antics which, more times than not, are due to their yearning to fit in and curiosity about the world outside the console headquarters, leading them into a ton of mischief.

CHARACTERS

COG is an adventurous and intelligent character, though he is emotionally brittle. He occasionally does show a softer side, mostly to Turbine when he's done something that wasn't well thought out. Cog can be daring, but is mostly just headstrong. He can be very intense and hyperactive when excited by something he likes, but also very cold and shrewd about achieving his lofty aspirations. He has a major case of 'short robot' syndrome.

TURBINE is a cheerful, good-natured character. His usual disposition is carefree, magnanimous, and generally detached. When it comes to work though, he is a perfectionist and has never been late to work. Physically, he is barrel-chested, and although about three times as large as Cog, tends to get led around by his smaller, but more manipulative friend. He is also easily distracted, something which is an annoyance to Cog and his gaming floor foreman 'Betty Boss'. His favorite thing to do is have an oil bath.

SUPPORTING CHARACTERS

BETTY BOSS is the demanding foreman on the XP-10 gaming floor. She is a straight-talking and serious character, always quoting the “XP-10 video game character handbook”. Omni-present throughout XP-10 City, she invariably ends up, much to her chagrin, involved in some harebrained plot or misadventure with her annoying subordinates.

SOCKET is the arch-nemesis of Cog & Turbine, and inside the game he is the leader of an evil space-force, hell-bent on conquering the universe. Outside the game, Socket is comically nervous, malcontent, and an oddball. His main motivator is that he has become sickly envious that Cog & Turbine are the stars of the game, and that invariably Socket must fail so the user can win. This irks him to the point of being manic, and his jealousy has consumed him. He is overly flamboyant which hides his insecurities. Every waking minute is spent trying to work out a way that Cog & Turbine can (finally!) lose.

11 EPISODE SYNOPSIS EXAMPLES

S1:E1 “RATED M FOR MATURE”
Cog & Turbine are sent to a ‘sensitivity’ training seminar when their game is rated as “too violent” by the Internal Game Code Authority. While there, Cog becomes hypnotized. At first, everyone likes the gentle Cog, but when he begins to uncontrollably cry in the middle of a game level (after seeing a pretty flower), Betty Boss and Turbine rush him back to the seminar. Soon he is back to his same old self, but with a new addition... The footage of him crying has gone viral and he will never live it down!

S1:E2 “THE IDOL MAKEOVER”
At a reunion for retired video game characters, Cog arranges for Turbine to meet his childhood idol, ‘Donald Donkey’. But much to Cog’s dismay, Donald is washed up and living like a vagabond. Not wanting to end up like his hero, Cog decides to help him. After a makeover and several long training sessions, he showcases the new Donald. But the limelight goes to Donald’s head, when he becomes impossible to work with and no one pays attention to Cog anymore! Irritated, Cog tricks Donald into taking a job with Socket, which leaves Cog free to be the center of his own world again. Turbine thinks this was the best birthday ever!

S1:E3 “YOU GOT THE BONUS LEVEL, BABY!”
When Cog & Turbine stumble upon a theme park level in the middle of a game, a glitch traps them inside! At first, they try to return to headquarters, but soon embrace the theme park life and end up having so much fun that they overstay their welcome. When Betty Boss appears in the bonus level to bring them back, she ends up stuck in the level too... with her two most annoying employees!

S1:E4 “THE CONSOLE OLYMPICS”
It’s time for the CONSOLE OLYMPICS! An epic event where all the best players from different consoles compete! But this year Cog & Turbine are the only choices to represent their console when all the top players get a virus. After comedically eliminating most of the competition, Cog & Turbine compete for the winning spot. They are so busy fighting each other that an unnoticed and non-intimidating character wins! Cog & Turbine are very upset until they are handed a second and third-place trophy. Now to fight over who gets which one!

S1:E5 “THE TRAINEE”
Cog & Turbine train the next batch of console characters but the trainees are hopeless! They joke around, break everything they touch, and can’t jog for two seconds before needing to lay down. Cog grows angry at their lack of progress, and the power quickly turns him into a dictator, with Turbine as his second in command. Not wanting to work hard anymore, the trainee’s revolt. Cog is left alone when Turbine joins the mutiny, and soon, Cog must flee the army that he helped create. He is proud of how far they’ve come. If only he hadn’t taught them how to run so fast!

S1:E6 “CABIN FEVER CONSOLE”
When a new version of their game is announced, Cog & Turbine are determined to make it epic and go to a remote location to write. But when Turbine doesn’t take the writing process seriously, Cog refuses to sleep a wink until inspiration strikes, and a bout of cabin fever is the final straw that leads them to attack each other, Cog & Turbine go back to headquarters with no ideas. That is until their explanation over what happened inspires the game, “Cabin Fever Console,” the new big hit!

S1:E7 “THE RETIRED FACTOR”
The news of Cog & Turbine’s game console being retired is leaked, causing widespread panic. What will happen to them when the cord is pulled? A countdown clock begins and having nothing left to lose, Cog & Turbine go on a crazy adventure, spend all of their savings, confess to past mistakes, and watch the final seconds while crying and holding each other tightly. As the clock strikes zero, nothing happens! It wasn’t retiring – it was just an update. We are ruined!

S1:E8 “TURBINE: THE COMIC BOOK”
Cog hates comic books and his hatred only grows when he discovers an issue starring Turbine! Enraged that he has been overlooked as a potential star, Cog visits the comic book publisher and demands to be included. But when they reject him for not having “the look” Cog buys up all the existing issues and stores them in his garage. But his plan backfires when Turbine is offered a series due to all of the books being sold out! Soon Turbine has his face everywhere; billboards, websites, ads, and more! Cog takes to the mountains to escape and finds peace… that is until a small robot boy gives Cog a comic —El Turbino! Turbine has gone international!

S1:E9 “COG & TURBINE: THE MOVIE”
Cog & Turbine learn that a movie is being made about them. But quickly discover that some big-shot movie stars who’ve never done a day of gaming work in their lives will be playing them in the movie. After begging to be included, Cog & Turbine end up playing their own stunt doubles. Determined to get the actors fired, they sabotage the whole production. Instead of being promoted, the movie is canceled and they are blacklisted from Hollywood.

S1:E10 “AN OFFICE JOB”
After a particularly painful game level, Cog & Turbine have had enough of being punching bags. They complain to Betty Boss, who responds by demoting them to desk jobs. There, they have to deal with a rude boss - really Socket in disguise. After working long hours, being forced to shop for Socket and do all his chores, they beg Betty Boss for their jobs back. But she won’t agree unless Socket gives them a reference. Looks like they will be stuck at their desk jobs for a while!

S1:E11 “MUSICAL MASTER”
Cog & Turbine’s game is given a musical makeover. At first, they love the idea and conquer the first level with ease. But when Turbine realizes that he can’t keep a beat, he is forced into dance training while Cog becomes the number one player in the game. After several accidents, where Turbine trips over his feet and knocks over his other classmates, he realizes that although he can’t dance - he can sing! With this new achievement unlocked, Turbine becomes the number one pick for all the musical levels, leaving Cog as the number two player again.