Gamer's Comedy Series Shows True Nerd Culture

The idea of a video gamer has come a long way from the pocket protector and glasses stereotype.

Gabriel Durán is a dedicated gamer who wants to show the life of actual gamer enthusiasts through his developing comedy series “Gamers.” His show’s script has recently been optioned by Amazon Studios for development.

Durán, a former resident of Amherst, said his new series offers a much more authentic look at the life of gamers transitioning into adult life. Here is the rundown:

“Four friends explore the changing landscape of urban post-grad life, struggling with relationships, shitty jobs, social gatherings, jealousy, loyalty, disdain for sports, and -of course- an overpowering addiction to video games.” (See the full summary in the attached PDF)

This first person take on gaming culture is a far cry from the geek stereotypes usually seen in the entertainment industry.

“We have the ‘Big Bang Theory’ type of nerd, but that is a caricature,” he said. “They portray nerds as having big black frame glasses, or not being socially capable, but those aren’t real people. They are paper cutouts. I am going for a much more realistic look at what kids are actually like going through that age.”

He has based his series on his own life and his group of friends, who would also know a thing or two about a Bahamut summon, the Konami Code or doing a barrell roll. Durán said that modern gaming is a huge industry, and having no shows about gamers is a missed opportunity.

“Gamers” will be designed much like The League on FX, where the show will certainly be influenced by its theme, but will appeal to non-gamers. Episodes will be designed around the video games the characters play, like Farmville convincing a character he can take over a community farm in real life.

The characters he developed are all based on his friends, and Durán would love to see the roles played by his peers at the Upright Citizens Brigade, an improvisational and sketch comedy group. 

His comedic writing style is heavily influenced by NBC shows like 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation. This talented young writer moved to Los Angeles two years ago to pursue his dream in screenwriting, which is likely on the fast track through something like Amazon Studios.

This particular studio is an Amazon.com division that develops comics, movies and television shows from online submissions and crowd-sourced feedback. If his film makes it through this stage in the process, it will likely join the lineup available through Amazon Instant Video.

“One of the great things about Amazon Studios is that they are a new venture,” said Durán. “There is a massive barrier of entry for new writers in Hollywood, and Amazon Studios is a way around that barrier. There is a huge talent pool that is being ignored”

His show will go through many revisions and rewrites before a pilot is filmed, which is enhanced by the studio’s more democratic take on developing entertainment. Every step of the process is open to the public for review and comment.

The pilot for “Gamers” should be finalized and ready for the next step in the spring. Durán is really hoping that his series wins the favor of both the studio and public for filming.

Gabriel Durán would like to thank his parents, teachers, writer’s group and gaming friends for helping him get to this point in his life. 

If you want to follow “Gamers,” you can find his development slate on Amazon Studios.