“WHAT GOOD IS LIFE WITHOUT A SONG, WHAT WILL BE THERE WHEN ALL IS GONE
BUT A MELODY, THAT SWEET MELodY, IT SANG TO ME...”

Raised on a small farm in Mournville, musical savant Luke Collins faces terrible loss when at an early age he loses his beloved mom and mentor, the aspiring singer/ songwriter Theresa Collins; who, following her passing, appears before her him in the form of an imaginary songbird soaring the skies above.

Left alone with his emotionally blocked and financially struggling father farmer Gabe, Luke is told to put music, for which he has a natural gift, aside, in favor of his daily chores, because his future will be in farming.

But with the words of his mother’s lullaby, “If you can dream it you can be it,” resounding repeatedly in his ears, and an ability to effortlessly pick musical notes out of thin air, Luke can’t help but feel a calling far beyond the fields of Mournville.

“Trust in the music to show you the way, i just know, if
you can dream it you can be it, so keep dreaming away”

“Call me crazy, but what do I got to lose, now if God had a
plan making me a songman, I can't walk in someone else's shoes...”

“HERE IN TINSELTOWN ANYONE CAN FLOP, BUT IF YOU GO DOWN I'LL TAKE
YOU UP, LIFE IS GOOD, BUT YOU CAN DO BETTER...”

After another heated argument between father and son. Luke retreats to his room just in time to catch the end of his favorite TV show, The Tinseltown Sound. This time featuring the star guest and Luke's idol, the Svengali of music - Tony Cash.

Tony is announcing that $100,000 awaits the lucky winner of RATS, a widely popular music showcase held in the glitzy city of Tinseltown, where day after day young songwriters musicians and artists flock in pursuit of their dreams

Staring at the screen Luke has an epiphany. Winning RATS would not only save the farm from the ever luring bankruptcy, but bring Luke closer to the love of his life - music.

“WhERE WERE YOU, WHEN A HAIRBRUSH TURNED YOU INTO A STAR,
WHERE WERE YOU, HITTING HARD ON YOUR VERY FIRST AIR GUITAR...”

Luke immediately sends in his submission and waits impatiently by the mailbox. For days there is no response, Luke has almost given up hope when finally he discovers the answer from RATS, lying in the trash. “I was trying to save you some heartache,” Gabe mutters as Luke opens the letter. "I got in!" The boy exclaims.

Receiving the happy news of the upcoming audition is soured by Gabe’s complete unwillingness to support his son’s dream. Luke soon realizes that without Gabe’s help, he can’t even afford a bus ticket to Tinseltown, he is stuck in Mournville ...

“i WAS IN THE FRONT ROW WHAT A NIGHT WHAT A SHOW
WHEN THE MUSIC CAME TO TOWN”

Thankfully the ever present songbird brings Luke’s attention to the news of an upcoming local talent show. Winning it would give Luke enough money for the bus ticket. In the words of Tony Cash, ”Don’t just sing it, sell it,” Lukes decides to add pyro to his stage performance and accidentally sets the venue (the communal hay barn) on fire; leaving the already financially strained Gabe with another bill to pay.

“IS IT CAUSE I GOT A MOUTH JUST LIKE A SAILOR,
IS IT BECAUSE I NEVER THINK BEFORE I SPEAK...”

Luckily for Luke, Jesse, a tomboy looking woman running a junkyard takes pity on the young musician, and hands him the key to an old junker, along with the address of a distant nephew, who’s willing to house Luke while he’s in Tinseltown. Luke doesn’t even know how to begin to thank her. “Just go and make us proud,” she says.

With his big audition just days away, a beaming Luke rolls out of Mournville and begins the journey to the city of his dreams, his musical mecca, the city of razzle dazzle, luxury and excess - Tinseltown. The next day he arrives at East Starlight Boulevard, the backstreet of paradise!

“WorKING FOR WHAT’S DEAR TO ME
THIS LIFE AIN'T NO LOTTERY...”

Meanwhile the uncrowned ”King of Tinsel,” Tony Cash, his weaselly henchman Frank and one-hit-wonder singer Sky, are having a crisis meeting at Tony’s office in The Velvet Rope; a waterhole for day dreamers and has-beens.

Tony realizes that he has hit a dead end with Sky, who threatens to sign with his competitor Diamond Entertainment, unless, Tony comes up with a song in 48 hours for her to sing at the opening slot of RATS. Tony orders Frank to find him a songwriter, pronto, “or else you’ll never work in this business again,” he warns him.

“SUIT YOURSELF IF YOU FAIL, IF YOU END UP IN JAIL,
THE SOCIETY CAN REALLY GET COLD...”

Missing his early morning audition slot because a pesky raccoon steals his alarm clock (that actually did happen), getting his guitar stolen on the street, his truck towed and with no money in his pocket - Luke’s career in Tinseltown seems to be over before it ’s had a chance to begin.

But fate steps in and offers him a helping hand, or so it would seem, when Frank, who’s feverishly scouting the streets for new talent, spots Luke chasing his sheet music, as it flies out of his empty guitar case, which has been dumped on the side of the pavement. ”Are you a songwriter?” Frank asks. ”I was,” Luke sighs with regret.

“Fake it tiL YOU MAKE IT, TELL IT LIKE YOU SELL IT,
BLING IT LIKE YOU SING IT,
AND EVERYBODY GO BELIEVE...”

With nothing to lose, Frank decides to take a shot on the stranger in front of him, and minutes later the starstruck Luke is standing in front of his idol. The boy is speechless. Tony however, does not waste any time on chit chat and cuts straight to the chase. He expects a hit song to be delivered in less than 24 hours. Luke is in seventh heaven - this is his moment!

“SerVING BOTTLES EVERY NIGHT, IN A BRA THAT FITS TOO TIGHT,
SEXY SMILY SWAYING HIPS, ANYTHING TO MAKE SOME TIPS...”

Locked into a studio in the basement of The Velvet Rope, Luke feeling the new found pressure, suddenly suffers from writer’s block. Tinkering at a piano he can’t seem to get a note out. Instead he starts to wander around the club in hope of finding inspiration. He bumps into the poetic, dishwashing rapper Mike, the insightful jazz cat Reggie, before he is stopped in his tracks by an angelic voice, which appears to be coming from a small smokey podium, elevating a singing waitress - Lola.

“ONCE WE PASS THE LINE, HEAVEN COULD BE YOURs AND MINE
IT’S ON THE OTHER SIDE, DON’T LET IT GO WHILE WE DECIDE”

Luke soon discovers that though Lola’s been working at The Velvet Rope for three years, she has failed to catch the attention of Tony. Besides being a waitress, it turns out Lola is a brilliant lyricist. Now on the rooftop of The Velvet Rope, high above the noisy streets of Tinseltown, the two kindred spirits agree to write a tune that will change both of their lives forever.

“YOU'RE SO DIFFERENT YOU’RE SO LOVELY
SO PECULIAR AND SO BUBBLY....”

When Tony hears the new song he flips. Eager to share the good news with Sky, he jumps on the phone. Only to find out she's already made the switch to Diamond Entertainment. ”You’re too late Tony!” She says. With Sky out of the picture ”maybe Lola can sing it?” Luke suggests. And for a brief moment it seems like it will be Luke and Lola who will perform the song at the RATS. Luke and Lola are ecstatic.

“Just put your name on the dotted line
Stick with me and baby you'll be fine
Life is good but you can do better...”

However, it doesn’t t take long ’til Sky finds out that there’s a hit song that can put her back on top. Lola is quickly maneuvered out of the picture, while Luke is being smooth talked into signing a contract that not only gives Tony the rights to his music but removes Luke’s name as a songwriter. According to the fine print in the contract, the writing credit should go to the man who’s only written one song in his entire career, Tony Cash.

“GO AND SEE IT THROUGH WITH YOUR OWN EYES, A heart doesn't need good advice
A FOOL CAN STEAR IT OFF ITS COURSE AND KEEP THE WORLD FROM BEING YOURS...”

Separated from his love Lola, constantly pressured for new songs and asked to drop the farm boy look in favor of some city threads, Luke begins to lose himself. And worse when the song is premiered at the Tinseltown Sound, Tony claims to be the genius behind it, and an uncomfortable truth suddenly hits our hero. His music career has been completely crushed by his idol, a man he held in higher regard than his own father.

“YOU ONLY HAVE ONE LIFE TO LIVE, SO LIVE IT
WHATEVER YOU MAY HAVE TO GIVE, JUST GIVE IT...”

Back at the farm, Gabe has done some serious soul searching. While going through some old photos, he’s re-discovered some of Theresa’s songs, and come to the conclusion that he had no right to stand in the way of Luke’s dream, much less keep him from his music. Gabe's thoughts are interrupted by a phone call from a defeated Luke. He is on his way home, but the old truck has caved in and he is stranded in Ash Valley, half way to Mournville. Gabe rushes to his rescue.

”You were right dad, I don’t have what it takes to make it in Tinseltown.” There is an awkward moment of silence, and then Gabe gives his long gone son a hug.

“...AND MY FEAR HAD NO SAY
AT THE END OF THE DAY
I TRUST THE MUSIC TO SHOW ME THE WAY
I JUST KNOW
IF YOU CAN DREAM IT YOU CAN BE IT
SO I’M DREAMING AWAY”

“Let’s go back and fight for your dream” Gabe proclaims. ”Are you bonkers, I don’t even have a song to sing?” Luke responds. Gabe puts an old cassette in the stereo, to Luke’s amazement it’s a song his mother once wrote.

Theresa’s words from his childhood start to speak to Luke in a new way. Suddenly everything seems to be falling into place.
And this is where the real journey begins...