'GoFers' to be Israels-produced sitcom

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - One of the most well-known West Michigan businessmen has teamed up with a group of local students to develop what they hope will be the next, hot television sitcom.

Bob Israels, the owner of Israels Designs for Living, has had a dream, along with his Center for Emerging Enterprises, to team local college students together with prominent buisness people to create "the next big thing."

A total of 32 students from GVSU, Aquinas, Kuiper, and Cornerstone have teamed up with the center. The students will do everything from writing the budget to drafting the punchlines.

The team has already met, and plans are already underway.

The sitcom, called GoFers, will be a family-friendly comedy about a mom-and-pop delivery service. Producers think this will "stand out" because of its contrast to today's edgy content.

Most sitcom ideas don't even get to the pilot stage, and the ones that do, rarely last past the first episode.

But project director Denny Cuson, a former filmmaker at Steelcase, is not daunted by that fact.

"We've brought a lot of people together," said Cuson, "and if it fails, we still accomplished that, but we don't intend to fail."

Cuson is not worried all this is taking place outside of Hollywood. In fact, he sees it as more of a help than a hindrance.

"Made in the Midwest, made outside of Hollywood, made by a bunch of students, made by people who haven't done this before -- it's going to be a great story."

If all goes well, production for the first pilot could begin next year. If the pilot sells, the budget, with help from investors, will expand to produce about one dozen episodes.