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LOGLINE: 

After accepting an overseas job offer for a virus repellent research, professor Gustav, a quirky European scientist, faces the culture shock of the local environment in Singapore. IMDb

Prof Gustav is an established character that shows up in the multi awarded short films Operation Banana, the Formula and Dawn of Spectral Darkness. as well as in series of comical sketches available in English, Spanish and Romanian. For a deeper understanding of the character please click here.

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Pitch

Local-ized is a unique and hilarious fish-out-of-water comedy that  revolves around Prof Gustav, a quirky Romanian scientist who travels to Singapore after receiving a very attractive job offer as a team leader, and his new co-workers, Olga, beautiful and intelligent, William, the former team leader replaced by Gustav, Lydia, the beautiful intern, Sam, the guy for everything and the Boss, a peculiar guy who, despite having a goofy appearance, acts like a gangster.

Set primarily in the colorful and fast-paced world of modern-day Singapore, the story takes place largely at FARC (Formulas and Antidotes Research Center), an upstart research lab on the cutting edge of scientific breakthroughs but brimming with eccentric personalities.

The protagonist, Gustav, is a socially inept but brilliant scientist from Romania who specializes in creating unique formulas. His intelligence is matched only by his awkwardness, leading to constant humorous misunderstandings as he acclimates to life in Singapore.

Gustav's coworkers at FARC include the intelligent and alluring Olga, who finds herself strangely attracted to Gustav; the friendly and laid-back Sam; the sweet and loyal Lydia; and William, the former lead researcher with a jealous streak. Overseeing them all is the wealthy and eccentric Boss, whose antics constantly keep the team on their toes.

The story kicks off when Gustav is hired by Boss to come work at FARC in Singapore to help develop a groundbreaking virus repellent. As Gustav struggles to fit in and understand the local customs, he discovers that his work is being mysteriously altered.

With help from his coworkers Olga, Sam, and Lydia, Gustav races to find the reason while cracking the scientific formula, all while navigating the crazy world of Boss and his oddball family. But a weekend trip to Coney Island leads Gustav, first, to become hopelessly lost, adding to his series of comic misfortunes, and, second, to witness the revelation of the ghost that apparently inhabits his apartment.

As Gustav grows closer to his new friends and makes progress on the virus repellent, the alteration on his work intensifies, forcing the team to confront the possibility that one of their own is sabotaging the work. The story delves into the complicated pasts and motivations of the characters, particularly William.

It's ultimately revealed that William was behind the sabotage all along, acting out of jealousy and pain after the loss of his sister Sharma. But Gustav's scientific breakthrough with the virus repellent and his compassion towards William allows the team to heal and move forward together.

At its heart, Local-ized is a story about misfits finding a place to belong, and learning to embrace each other's quirks and differences. It's a celebration of geek culture wrapped in a cross-cultural adventure that highlights the humor and warmth that can be found in life's awkward moments.

With its quirky characters, fish-out-of-water premises, and comedic take on the sci-fi genre, Local-ized is perfect for fans of shows like The Big Bang Theory or The IT Crowd. International audiences will appreciate the way it pokes good-natured fun at cultural differences while showcasing the vibrant world of modern Singapore through an entertaining story filled with humor, heart, and a little bit of science.

Synopsis

Local-ized is a quirky comedy with sci-fi elements that follows a socially awkward Romanian scientist named Gustav as he navigates the cultural differences and humorous mishaps of working in Singapore. With a lighthearted tone reminiscent of The Big Bang Theory, the story pokes fun at stereotypes while exploring deeper themes of friendship, jealousy, and letting go of the past.

The story begins with Gustav, a brilliant but eccentric scientist, living in a basement in Spain and working on various unusual formulas. Down on his luck and out of money, he jumps at the chance to work for Boss, the wealthy owner of a research lab in Singapore called FARC (Formulas and Antidotes Research Center). Boss hopes Gustav can help FARC develop a virus repellent.

Upon arriving in Singapore, Gustav struggles to adapt to the local customs and way of life, leading to many humorous cultural misunderstandings and awkward interactions with his new coworkers - the friendly Sam and Lydia, and the intelligent Olga, who seems strangely drawn to Gustav. However, Gustav soon discovers that his work has been mysteriously altered.

As Gustav races to uncover the mystery of his work alterations and crack the formula with help from Olga, Sam and Lydia, he must also navigate the eccentric antics of Boss and his parents. A weekend outing with Olga to Coney Island results in Gustav getting lost while chasing a butterfly, adding to his string of comedic misfortunes in Singapore.

However, Gustav's adventures intensify when his old rented apartment is revealed to be a place inhabited by a ghost, which manifests itself in front of him and Olga after their visit to Coney Island in a chilling way.

The story takes a turn when it is revealed that William, the former lead investigator, was behind not only the sabotage all along but also the ghostly appearance of Gustav's flat in a desperate attempt to make Gustav leave Singapore. 

Jealous of Gustav replacing him and Olga's apparent infatuation with the new scientist, William tampered with Gustav's work in an attempt to discredit him, acting out after the tragic loss of his sister Sharma, who is nothing less than the ghost of the haunted apartment.

The Spirit of Sharma however, after trying to scare Gustav and Olga, realizes that they have no bad intentions towards William and decides, in return, to explain to them the terrible experience that William went through during the last two years.

In a triumphant moment, Gustav finally cracks the code for the virus repellent formula, which he names Virepell. William's deception is exposed and Boss fires him, but at Gustav's urging, agrees to still credit William for his contributions. The team celebrates as Virepell becomes a massive global success and William is back in the team.

As Gustav prepares to return to Spain, Boss surprises him at the airport with news of a new secret project and convinces him to stay in Singapore. The story ends with the team heading off together on a new adventure, having grown into a tight-knit group of friends bonded by their experiences.