This story originally appeared in our May 27-June 9 print edition. Check out the edition online here and find where you can get a print edition near you here.
Welcome back to The Heart of the Queen City.
Over the last few months, we’ve flipped over rocks throughout the city, shining lights on local legacies, character-defining diversity and the community staples that put us on the map. Today, I want to take a slightly different look. One that shows the forward-thinking innovation underway in the creative corners of this town.
As a writer, I spend the majority of my time bumping elbows with creatives. Some are artists, others are craftsmen and a select few find a way to put it all together into something completely different in the best way. As was the case when I crossed paths with John Thompson and Simion Collins. During our conversation, John told me about a script idea that they were in the process of turning into a microseries to be shot in Cincinnati, called “Coworking”. It sounded incredible, except for one small detail I was missing: what the hell is a microseries?
They enlightened my ignorance by informing me that a microseries is a serialized, narrative video format featuring one- to three-minute episodes, shot vertically for mobile-first viewing. Picture a bite-sized sitcom designed to be watched on social media. I’d never heard of anything like it, so naturally, I needed to know more. They explained that the series itself was specifically chosen to be placed in Cincinnati because their goal was to capture the grit and tenacity of the creative community in town. After hearing that, they became a perfect fit for this Heart of the Queen City series.
No spoilers (you’ll have to watch for yourself), but the series documents the lives of a local business operating out of a coworking space that has been overrun by an agency out of New York. Similar thematically to “The Office,” but vastly different by putting the focus on the coworking space. As someone who has spent my fair share of time in coworking spaces, I cannot wait to watch. Coexisting with other businesses under the same roof creates any number of hilariously chaotic situations. I still remember the day a case of Heineken 0.0 non-alcoholic beers was dropped off at our doorstep at 10 a.m. on a Monday from our new neighbors. You really haven’t lived until you’ve slammed several Heinekens at your desk before lunch, but that’s a story for another day.
As our conversation came to a close, they were kind enough to invite me out to their script reading so I could meet the cast and get a tangible idea of the world they were building. It was invigorating. From lifelong actors writing the next chapter of their careers to a handful of local creatives trying their hand at acting in this capacity for the first time. All with one common goal: to create something undeniably special for the Cincinnati community and beyond to rally around.
Choosing such an eclectic range of talent is a choice that is certain to give this story the heart it needs to be successful. They’ve also done the legwork to establish partnerships with some of Cincinnati’s greatest businesses that will be featured throughout the city. Seeing a Rhinegeist beer in a proper piece of media like this is going to hit differently.
The thing I respect the most about this series is the determination to cut through the red tape found in average independent film scenes to do something different. It’s a forward-thinking vehicle about the forward-thinking concept of coworking spaces that captures a certain sector of the city in a way that no other art could. Do I want to support this project because it was shot in town by people that I enjoy? Yes. Is it also a creative achievement that I am proud to recommend specifically for its quality? Also yes.
As a Cincinnatian, it has broadened my perspective of what it means to support local. It goes far beyond where you buy your candles and groceries. It’s every bit as much about supporting projects like these. I think of this series like FC Cincinnati. A completely new concept that does the work to earn the support of the Cincinnati faithful.
When I began this series, I quoted Mark Twain when he said, “When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Cincinnati because it’s always 20 years behind the times.” Projects like these are conclusive proof of the contrary. It’s revolutionary. It’s memorable. And most importantly, it’s full to the brim with soul. When you think of stories that hit the Heart of the Queen City, you can’t ask for more.
This article appears in May 27 – June 9, 2026.