DENVER -- Dozens of local actors hope a new television show could be their big break, despite a slumping economy and luke-warm attitudes toward anything not made in Hollywood.

"The acting talent pool, the writing talent pool here, I think, is very deep," said creator and director of "Good Grief," Craig Volk.

Volk spent 10 years writing in Hollywood for various TV shows, including "Northern Exposure."

"Working in Los Angeles though, it's creativity by committee. And that really doesn't work," Volk said. "Creative ownership. That's what I was more interested in."

Now an assistant professor of theater, film and video production at the University of Colorado Denver's College of Arts & Media, Volk got help with the script from his students.

The entire seven-episode pilot was shot on campus at the Tivoli building this summer.

"The financial end of it is not there now. But I believe that once you create something that identifies an audience, then the economic benefits will come as well," Volk said.

With a relatively small budget of $30, 000 from Rocky Mountain PBS, Volk used all local actors, crew and musicians for the "dramedy" for a reason.

"There's something attractive about millions of people seeing something that you've done on network television. That's all changing. That model is going away," Volk said. The new reality he says is "work that could reach a mass audience at a regional level, meaning here in Denver, on an ongoing basis."

Lovie Johnson is one of the aspiring, local talents.

As Dr. Roderick Ormann, he plays the love interest for one of the three sisters that run the coffee shop where the show is based.

The show is his first shot at a real television role and came with long, 15-hour days.

"And especially trying to do production here in Colorado is a challenge. But, there's something here. There's something great here. It just needs to be tapped into," Johnson said.

There is hope the pilot will do well on PBS and draw interest perhaps, from a network.

"Good Grief" will target the younger 18- 34- year-old audience and will be available online and on mobile devices.

It will start airing Jan. 26, as state lawmakers consider another bill designed to lure more film productions to the state.

House Bill 1010 was introduced Jan. 7 and would offer film makers a 10 percent tax credit to make their films here.

Denver's mayor is already on board.

"I mean there's just a whole snowball effect. Having a strong film industry creates a strong economy," John Hickenlooper said.

Volk is also a supporter and hopes his own efforts will show Hollywood that worthwhile products don't have to be done by the sea.

"Good Grief" will air on Rocky Mountain PBS, Channel 6 Jan. 26- 30 at 10 p.m., then Feb. 2 and 3 to round out the seven-episode pilot.