52 Card Pickup
CRIME DRAMA MEMOIR SUSPENSE / THRILLER YOUNG ADULT DRAMA CRIME ROMANCE ADVENTURE
1980s & '90s,20th Century (multiple decades),2000s
Christopher McVicker
Logline
Inside my book you will find a love story. Her name is Rene. People tell me I’m crazy. I have seen institutions from the inside, been in a coma, on life-support, know what a straitjacket looks like, and been the specimen inside a glass cage. Inside my book you will find a love story?
Genre
Crime, Drama, Memoir, Suspense / Thriller, Young Adult,Drama,Crime,Romance,Adventure
Short Summary
My saga unfolds aboard a runaway train riding upon trackless rails, absent of depots, no turnstiles, zero direction, and without a destination. Mayhem, deceit, sickness, and deception fuel the locomotive aimlessly along.
Setting
United States
Based on a True Story
Yes
Plot - Premise
Overcoming Monster/Villain
Plot - Other Elements
Meaningful Message, Philosophical Questions
Mature Audience Themes
Extreme Violence, Language/Profanity, Sexual Abuse, Substance Abuse, Language/Profanity,Substance Abuse,Sexual Abuse,Nudity
Main Character Details
Name: Crisp
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Sarcastic, Adventurous, Badass, Crazy, Criminal, Faithful, Lone Wolf, Aggressive, Empathetic, Villainous,Crazy,Desperate,Villainous,Sarcastic,Lone Wolf
Additional Character Details
Name: No-Hands
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Role: Sidekick
Key Traits: Empathetic, Engaging, Secretive, Seductive, Lone Wolf, Naive, Beautiful, Crazy, Desperate, Power-hungry, Aggressive, Aspiring, Blunt, Clumsy, Perseverance, Unapologetic, Insecure, Outspoken, Underdog, Charming, Complex, Confident, Criminal, Decisive, Heartthrob, Manipulative, Romantic, Sarcastic, Badass, Faithful, Funny, Religious, Sexy, Uneducated, Villainous,Underdog,Religious,Clumsy,Modest,Obedient,Insecure
Additional Character Details
Name: Bird
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Role: tempter
Key Traits: Adventurous,Badass
Additional Character Details
Name: Rene
Age: 30
Gender: Female
Role: emotional
Key Traits: Charming,Empathetic,Gracious,Naive,Romantic
Genre
MATURE AUDIENCE, DRAMA
Brief
A series of snapshots detailing the downward path of addiction and the fight back to the surface. It is switched around between different points in the timeline to mimic the mix up in chronology the addict is used to experiencing. Through luck the protagonist is sparred long lasting legal or physical complications unlike many others just like him.
Overall Rating
FAIR
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: FAIR
Characterization: FAIR
Commerciality: FAIR
Franchise Potential: FAIR
Pace: FAIR
Premise: FAIR
Structure: FAIR
Theme: FAIR
Accuracy of Book Profile
The profile helps explain the structure and character of the story. However the logline is more a dedication of the story rather than summarizing the premise of the narrative.
Draw of Story
The structure is interesting in that it splices unconnected moments together which creates a disorientation similar to drug use as to which is the thematic link of the piece about addiction.
Possible Drawbacks
It is difficult to follow the protagonist's inner conflict and transformation with the same structure. The external changes are able to be followed a bit better based on the point of addiction, but it is still hard to follow the themes of the moments chosen in how they are grouped.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY RELIES A LITTLE BIT ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
The hook is that the story is told through moments that are like a crystal ball snapshots rather than a continuous story. The vignettes are split like a deck of playing cards into different unconnected sections. It is disorienting on purpose.
Fanbase Potential
The experimental nature of the drama is likely to draw a smaller audience or be limited those able to appreciate the aesthetic and themes over a linear plot.
Awards Potential
This deals with addiction so may help gain notice for awards, but the inner conflict would have to be more clear and the themes consistently building throughout the different non-linear timeline to make the story be more easily followable.
Envisioned Budget
MEDIUM BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, MOMENTO, BEAUTIFUL BOY, BLACK SWAN, A BEAUTIFUL MIND, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST
What’s New About the Story
The originality stems from the non-linear shuffle of events that detail Crisp path to addiction and loss and his way back to himself. By linking the choices thematically the moments will make better sense being linked together even if the narrative is scattered.
Lead Characters
Crisp is philosophical but empty and desperate however he is also resilient by the end.
Uniqueness of Story
The structure is unique as a shuffled deck of cards but can be hard to follow in terms of character development.
Possible Formats
Film - Streaming, Film - Indie, Film - Studio
Analyst Recommendation
WORK IN PROGRESS
Justification
While the story has many positive points, it has room for improvement (see possible paths below). If you can't change the story at this point, my suggestion is using your notes as a guide to highlight the best aspects of it when taking the next steps, either putting a pitch page together, a treatment, or a presentation.
Tips for Improvement
This structure seems better suited for theater as theater is the best at depicting isolation which is one of the main components of addiction. Making the characters inner conflicts more easily followed, even though the eternal conflict is out of order, would help join them thematically.