Hayward's Revenge
Submision Type
book
Logline
After a child is nearly murdered, she and her mother flee, pursued by a shadowy figure, a chase that leads to an abandoned lighthouse. There, they face down an ancient evil with the help of two mysterious strangers.
Genre
Action,Horror,Suspense/Thriller,Fantasy
Short Summary
Leah MacKenzie and her mother, Dana, live an idyllic life in Illinois until a runaway car careens across their lawn, nearly killing Leah—a bungled attempt at murder. Now, they’re on the run, pursued by the same shadowy figure who killed Dana’s mother two years before.
Setting
Door County, Wisconsin
Based on a True Story
No
Plot - Premise
Overcoming Monster/Villain
Plot - Other Elements
Twist
Mature Audience Themes
Language/Profanity
Main Character Details
Name: Lachlan Hayward
Age: 1300 years-old
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Modest,Complex,Decisive,Selfless,Empathetic,Skillful,Gracious,Honorable,Strong Moral Code,Educated,Leader
Additional Character Details
Name: Leah MacKenzie
Age: 5 (acts and speaks more like an 8-9 year-old)
Gender: Female
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Empathetic,Selfless,Skillful,Educated,Honorable,Flexible,Gracious,Heroic,Naive
Additional Character Details
Name: Kiera O'Donnell
Age: 42
Gender: Female
Role: protagonist
Key Traits: Confident,Skillful,Adventurous,Complex,Decisive,Empathetic,Selfless,Outspoken,Educated,Honorable,Leader
Additional Character Details
Name: Willow Monroe
Age: 44
Gender: Female
Role: sidekick
Key Traits: Adventurous,Sexy,Complex,Skillful,Romantic,Empathetic,Flexible
Genre
ACTION, FANTASY, DRAMA
Brief
Leah and her mother must go on the run from a mysterious shadowy threat that tries to kill Leah. They end up arriving at a lighthouse where for the first time Leah meets others who have psychic abilities like her. The two immortals and some scientists team up with Leah and her mother in order to defeat the threat, however not all survive the final showdown.
Overall Rating
FAIR
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: FAIR
Characterization: FAIR
Commerciality: FAIR
Franchise Potential: GOOD
Pace: FAIR
Premise: FAIR
Structure: FAIR
Theme: FAIR
Accuracy of Book Profile
For the most part the book profile does reflect the narrative although the development pitch is somewhat confusing. However the character details list Lachlan as the protagonist and do not include Leah and yet Leah is the focus of the narrative itself, logline, short summary and development pitch. By making Leah part of the character description and or changing the profile to be centered around Lachlan, the information would be more cohesive. The development pitch could also focus more on the book at hand rather than the series, as the information is not apparent to an audience who just experiences the single book rather than the series. Talking about specifically unique action moments could also help this section in order to sell why the narrative is original.
Draw of Story
Leah's doesn't understand her powers and thus when she is thrust into the supernatural world she is both an under-prepared child but also relieved to have others like her so she is not alone.
Possible Drawbacks
Sometimes when the characters are waiting for conflict to occur, the point of view switches while waiting for the same moment. This slows down the pacing and sticking to one perspective per mini-conflict before the big battle and in reflecting on the events would cause less dips in momentum.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY RELIES HEAVILY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
The hook is that Leah is both running from a threat and searching for a serial killer with the team of psychics. She is supported by powerful women and immortal men that bring complex backstories with each character.
Fanbase Potential
This could have a medium fanbase given it is an action film, but also has supernatural elements. The gaelic elements provide a fresh take on the supernatural genre and generate a bigger audience but could also fluctuate as niche.
Awards Potential
Given its action and fantasy cross-genre appeal, this is unlikely to garner serious awards circuit nominations but might gain attention in smaller awards circuits for its depictions of psychic phenomenon.
Envisioned Budget
LARGE BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
THE GIFT, MEDIUM, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, ODD THOMAS, RAWHEAD REX
What’s New About the Story
The originality stems from Leah being a child amongst a group of adults fighting a supernatural villain. She is treated appropriately as a novice and a child but also respected for her power and not talked down to even though she is younger and inexperienced.
Lead Characters
Leah is resilient and has a very keep perception for her age even outside of being a psychic. Lachlan is wise and self-sacrificing and seems a bit weathered by description in comparison to his normal all-powerful self.
Uniqueness of Story
The fantasy elements are definitely distinct, but the main plot of fighting evil magic is pretty standard although integrating Leah as a child with the group of adults is somewhat novel. Either focusing on one perspective of the events or lengthening the chapter break ups between characters might help streamline the pacing and make the narrative more cohesive.
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
By changing some of the structure to either focus on one character perspective or create larger portions of the chapter break up dedicated to a single perspective for longer, the reflections and action would have a faster pace. The characters' inner conflicts would also be easier to follow with shortened gaps between each time they are the focus and have longer to develop if retained as the perspective for a greater period of time.