Dream Big!
ACTION DRAMA FAMILY MEMOIR OTHER SUSPENSE/THRILLER BIOGRAPHICAL
1980s & '90s,2000s
Kathy Tuccaro
Submision Type
book
Logline
Escaping death at the hands of her violent ex, traumatized by multiple rapes, alcoholism, loss of a nursing career and even homelessness, this is the incredible true story of one woman’s determination to change her life. Her transformation has her operating the largest equipment in the world!
Genre
Action,Drama,Family,Memoir,Other,Suspense/Thriller,Biographical
Short Summary
Childhood memories of sexual abuse, family violence, sense of abandonment and neglect. The story begins with dog house rules as Kathy hides with the dog praying to God. Emotions of fear, loneliness, and despair, lead to the journey of change as she connects with her Faith that shows her the way out.
Setting
Langbank, Montreal, Miami, New York, Whitehorse, Edmonton
Based on a True Story
Yes
Plot - Premise
Rags to Riches,Overcoming Monster/Villain,Internal Journey/Rebirth
Plot - Other Elements
Meaningful Message,Happy Ending
Mature Audience Themes
Sexual Abuse,Substance Abuse,Extreme Violence
Main Character Details
Name: Kathy Tuccaro
Age: book covers the lifespan until 50
Gender: Female
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Adventurous,Aspiring,Empathetic,Funny,Selfless,Sexy,Educated,Insecure,Desperate
Additional Character Details
Name: Rene
Age: 55
Gender: Male
Role: Antagonist
Key Traits: Aggressive,Criminal,Narcisstic,Uneducated,Blunt,Power Hungry,Manipulative,Insecure,Villainous
Additional Character Details
Name: Toothless Joe
Age: 56
Gender: Male
Role: emotional
Key Traits: Underdog,Lone Wolf
Additional Character Details
Name: Tanis
Age: 10
Gender: Female
Role: emotional
Key Traits: Empathetic,Faithful,Selfless,Funny,Strong Moral Code,Honorable
Genre
MATURE AUDIENCE, DRAMA, RELIGION
Brief
A girl suffers all kinds of abuse since she is a little kid. She goes through a life of suffering with her family, friends and boyfriends. After challenging all these difficulties, she finally finds love and the perfect job, that helps her develop confidence in herself.
Overall Rating
FAIR
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: GOOD
Characterization: FAIR
Commerciality: GOOD
Franchise Potential: FAIR
Pace: FAIR
Premise: GOOD
Structure: GOOD
Theme: EXCELLENT
Accuracy of Book Profile
Yes, it does perfectly
Draw of Story
The fact that it is a story about a woman overcoming obstacles, a past of suffering and difficulties posed by society to finally find happiness.
Possible Drawbacks
Yes, the lack of characterization and the fact that sometimes parts of the story feel rushed and are not told in its entirety.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY DOES NOT RELY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
The fact that it is a story about overcoming a life of difficulties and abuse, based on a true story.
Fanbase Potential
Possibly, because many people might be moved by the author's story.
Awards Potential
Possibly, with some alterations, because it could become a very powerful drama.
Envisioned Budget
LOW BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
IT REMINDED ME OF THE MOVIE “ROOM”, BECAUSE OF THE THEME CONCERNING LIVING IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF CONSTANT ABUSE. ALSO THE SERIES “SHARP OBJECTS,” FOR THE SAME REASON.
What’s New About the Story
Not exactly original, but the power of the story comes from the determination the protagonist has to turn her life around. For it to become more unique, the book should contain more details, characterize the main character better, and further explore the situations presented.
Lead Characters
The lead character stands out for being very resilient and ultimately hopeful, even without having any reasons to be so.
Uniqueness of Story
As it is, not really. It lacks more characterization sometimes, instead of the nice messages the book tries to send the readers, which eventually take too much space from the story.
Possible Formats
Film - Indie, TV Series - Limited Run / Mini-Series, TV Series - Streaming
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
First of all, to work even harder on character development. Some supporting characters sometimes feel more like archetypes than actual people. Going a little beyond even the abusive behavior demonstrated by some of them, for instance, could bring the protagonist's hard experiences closer to real life. It is very interesting that the writer decided to merge her story with some self-improvement lessons she'd like to transmit through her personal experience. However, it could be a little toned down, since it occupies a very large part of the book, borrowing from the solid story the author is telling. If there were a better equilibrium between those two things, the pace and structure would feel lighter and smoother, and it could be adapted into a very strong, cathartic cinematic experience.