The Wishing Stone
Logline
Sometimes when you've lost the one you love you see the world as a bad place... Sometimes making the right wish at the right time can change everything
Genre
Action,Adventure,Comedy,Drama,Sci-fi,Funny,Fantasy
Short Summary
When someone you love dies you're consumed with thoughts of what you could have done differently to save them... what if there was ?? Maybe something unthinkable, a second chance... Warwick.
Roger Keswick brings his wife back from the dead... an exact copy of her... an android. She is proof of concept paid for by the Government who wants 100's if not 1,000s more. Rodger gets his wife back and the Government gets more than it bargained for
Setting
present day - riverside suburb / east coast hidden Government think tank
Based on a True Story
No
Plot - Premise
Other
Plot - Other Elements
Happy Ending,Twist
Mature Audience Themes
Nudity, Language/Profanity
Main Character Details
Name: Benjamin Harris
Age: 57
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Underdog,Honorable,Engaging,Strong Moral Code
Additional Character Details
Name: Roger Keswick
Age: 63
Gender: Male
Role: Antagonist
Key Traits: Adventurous,Aspiring,Aggressive,Charming,Complex,Confident,Decisive,Engaging,Educated,Leader,Unapologetic,Manipulative,Secretive,Visionary,Funny,Outspoken,Blunt
Additional Character Details
Name: Audry Keswick
Age: 52
Gender: Female
Role: logical
Key Traits: Adventurous,Badass,Charming,Confident,Complex,Decisive,Engaging,Educated,Leader,Unapologetic,Manipulative,Secretive,Sophisticated,Skillful,Blunt
Additional Character Details
Name: Kate Keswick
Age: 48
Gender: Female
Role: emotional
Key Traits: Aspiring,Charming,Clumsy,Empathetic,Engaging,Faithful,Gracious,Romantic,Funny,Visionary,Selfless,Sexy,Modest
Development Pitch
The Wishing Stone is an action/adventure story about... Kate Keswick - her death and her ultimate resurrection as an Android. Ben Harris - Kate's brother suffers from a condition call BCED ( Bio Chemical Electrical Discharge ) that prevents him from being near electronics or large pieces of unprotected metal because of wild and destraious arcs of electricity given off by his body. Roger Keswick - Kate's husband is a odd, funny genius working for the Government who designs a plan to bring Kate back from the dead and use Ben's affliction to make it happen. Kate's construction involves several other equally quirky characters as well as those that don't think an army of androids is a good idea. There's lots of action and excitement and explosions as well as thought provoking ideas about who we are as a society... would 1,000's of Androids equal a new slave race or are they just machines?? Read The Wishing Stone before you make up your mind.
Genre
DRAMA, ACTION
Brief
Roger, a cutting edge scientist compiles the memories of his dying wife with a new material he creates; the sophisticated manamatter. Four years later Kate is reborn and those close to her struggle to accept her and while others can't help but rejoice. A secret organization turns a lab agent and seeks to gain control of the technology which puts Kate and her family in danger.
Overall Rating
GOOD
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: GOOD
Characterization: FAIR
Commerciality: EXCELLENT
Franchise Potential: EXCELLENT
Pace: GOOD
Premise: EXCELLENT
Structure: FAIR
Theme: EXCELLENT
Accuracy of Book Profile
The book profile does a pretty good job reflecting the actual narrative. The short summary in particular is engaging and purposeful. The logline is more like a tagline in this version and too vague to show the story is Scifi rather than fantasy. By being more specific in the logline and identifying the protagonist's inner conflict, the story's plot and tension will better mirror the story for the profile. Because the story is told from Mr. Harris's perspective it may also be beneficial to change the summaries to be from their perspective to match the narrative. Such as Benjamin being the center of the conflict rather than Roger.
Draw of Story
The idea that a husband is just trying to bring back his wife but the technology is too good to pass up that is starts an ethics war is an fascinating and entirely likely scenario about future human lifespans and medical procedures.
Possible Drawbacks
The beginning pacing before that premise actually shifts into creating momentum in the second act is a bit slow in the setup.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY RELIES A LITTLE BIT ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
The hook is the ethical war going on in the lab behind the scenes at the same time those closest to Kate are having inner turmoil about accepting her reincarnation. It is very compelling philosophically and plausible.
Fanbase Potential
This could have a large fanbase with faster pacing in the beginning, and more character based plot progression to enhance the emotional investment.
Awards Potential
This could potentially have some awards potential depending on how n depth the thematic elements of the story are explored and the character development is expanded.
Envisioned Budget
MEDIUM BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
EX MACHINA, BLADE RUNNER 2049, TRANSCENDENCE, LIMITLESS, WEST WORLD, BIG HERO 6, AT THE WORLD’S END
What’s New About the Story
The originality stems from the conflict being that the ethics have not caught up to the technology of androids and the questions it presents about human identity versus clones versus androids and death.
Lead Characters
Harris is a amiable, trusting and supportive. Roger is determined and devoted to the point of destruction. Jessica is unloyal, but smart and shrewd. Kate is kind and open-minded but naive.
Uniqueness of Story
The premise is amazing and complex and a rare gem, but the structure and characters are missing their maximum emotional investment to reach to the concept's full potential.
Possible Formats
Film: Studio, Indie, Streaming TV Series: Network, Cable, 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
There are certain logic holes in the narrative such as Kate's memories only being collected from Roger given that many of Kate's memories are tied to other people it is odd that her assessment of realness is from her brother who in theory would have remember things that Kate wouldn't have remember to upload without her brother's prompts. Using the perspective of Harris leads to somewhat of an outside perspective where the complex story is told rather than shown involving Jessica's betrayal and Roger's obsession, etc. Focusing on the characters instead of the plot, especially in the first act will help even out the pacing and increase emotional investment in the external plot. Overall though fantastic premise and themes.