Analysis Of The Dog And The Crime Thriller

WOLFDOG and THE DREAMKILLER is a crime thriller. The goal is clear and the stakes feel high. Crime thrillers are not new to the industry, so to be successful, they need to offer the audience something new and refreshing. This script attempts to do this by offering a wolf dog as the main witness to an alleged crime. In addition, the script presents with a unique structure in which the past, present, and future eventually collide together.

The opening sets the tone for the crime thriller and it’s a very engaging opening. The opening establishes the inciting event. The audience is hooked watching the wolf dog covered in blood. There’s an immediate emotional connection to the dog and the trauma.

Unfortunately, as the story progresses, the structure

The focus needs to stay on task with showing Steve being proactive in investigating the case. For example, the idea that he goes to a dog foster agency comes too late in the structure. One would think he would do this earlier to try and track down the owner or information.

One would think he would track down Mikki’s whereabouts before she “died”. In this type of story the audience wants to see more action and an active investigation and less talking.

Eliminate none essential scenes like Steve being shot (not related to plot) and the dog getting lost (doesn’t feel connected to the main plot).

There’s no real third act highlighting the hero vs. foe. Suddenly the “foe” turns into some type of folk hero and it’s just not believable for the viewing audience. The stakes don’t rise for Steve, as it’s all easily resolved without any conflict or tension.

Find ways to escalate the tension with the most tension coming in the third act. The hero should be in jeopardy or have something at risk. Consider making the wolf dog more active in the third act. One wonders why the dog doesn’t react to the abduction, nor why he doesn’t react in the hostage

The best scenes are with him and the dog. They feel realistic and one can feel their genuine bond with each other. Steve is haunted by his past, but one dream is enough to convey this, or it becomes repetitive. It would be nice to see Steve as an edgier character and more resistant to Olivia. He needs to be more distinctive as the hero. He needs to be more focused and proactive. At the end he learns to value what life he has left.

Olivia is smart, but not exciting. This is why adding more conflict to their relationship will make Olivia more interesting and it will generate stronger sexual chemistry.

Dreamkiller isn’t considered a worthy foe, because at the end, he ends up like a hero instead of a chilling adversary for our hero to defeat. The idea of his actress girlfriend dumping him isn’t essential to the plot. The idea of his mother being a victim of the government has merit, but too much focus in put on the flashbacks about Regina. She’s also introduced too late in the structure on page 73. Consider limiting Dreamkiller’s motivation for revenge vs. the idea of him having so many demands. Consider one demand related to his