EVALUATION

This screenplay successfully blends high-concept science fiction with a deeply personal story of trauma and healing. The parallel universe concept is handled intelligently and serves the emotional arc of the protagonist rather than being merely a gimmick. The script builds genuine tension as Danielle navigates increasingly dangerous realities while trying to find her way home.

The protagonist is well-developed and complex, with clear motivations and a compelling arc from fear to empowerment. The antagonist effectively represents both a physical threat and the embodiment of Danielle's trauma. Secondary characters are distinct and serve the story well.

Dialogue is natural and reveals character while advancing the plot. The script effectively uses visual storytelling to convey the subtle differences between parallel universes. The structure skillfully builds tension while keeping the complex premise clear for the audience.

Some minor issues include occasional on-the-nose dialogue explaining the science and a few transitions between realities that could be streamlined for clarity. The script might benefit from further developing the ethical questions around weaponizing the technology.

RATING: RECOMMEND

The script presents a fresh take on the parallel universe theory with a strong emotional core and compelling protagonist. With its blend of sci-fi, thriller, and personal drama elements, it should appeal to both genre fans and mainstream audiences. The contained nature of the production makes it marketable at various budget levels.

LOGLINE

A brilliant scientist who developed a device that allows users to phase into a parallel universe must navigate countless realities to reunite with her family while escaping the man who assaulted her years ago.

SUMMARY

ACT ONE

Dr. Danielle Franklin, a brilliant scientist with PTSD from a college assault, demonstrates a new biometric security system to bank executives. During the demonstration, she experiences a flashback to when theater director Carson MacKay attempted to rape and kill her years ago. We learn that Danielle lives with her supportive husband Bryan and their young daughter Chandra. She's haunted by nightmares of Carson and believes she saw him in her closet, though Bryan confirms no one was there.

At work, Danielle's colleague Justin presents her with a device she designed called a "fazer" - it was meant to be a taser, but Justin discovered it can "pulse" a person into another dimension where they can't be seen or harmed. After an accidental pulse experience where Danielle finds herself alone in an empty version of her world, she begins testing the device, which was designed as the ultimate personal safety tool.

ACT TWO

Danielle discovers that each time she pulses, she doesn't return to the same reality but lands in a slightly different parallel universe. Small details change: her daughter's hamster has a different name, appointments she doesn't remember making appear in her calendar, and eventually more significant changes occur.

The company plans to sell the fazer technology to the military and CIA as a weapon rather than a personal safety device as Danielle intended. Meanwhile, in various parallel universes, Danielle encounters different versions of Carson - in some he's still in prison, in others he's been released, and in one he's even the director of her daughter's play.

Danielle realizes she's moving through a web of parallel universes with each pulse, and she becomes increasingly desperate to find her way back to her original timeline where her husband and daughter exist as she remembers them. Her colleagues Justin and Maya help her understand the technology, but in some universes, Justin is in love with her, adding to her confusion.

ACT THREE

In a horrifying turn, Danielle pulses into a universe where Carson has captured her alternate self and is holding her captive in the theater where he first assaulted her years ago. He threatens to go after Chandra next. Using her knowledge of the pulse device, Danielle tricks Carson into activating a device that sends him to the "between" world where he'll be trapped alone forever.

Justin and Bryan rescue her, and she reunites with her family. Danielle resigns from the security company, selling her stock and choosing to work with a theater company instead - coming full circle with her past trauma. She has made peace with her fear and knows that she's found the right universe where she belongs with her family.

SAVE THE CAT STRUCTURE ANALYSIS

Opening Image: Danielle demonstrates security technology while maintaining a professional demeanor that masks her trauma.

Theme Stated: When Danielle says "Some [scars] you can't hide," she establishes the theme of facing fears rather than trying to escape them.

Set-Up: We learn about Danielle's PTSD from Carson's assault years ago, her family life, and her security work.

Catalyst: Danielle accidentally pulses to the "between" world for the first time, discovering the device's true capability.

Debate: Danielle questions whether to test the device, torn between her fear of being alone and the potential freedom it offers from her PTSD.

Break Into Two: Danielle decides to test the pulse device officially, stepping into the unknown.

B Story: The relationship between Danielle and Justin develops differently across various universes, revealing her true priorities.

Fun & Games: Danielle experiences different parallel universes, each with subtle or dramatic changes from her original timeline.

Midpoint: Danielle realizes she's not returning to the same universe each time but moving through a web of parallel realities.

Bad Guys Close In: Carson appears in different forms across universes, coming closer to finding and harming Danielle again.

All Is Lost: Danielle learns she's missing/presumed dead in the next universe, and Carson has her alternate self.

Dark Night of the Soul: Danielle must decide whether to risk everything to save her alternate self and potentially reunite with her family.

Break Into Three: Danielle pulses into the universe where Carson has captured her, armed with a plan to defeat him.

Finale: Danielle tricks Carson into pulsing himself into the "between" world, is rescued by Bryan and Justin, and chooses to leave her security career to embrace life without fear.

Final Image: Danielle, scarless but wiser, helps her daughter prepare for a theater performance - having come full circle and made peace with her past.

SELLING POINTS

1. High-Concept Premise: The script combines personal security technology with parallel universe theory in a fresh way that feels both scientifically grounded and dramatically compelling.
   
   

2. Strong Female Protagonist: Danielle is multidimensional - a brilliant scientist, loving mother, and survivor who actively drives the plot through her decisions and actions.
   
   

3. Emotional Core: The story balances high-concept sci-fi elements with a deeply emotional journey about trauma, healing, and the importance of family.
   
   

4. Visual Potential: The "pulse" effect and the subtle differences between parallel universes offer interesting visual storytelling opportunities.
   
   

5. Thriller Elements: The cat-and-mouse game between Danielle and Carson across multiple realities creates genuine suspense and stakes.
   
   

6. Market Appeal: The script would appeal to audiences of psychological thrillers and high-concept sci-fi like "Sliding Doors," "Source Code," and "Coherence."
   
   

7. Producibility: Despite the sci-fi concept, the script is relatively contained with limited locations and a modest character count, making it feasible to produce on a reasonable budget.
   
   

CHARACTER LIST

Dr. Danielle Franklin (30s) - A brilliant scientist who developed security technology. She suffers from PTSD after being assaulted in college. She's determined to protect her family and find her way back to her original reality.

Bryan Franklin (30s) - Danielle's supportive husband. A computer expert who's patient with Danielle's trauma but varies in different realities.

Chandra Franklin (8) - Danielle and Bryan's daughter. Bright and perceptive, she notices details about her mother's behavior and shares many of her mannerisms.

Justin (30-40s) - Danielle's colleague who developed the pulse technology based on her design. In some realities, he's in love with Danielle.

Carson MacKay (50s) - The man who assaulted Danielle in college. He appears in various forms across different realities, ranging from imprisoned to free, and remains a threat to Danielle.

Maya (30s) - Danielle's Native American colleague who provides both technical expertise and philosophical perspective through Cherokee proverbs.

Laura (30s) - Danielle's therapist and friend who varies across realities - sometimes with a cane from a college injury, sometimes without.

Emily (60s) - The administrative assistant at Bio-Sec who keeps meticulous records.

Robert (60s) - One of the founding partners of Bio-Sec who pushes to weaponize the pulse technology.

Frank Pruett (50s) - A banker who becomes involved in selling the pulse technology to government agencies.