The Hero’s Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188 stage template.
Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.
[The terminology is most often metaphoric and applies to all successful stories and screenplays, from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now (1979)].
THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY
THE HERO’S JOURNEY:
a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.
b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.
c) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).
d) Gives you a universal structural template upon which you can superimpose your situational story. This is why stories such as Alien (1979), Gladiator (2000), Midnight Cowboy (1969), American Beauty (1999), The Graduate (1967) and many others (all deconstructed at the URL below) appear to be different but are all constructed, almost sequence by sequence, in the same way.
and more…
ABRIDGED TIP(S):
*****Call to Adventure*****
The Herald delivers the Call to Adventure. This implicitly means that the Hero must confront one or more of his Challenges. In Titanic (1997), Rose meets Jack and she must first confront her Inner and Outer Challenges. In Alien (1979), they must land on the planet (ultimately a Greater Antagonism).
Fascination. The Hero is often fascinated by the Call. It does, after all, relate to his (or her) own Transformation.
Time Pressure. That the Hero must embark is usually a matter of urgency. In Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indiana must quickly embark on the adventure before Hitler finds the Ark. In Titanic (1997), this is when the ship leaves.
Implicit Call. In The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Andy Dusfresne doesn’t know what his Call is when he is sent to jail. But it is inferred - he must escape this place eventually. In Alien (1979), no one knows they are even on a journey until the Alien pops out of Kane’s chest.
Willing or Unwilling. It is here that we are informed whether the Hero is intrinsically for or against the Journey and Transformation. In Star Wars (1977), Luke really wants to follow his Father’s footsteps, leave Tattooine, become a Jedi and fight the Empire. In Alien (1979), everyone really would have preferred waking up on Earth.
*****Hero’s Quality*****
The Heralds are attracted to the Hero because he demonstrates a quality. In The Magnificent Seven (1960), the farmers are impressed by Chris and Vin. In Star Wars (1977), music when Luke appears signals that there is a quality about him.
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WRITE THAT SCREENPLAY!
The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at clickok.co.uk/ clickok.co.uk/
The Managing Creativity and Innovation MBA dissertation, DIY creativity Audit, Powerpoint presentation and Good Idea generator software can be found at managing-creativity.com/ managing-creativity.com/
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Kal Bishop, MBA
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