FORWARD
The 188 stage 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 188 STAGE 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) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.
ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:
(simply go to screenplay-structure.com/” target=”_blank screenplay-structure.com/ or story-structure.org/” target=”_blank story-structure.org/ for full details)
*****Call of the Woodsman*****
When the Hero is engaged in the Trivial Task, he or she is distracted and attracted by a force, which cannot be resisted. This pulls the Hero off the Normal Path. Knowing that veering off the Path is dangerous and that there have been warnings against it, this stage of the Journey frequently involves:
Haste. The Hero moves toward the Call hastily.
Stealth. The Hero moves toward the Call stealthily.
Dead of Night. The Hero moves toward the Call in the dead of night. In The Incredibles (2004), Mr Incredible visits Edna in secrecy.
*****Hero’s Allies*****
The Hero often has Allies in his Ordinary World that will accompany him on his Journey (often these are developed or more are encountered in the First Threshold). In Lord of the Rings (2001), Frodo has Sam and Pippin et al. It is these Allies’ Challenges that form the basis of the subplot.
*****Blood and Transmogrification*****
The progression of the Transmogrification - the physical change - is often symbolised by the appearance of blood. In Straw Dogs (1971), David shoots the bird…the bloood seeps out and onto his clothes.
*****Foreshadow of the Inner Cave*****
Foreshadows are underestimated. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Ennis showers. The sequence leads the heroes to the Inner Cave.
*****Final Conflict*****
Often in the Final Conflict, it is the Hero that travels to a place of great danger (from his perspective). But the danger can come to him (or her). In Straw Dogs (1971), Tom et al drive to David’s house and once inside, become antagonistic (the pointing and pushing).
*****Push to the Crossing of the Return Threshold*****
The Rescue from Without pushes the Hero to the Return Crossing. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), “…is your Daddy the marrying kind?”
Learn more…
WRITE THAT SCREENPLAY!
The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at monomyth.info/ monomyth.info/
188 stages of the Hero’s Journey can also be reached from heros-journey.info/ heros-journey.info/
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Kal Bishop, MBA
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