[From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters and sitcoms (see below for the URL of our Home Page) and our isolation and identification of more than 188 stages of the Hero's Journey that you need to know about...]
The Hero’s Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template.
Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.
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) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.
and more…
Writing Great Stories and Screenplays: the Four Core Challenges
Most good stories have Four Core Challenges that have to be mapped onto the Hero’s Journey.
The Four Core Challenges can be described as: the Outer Challenge, the Inner Challenge, the Romantic Challenge and the Greater Antagonism. In American Beauty (Academy Award Winner Best Film 1999), Lester Burnham’s Inner Challenge is to feel good about himself, his Romantic Challenge is Angela, his Outer Challenge is his marriage with Carolyn and the Greater Antagonism is Col. Frank Fitts, US Marine Core.
So where are they conquered? Knowing this helps to effectively outline your story / step outline.
Generally, the Outer Challenge is conquered post the Road of Trials / Road of Transformation (often focused around Trial 3). The Romantic Challenge is the Sword or the Reward that follows it. The Inner Challenge is the Atonement with the Father / Apotheosis / Ultimate Boon. The Greater Antagonism is the Final Conflict that occurs between the Crossing of the Return Threshold and the Master of Two Worlds.
Learn more…
The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at clickok.co.uk/ clickok.co.uk/
Managing Creativity and Innovation and related techniques and tools can be found at managing-creativity.com/ managing-creativity.com/
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Kal Bishop, MBA
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For 188 stages of the Hero’s Journey, successful story deconstructions and the Advanced Screenwriting Worksheets goto