journey

[From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters and sitcoms (see below for 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…

What are Hero’s Journey Plots?

From our deconstruction of hundreds of successful Hollywood blockbusters and stories and our knowledge as writers, our thesis can be reduced to the following:

a) The essence of story is transformation.

b) The process of that transformation, at the root level, is the Hero’s Journey.

Moving on:

a) There are a finite number of drivers that push (or pull) the transformation forward. For example, sometimes the driver is an Antagonism, sometimes it is the urge for a New Self etc.

b) There are a finite number of transformations. For example, Rags to Riches, New Self, Tragedy etc.

Each combination of the above produces its own variable Hero’s Journey Plot. For example, if the Hero is willing, there tend to be a greater number of Obstacles and Interdictions, whereas if the Hero is unwilling, there tend to be a greater number of Pushes or Pulls forward.

A Hero’s Journey Plot is a much more specific elicitation of the Hero’s Journey (and consequently cannot be applied as broadly). The advantage is that that specificity allows for a much more guided template and makes writing a words-on-paper first draft much easier. A Hero’s Journey Plot also allows you to easily roll out a words-on-paper first draft from many angles. For example, the same story can be written from the perspective of an unwilling Hero, the perspective of a willing Hero, where the Hero increases in status (Rags to Riches) or where the Hero decreases in status (Tragedy).

Our Advanced Worksheets are elicitations of various Hero’s Journey Plots. They are pragmatic worksheets with an arrangement of incidents / sequence of events that each follow plausibly from the other. They are like chalk outlines that will allow you to extrapolate ideas into full blown stories.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://www.clickok.co.uk/

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[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) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharsis).

d) Gives you a universal structural template upon which you can superimpose your situational story.

and more…

Sitcom Writing

I recently had a question regarding “low cost, minimal scenes, few actors” screenplays. How could the Hero’s Journey be applied to that?

The best “low cost, minimal scenes, few actors” application of the Hero’s Journey is sitcom.

Take an episode of Will and Grace:

Call to Adventure:

A Story: Grace and Keren meet the new clients: a just married couple. Have to decorate their apartment.

B Story: Will and Jack go to the gay bookshop; decide to help stop it form closing down.

Learn more

WRITE THAT SCREENPLAY!

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.clickok.co.uk/

Managing Creativity and Innovation and related techniques and tools can be found at http://www.managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

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You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made, the author’s name is retained and the link to our site URL remains active.

For 188+ stages of the Hero’s Journey, successful story deconstructions and the Advanced Screenwriting Worksheets goto http://clickok.co.uk/.

Share This

The Hero’s Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.

The Hero’s Journey:

Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

The Hero’s Journey is also a study of repeating patterns in successful stories and screenplays. It is compelling that screenwriters have a higher probability of producing quality work when they mirror the recurring patterns found in successful screenplays.

Consider this:

Titanic (1997) grossed over $600,000,000 - uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

Star Wars (1977) grossed over $460,000,000 - uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

Shrek 2 (2004) grossed over $436,000,000 - uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

ET (1982) grossed over $434,000,000 - uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

Spiderman (2002) grossed over $432,000,000 - uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

Out of Africa (1985), Terms of Endearment (1983), Dances with Wolves (1990), Gladiator (2000) - All Academy Award Winners Best Film are based on the Hero’s Journey.

Anti-hero stories (Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990) etc are all based on the Hero’s Journey).

Belly of the Whale

One critical element of the Hero’s Journey is the stage of the Physical Separation (Belly of the Whale). During this stage, it is not uncommon for the physical features or physical body of the hero to be altered or damaged in some way:

a) In The Godfather (1972), Captain McCluskey punches and deforms Michael Corleone’s face. The gradual transformation of his face is symbolic of his transformation from innocent to Mafia Don.

b) In Silence of the Lambs (1991), Clarice enters the garage from beneath the stuck door and injures herself.

c) In Lord of War (2005), Yuri is shot by the drug dealer for resisting the acceptance of cocaine as payment for the arms.

Learn more

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and FREE 17 stage sample and other story structure templates can be found at http://managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author’s name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://managing-creativity.com/

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