The Hero's Journey is the template upon that the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based mostly upon. Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters:
The Hero's Journey:
o Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and the way it should be told.
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o Provides the writer a lot of structural components than merely three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.
o Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite variety of assorted stories to be created.
The Hero's Journey is additionally a study of repeating patterns in successful stories and screenplays. It is compelling that screenwriters have the next chance of producing quality work when they mirror the recurring patterns found in successful screenplays.
The Hero's Journey is also a study of conventions. Before screenwriters will decide whether to just accept or reject the conventions, they need to appreciate their purpose and value.
Take into account this:
o Titanic (1997) grossed over $600,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.
o Star Wars (1977) grossed over $460,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.
o Shrek two (2004) grossed over $436,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.
o ET (1982) grossed over $434,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.
o Spiderman (2002) grossed over $432,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.
o 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.
o Anti-hero stories (Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990) etc) are all based mostly on the Hero's Journey.
o Heroine's Journey stories (Million Dollar Baby (2004), Out of Africa (1980) etc) are all based mostly on the Hero's Journey.
Best Screenwriting uses the Hero's Journey
The best screenwriting effectively utilises the hero's Journey.
All of the Academy Award Winners of recent years have used it.
For instance, Million Greenback Baby (Academy Award Winner Best Film, 2004) is deconstucted below (a summary):
Call to Adventure: Maggie asks Frankie to teach her.
Refusal of the Decision: Frankie refuses on the basis that this is not an adventure for a girl of her age.
Initial Threshold: Maggie is persistent in the gym. There's no going back for her, with or without Frankie.
Physical Separation (Belly of the Whale): Willie leaves Frankie, who is made redundant and drifts into teaching Maggie.
Transformation (Road of Trials) x3: Maggie transforms into a boxer and moves up a league; she makes the proper selection in not leaving Frankie; she beats the British Champ; the completion of the transformation is signified by the receiving of a new name (Macushla).
Seizing the Sword: Maggie buys her family a house; Frankie warms to the role of father (the gaining of a new daughter);
Rebirth Through Death: Eddie saves Danger from the gym bully.
Atonement with the Father: Maggie takes on the Blue Bear.
Apotheosis: Maggie should have heeded the lesson - perpetually defend yourself.
Ultimate Boon: Maggie gets a father and Frankie gets a daughter; they every get a replacement family.
Refusal of the Return: Frankie refuses to go back to the gym.
Magic Flight: Frankie searches for the simplest doctors and takes her removed from the hospital in the desert.
Rescue from Without: Maggie's family arrive and pull her back toward the recent challenges.
Crossing the Come Threshold: Maggie loses her legs; she asks Frankie to kill her.
Master of the Two Worlds: Frankie consults with the priest and makes a decision to kill Maggie; Maggie desires to die remembering who she was.
Freedom to Live: Frankie doesn't return to the gym.
Learn more...
The Complete 188 stage Hero's Journey and FREE 17 stage sample and different story structure templates will be found
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Kal Bishop, MBA
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Watson Gray has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in Screenwriting (Writing and Speaking ), you can also check out his latest website about:
