Hero's Journey (Monomyth) and Screenwriting: Use this Technique
Author: Kal Bishop
188+ stages of the Hero's Journey you need ot know about...
[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...
The Mentor and the Magical Gift
Many writers hear of the Hero's Journey, the Mentor and Magical Gift and dismiss it as a template for fairy tales, thinking "...how can this fit the gritty, real-world story I want to write?"
This is bad thinking.
The Mentor / Mentoring can take many forms and has multiple purposes, including pushing the Hero to the First Threshold (a dangerous time) and assisting during the Fish out of Water and other stages of the Journey / Transformation.
The Magical Gift does not have to be Ruby Slippers or Harry Potter's Wand. In Wall Street (1987), Bud Fox visits his father, who simply provides advice and money. In Gladiator (2000), Maximus finds strength from a statuette. In American Beauty (1999), Ricky Fitts gives Lester Burnham a joint.
WRITE THAT SCREENPLAY!
Learn more…
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/
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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.
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