188+ step Hero's Journey (Monomyth) - Story Structure for Screenwriters 160507b

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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:

*****Wolves Clothing*****

In entering the World of the Sword, the Hero and Allies again camouflage themselves in the Wolves Clothing. They become invisible on some level. In Harry Potter: Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Harry literarily puts on an invisible cloak. In Raging Bull (1980), Tommy has to speak to the mafia don and behave as though he was one of them. In Diamonds are Forever (1971), James Bond pretends to be a worker in the plant.

*****The One*****

As noted before, the Seizing of the Sword (a tangible) is a metaphor for the intangible (Expansion of Consciousness). It is now, once the Hero has gained his (or her) Expansion of Consciousness, that others believe that he (or she) may truly be The One, The Saviour, The Messiah, the one capable of defeating the previously unbeatable Antagonism. In Dances with Wolves (1990), Two Socks takes the meat from John's hand. In The Matrix (1999), Trinity et al begin to believe Neo is the one.

*****Magical Gift*****

The Mentor most often provides the Hero with a Magical Gift (In Wall Street (1987), Carl Fox simply gives Bud Fox some money). But the criteria is satisfied if the Magical Gift is simply made explicit. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Clyde shows Bonnie his gun.

*****Pull Back to the Old World*****

The First Trial on the Road of Trials involves a Pull Back to the Old World. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), they meet the older brother (Buck) and his wife (Blanche).