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 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) Gives you a universal structural template upon which you can superimpose your situational story. This is why stories such as Alien (1979), Gladiator (2000), Midnight Cowboy (1969), American Beauty (1999), The Graduate (1967) and many others (all deconstructed at the URL below) appear to be different but are all constructed, almost sequence by sequence, in the same way.
and more...
[simply go to http://www.screenplay-structure.com/ or http://www.story-structure.org/ or http://www.heros-journey.info/ or http://www.monomyth.info/ for full details]
*****Physical Marker*****
The Physical Separation is marked by a Physical Marker. In Romancing the Stone (1984), Jack and Joan have to cross the rope bridge across the gorge. In Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), both have to jump into the river down below to escape their pursuers. In The Godfather (1972), Michael 's killing of McCluskey is all over the news.
Resisting the Physical Separation. The decision to Transform is often not taken lightly. There is resistance to crossing the Physical Marker. In Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), both have to jump into the river down below to escape their pursuers (Sundance: "I can't swim." Butch: "Why you crazy, the fall will probably kill you.")
Preparing to Physically Separate. In Dances with Wolves (1990), John is tired of waiting to engage with the Indians. He decides to introduce himself.
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Go to http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html for more info on the 188+ stage Hero's Journey....
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