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]
*****Multiple Mentors*****
It is not unusual for the Hero to meet more than one Mentor. Each has experience in a particular domain. In Hooper (1978), we meet both Jocko and Max.
The Supernatural Aid appears in some mysterious way and magical way. In The Big Lebowski (1998), The Stranger seems to magically appear and disappear.
Demonstrates Capabilities. It is not unusual for the Supernatural Aid to demonstrate his or her capabilities, often by saving the Hero from the danger caused by the Call of the Woodsman. In City Slickers (1991), Curly magically appears to save Mitch from the cowboys.
Knows his Name. The Hero may be surprised to meet the Supernatural Aid but he is not surprised to see the Hero. He may have been watching the Hero for some time and knows exactly who he is and calls him by his name. In The Big Lebowski (1998), The Stranger seems to know all about the Big Lebowski.
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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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