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188 stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth)

The 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 (all available at http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html) 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 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]

HERO'S JOURNEY TIP OF THE DAY: THE VALUE OF TIME PRESSURE

One underrated aspect of storytelling and the Hero's Journey is the use of Time Pressure. It is one of the major tools used to push a story forward [push the Hero et al to the next Threshold].

In Spiderman 2 (2004), Peter must quickly make a decision because MJ is moving on.

In Planet of the Apes (Greatest Films, 1968), Taylor et al must move on because the groceries run out in three days.

In An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Lynnette tells Paula to "Come on!"

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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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