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: MERGING OF THE TWO WORLDS
When the Hero Journeys from one World to another, from the Old World to the New, he (or she) does not completely leave the Old World behind forever. The Mastery of the Two Selves and the Two Worlds involves a merging of the two - there is value in both the Worlds. The merging of the Two Worlds is often demonstrated by tangibles.
In Dances with Wolves (1990), John Dunbar impresses Kicking Bird with his telescope.
In An Officer and a Gentleman (1983), the ultimate Zach Mayo is demonstrated by new clothing (the uniform) and the old bike.
In Erin Brockovich (1999), Erin finally visits Donna Jensen with George.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Go to http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html for more info on the 510+ stage Hero's Journey....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------