The Hero's Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters:

The Hero's Journey:

• Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

• Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

• Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

The Hero's Journey is also a study of repeating patterns in successful stories and screenplays. It is compelling that screenwriters have a higher probability of producing quality work when they mirror the recurring patterns found in successful screenplays.

The Hero's Journey is also a study of conventions. Before screenwriters can decide whether to accept or reject the conventions, they must appreciate their purpose and value.

Consider this:

• Titanic (1997) grossed over $600,000,000 – uses the Hero's Journey as a template.

• Star Wars (1977) grossed over $460,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.

• Shrek 2 (2004) grossed over $436,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.

• ET (1982) grossed over $434,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.

• Spiderman (2002) grossed over $432,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.

• Out of Africa (1985), Terms of Endearment (1983), Dances with Wolves (1990), Gladiator (2000) – All Academy Award Winners Best Film are based on the Hero's Journey.

• Anti-hero stories (Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990) etc) are all based on the Hero's Journey.

• Heroine’s Journey stories (Million Dollar Baby (2004), Out of Africa (1980) etc) are all based on the Hero's Journey.

Best Screenwriting uses the Hero's Journey

The best screenwriting effectively utilises the hero's Journey.

All of the Academy Award Winners of recent years have used it.

As an example, Million Dollar Baby (Academy Award Winner Best Film, 2004) is deconstucted below (a summary):

Call to Adventure: Maggie asks Frankie to coach her.

Refusal of the Call: Frankie refuses on the basis that this is not an adventure for a girl of her age.

First Threshold: Maggie is persistent in the gym. There is no going back for her, with or without Frankie.

Physical Separation (Belly of the Whale): Willie leaves Frankie, who is made redundant and drifts into teaching Maggie.

Transformation (Road of Trials) x3: Maggie transforms into a boxer and moves up a league; she makes the right choice in not leaving Frankie; she beats the British Champ; the completion of the transformation is signified by the receiving of a new name (Macushla).

Seizing the Sword: Maggie buys her family a house; Frankie warms to the role of father (the gaining of a new daughter);

Rebirth Through Death: Eddie saves Danger from the gym bully.

Atonement with the Father: Maggie takes on the Blue Bear.

Apotheosis: Maggie should have heeded the lesson – always protect yourself.

Ultimate Boon: Maggie gets a father and Frankie gets a daughter; they each get a new family.

Refusal of the Return: Frankie refuses to go back to the gym.

Magic Flight: Frankie searches for the best doctors and takes her away from the hospital in the desert.

Rescue from Without: Maggie's family arrive and pull her back toward the old challenges.

Crossing the Return Threshold: Maggie loses her legs; she asks Frankie to kill her.

Master of the Two Worlds: Frankie consults with the priest and makes a decision to kill Maggie; Maggie wants to die remembering who she was.

Freedom to Live: Frankie doesn't return to the gym.

Learn more…

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and FREE 17 stage sample and other story structure templates can be found at http://managing-creativity.com/

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Kal Bishop, MBA

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Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://managing-creativity.com/

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