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 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.
Effective Screenplay: Out of Africa (1985) Deconstructed
This analysis is best understood by watching the film simultaneously and with a good understanding of the Hero's Journey...
FADE IN: Visuals and narrative; Karen; dreams; Africa; “I had a farm in Africa,” memories of Denys Finch Hatton, “a glimpse of the World through God's eye…”
Call to Adventure. Karen “has got to be away from here;” she has got no life in Denmark etc. Karen's Inner Challenge: she has nothing.
Refusal: Bror resists: “am I supposed to think you're serious..”
Entering the New World and the First Threshold: the train to Africa; radically different from Denmark.
Clumsily entering the First Threshold: “shoo, shoo…”
New rules: “it's rude not to stop the train here…”
Foreshadow of the Journey: Denys drops off some Ivory on the train; references to Barclay.
Meeting the Supernatural Aid: Meeting Faraj.
New and strange creatures in the First Threshold: Karen observes the Africans and is unwelcome in the Mens club by the stuffy colonials.
Pulled into the Adventure: one hour before the wedding.
Celebration on entering the New World: the marriage.
Emotional reaction at entering the First Threshold: “thank you for this..”
Meeting Allies: Meeting Lord Delamere, Felicity, Bror's character (philanderer), Barclay Cole etc
Warning against the Journey: “Sabu, we can go now…”
Physical Separation from the Old State: arriving at the farm
Expectations Changing: they're going to be growing coffee
Resisting the Transformation: “fetch some wine for my lover's brother…; did I tell you Hans came to say Goodbye…”
Pulled into the Transformation: “can be many days before the rain, Sabu”
Duration of the Journey: three or four years.
Trial 1: Meeting the Chief
Tangible Representation of this Stage of the Journey: the injured boy's leg; “the other boys will think you are afraid..”
Trial 2: the damn: “Sabu, this water lives at Mombassa”
Trial 3: Facing the Lion; saved by Denys.
Rest Break and Celebration (at the passing of the Trials) before the Seizing of the Sword: meeting Denys and Barclay and telling stories.
Reminder of the Inner (attachment): “when you were a mental traveler, did you take so much luggage;”
Receiving a Magical Gift (normally useful for the Seizing of the Sword): the pen
Marker of Change: Rain; Karen asks Bror to “come home; the boy comes to work at the farm.
Meeting the Oracle; learning about the Sword: the war means that Bror et al will have to go off to fight.
Resistance to Seizing the Sword: Denys resists; the discussion with Barclay; Karen doesn't want Bror to go.
Time Stretch: Karen reminiscing.
Status Change: Felicity comes round; Karen's status has risen.
Time Pressure to Seize the Sword: The Captain comes around; Karen will have to move into town.
Warning against Seizing the Sword: “that's no place for a white woman.”
New World of the Sword: African Muslims praying
Difficulty getting to the Sword: the cows are hard to control.
Disorientation: Karen gets them lost.
Guidance from the Mentor: “God is Great Sabu…”
Hawks and Doves argue the value of continuing on the Journey: Barclay against her continuing; Denys gives Karen a Magical Gift (the compass).
Overcoming threats: Massai pass by.
Resistance and Conflict getting to the Sword / Proactive Growth Experience: Lion attack.
Mentor Guidance: “this Lion does not have this Ox, we do not have this Ox…etc”
Seizing the Sword: Karen arrives to meet Dee and Bror.
Transformation: “you've changed your hair..”
Rebirth through Death: Karen gets Syphilis; Karen has to go home;
Saying goodbye to the Old Self: leaving the farm; Denys; Bror; going home.
Time Stretch: “arsenic was my ally…”
The New Self: Karen returns; she enters the World again as the Wizened One.
Symbols of Change: almost everyone has a car now; the boy's leg has healed etc…
Foreshadow of the Apotheosis: 1: Karen begins the detachment:; she can't have children…
Foreshadow of the Apotheosis: Meeting Denys at Christmas
Resisting the Apotheosis: Karen builds the school.
Guidance and warning from the Mentor: “when these children are this tall, then this chief can be dead…”
Conflict towards the Atonement: Barclay has a fistfight.
Foreshadow of the Atonement and Apotheosis: Karen dances with Denys (“what exactly is it that you own”); Bror isn't around for the New Year kiss.
Atonement: with the Father: Karen asks Bror to leave the house; Karen learns to be alone.
Learning to detach: “do they always have to whip them so..”
Resisting the Apotheosis: Karen won't go with Denys.
Resistance to the Apotheosis: the car stalls.
Building up to the Apotheosis: learning to detach; the trip with Denys; the dinners, setting up camp; talking about the Massai.
Foreshadow of the Final Conflict: the aircraft.
The source of the Inner Challenge: Karen's father killed himself.
Apotheosis: killing the Lion and sleeping with Denys without committing.
Reward: Karen takes the record player.
Resisting the Apotheosis: dinner with Barclay; ‘then I would have no-one.”
Denys comes and goes as he pkeases.
Foreshadow of the Refusal and the death of the Old Self: Barclay's water has gone black.
Ultimate Boon: “Denys asks to move in..”
Death of the Old Self: Barclays funeral.
Ultimate Boon: “we spoke of nothing ordinary, small or real…we lived disconnected and apart from things…”; the magic flight
Refusal of the Return: Denys comes to ask for money….
Foreshadow of the Final Conflict: Karen needs to borrow money.
Break from the Old Self: Bror wants a divorce.
Foreshadow of the Master of Two Worlds: Letting the water go…
Magic Flight: Denys leaves.
Rescue from Without:: the fire.
[slicing]:
Crossing the Return Threshold: Karen asks for land for the Kikuyu.
Master of the Two Worlds: Karen prepares to leave; Says Goodbye to Denys et al; welcome into the Mens Club….”you were right, the farm never did belong to me.
Freedom to Live: Bror tells Karen Denys is dead; the funeral.
Goodbye to the Mentor.
Afterlife Act: Denys is buried on high ground
Learn more…
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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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