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The 188 stage 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 (see URL below) 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 188 STAGE 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) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:

(simply go to http://www.screenplay-structure.com/ or http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

*****Persuading Allies*****

The Meeting of the Shape Shifter, who often has a critical competency, is not easily persuaded to join the Hero on the Journey. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Clyde has t persuade Moss to come along.

*****Dharma*****

It is worth making explicit that the Hero has a Dharma, that is, he (or she) has a destiny that he (or she) must follow.

Whether the Hero is willing or unwilling, the fact that his (or her) Journey and Transformation has stalled - the fact that he or she is refusing his or her Dharma - causes dissonance.

When Doves and Hawks debate, Dharma is referred to. In Star Wars (1977), both Aunt Beru and Obi Wan note that Luke must follow his own path.

Learn more…

WRITE THAT SCREENPLAY!

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.monomyth.info/

188 stages of the Hero’s Journey can also be reached from http://www.heros-journey.info/

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Kal Bishop, MBA

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