188 Step Hero's Journey (Monomyth) Screenwriting, Story Structure Secrets
By Kal Bishop
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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.heros-journey.info/ for full details)
*****Conscious Agreement*****
The Hero consciously agrees to Journey and Transform, post the Unbearable Antagonism. Methods include:
Explicit Statement. An Explicit Statement or Declaration of Intent is heard. In The Matrix (1999), Neo has a choice between the blue and red pill. In Star Wars (1977), Luke explicitly states that he wants to join Obi Wan and become a Jedi Knight like his father.
Implicit Statement. Even if the Hero is unwilling, the Explicit Statement may be implicit in the Hero's action. In Gladiator (2000), Maximus' family has been brutally murdered. He will seek revenge.
*****Devolved State*****
This is a total expression of the Hero's Ordinary World and Ordinary Self. It is a benchmark. In Tsotsi (2005), Tsotsi is part of a criminal gang, which is something he will leave behind by the end of the story. In Get Carter (1971- the superior version with Michael Caine), we discover in the first scene that Jack Carter's Outer Challenge is to discover who killed his brother, his Inner Challenge is to escape from his criminal associates / past and his Romantic Challenge is to wrestle Britt Ekland away from the mob boss.
*****Push into the Middle Cave*****
Pushes and Pulls are an underrated aspect of storytelling. Pushes and Pulls force the Hero et al from one stage of the Journey to the next.
A push or pull of some sort will drive the Hero inward, from the Outer Cave into the Middle part of the Cave. There will be resistance or obstacles to the Middle Cave (resistance to change is natural). In An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), the recruits have to do push-ups.
*****Antiheroes in the Final Conflict - Devolution*****
Heroes evolve and Antiheroes devolve. During the Final Conflict, devolution is expressed in a number of ways. For example, In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), the papers say that Clyde left his brother. This is not how he wants to be remembered.
Learn more
WRITE THAT SCREENPLAY!
The Complete 188 stage Heros 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.story-structure.org/
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Kal Bishop, MBA
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