The Hero's Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template.
Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.
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) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.
and more...
Sample Movie Deconstructed: Dirty Harry (1971)
FADE IN: Context: the plaque commemorating the officers of the San Francisco PD who died in the line of duty; the San Francisco police badge.
Antagonism: the girl is shot.
Meeting the Hero: Harry Callahan walks in.
Hero's Capabilities: Harry immediately sees where the girl was shot from and goes to inspect that building.
Hero's Ordinary World: Harry walks around the building and we see San Francisco.
Hero's Capabilities: Harry finds the shell casing and the note.
Call to Adventure : reading the note.
Meeting the Interdictor: the Mayor.
Interdictor's Attitude: 'we pay the Police Department to commit crimes…'
Hero's Attitude: 'for the last three quarters of an hour I've been sitting on my ass…'
Meeting the Mentor : Lieutenant Bressler; 'this is the Mayor you're talking too…'
Antagonist's Back Story: the investigation.
Refusal : 'why don't you let me meet with the sonofabitch…''we'll do it this way…'
Interdiction: '…Callahan I don't want any more incidents like…'
Developing the Hero's Attitude: 'when a naked adult male with a butcher's knife and a hard-on…'
Developing the Hero's Capabilities: Harry spots the 2-11 at the bank.
Forced to break the Interdiction: the gunshot.
Developing the Hero's Capabilities: Harry shoots the bank robbers.
Loop and Catchphrase: 'well do ya punk…' '…I gots to know….'; Harry shoots the empty gun.
Developing the Hero: with the Doctor.
Journey to the First Threshold: on the police helicopter.
Threshold Guardians: the San Francisco Police Dept is guarded on the rooftop.
Developing the Hero and Mentor relationship: 'when are you gonna get a haircut…'
Hero's Status: high; the officer seeks his attention.
Meeting Allies: introduced to Chico.
Warning of the Journey: '..all my partners are dead…'
Ally's Backstory: ''yes, I went to San Jose State…'
Warning of the Journey: '…don't let that college degree get you killed…'
Meeting Allies: '..hey fatso…'
Developing the Hero [through the eyes of others]: '…Harry hates everybody…'
Meeting and Developing the Antagonist: the helicopter spots Scorpio.
Developing the Hero and Ally Relationship: Harry and Chico in the car.
Strange and Magical Creatures: the red light district etc…
Pulled Into Trial 1: '…there, I see the tan leather case…'
Obstacles: 'get out of the way hammerhead…'
Pulled In: 'there he is…'
Gateway: running through the dark, endless, unknowing, claustrophobic, tunnel…
Trial 1: '…damn peepers…'
Hero's True Nature: 'let them go…'
Developing Hero and Ally Relationship: '..is that why they call you Dirty Harry…'
Pulled to Trial 2: the police radio.
Journey to Trial 2: Harry and Chico drive to the suicide.
Trial 2: Harry brings the suicide down.
Developing Hero and Ally Relationship: '..now you know why they call me Dirty Harry…every Dirty Job that comes along…'
Pulled to the Inner Cave: the police radio.
Inner Cave: Harry and Chico find the dead boy.
Hero's True Nature: '…you better check on the mother…'
Inner Cave: '…shell casings…he was up here alright…'
Celebrating the Crossing of the First Threshold: 'welcome to homicide…'
Meeting the Oracle and Learning of the World of the Transformation: in the Chief's office; setting up the surveillance.
Resistance to the Transformation: '…it seems unlikely he'd come back to the same roof…'
Overcoming Resistance: ',patek philippe..there is a priest and a Negro…'
Preparing for the Transformation: Harry is in position.
Developing Hero and Ally Relationship: '..yes I know…welcome to homicide..'
Foreshadow of Sexual Reward: the naked lady and guests.
Pulled toward the Transfromation: the open door.
Trial 1 : the rooftop shootout.
Down the stairs and in pursuit.
Dead body: …'he never knew what hit him…'
Warning: the door into the police HQ.
Developing the Antagonist: he' kidnapped a girl.
Transforming to New Self: '…so that's why they call him Dirty Harry…'
Meeting the Oracle and Learning of the World of the Sword: Scorpio has kidnapped a girl; Harry gets to be the bag man and Chico gets the night off.
Magical Gift from the Mentor: Harry and Chico get the radio mikes.
Magical Gift from the Mentor: Harry gets the $200k.
Guidance from the Mentor: '..just play straight down the line…'
Foreshadow of Trial 3: Harry tapes a blade to his ankle.
Separation: Chico in the car.
Pulled In: the phone rings.
Trial 2:
The phone call.
Rules, Punishments and Rewards: '…I bounce you all over town…'
Elixir: '…is the girl alright?'
Time Pressure: '…you don't answer by the fourth ring…'
Loss of Control: '…you listen…'
Running to the first phone.
Harry gets on the train.
Ally's Journey: Chico following in the car.
Hero's Journey: Harry riding the train.
Ally's Journey: Chico waits.
Time Pressure: the phone rings.
Harry reached the phone.
Arduous: '…a nice long run…'
Ally's Journey: Chico in the car.
Guardians: attacked in the tunnel.
Obstacle: the old man.
Harry picks up phone 3.
Pushed to Trial 3: '…go to the cross&hellip,watch repair;'
Ally's Journey: '…go to the Cross…'
World of Trial 3: entering the park.
Convergence: Harry telling Chico where he's going.
Ally's Journey: Chico follows.
New Creatures: Harry meets Alice.
Trial 3:
Hero and Antagonist Battle: Scorpio beats up on Harry.
Develop the Antagonist: '...I'm going to kill the girl anyway…'
Rescue from Without: Chico arrives,pocket watches.
Time Pressure: '…goodbye Callahan…'
Ally's Death: Chico injured.
Foreshadow of the Sword: Harry sticks in the knife.
Magic Flight: Scorpio escapes.
Developing Characters and Relationships: Harry with the Lieutenant.
Pushed Back: Chico alive; Harry is going home.
Pulled In: the hospital calls; they treated a knife wound.
Time Pressure: '…she's only got an hour to live…'
Meeting the Oracle and Learning of the Sword: '…I know who he is...he used to sell programs at the stadium…he lives at the stadium…'
Journey to the Sword: driving to the stadium.
Unfit Heroes Retire: Fatso can't climb the fence.
Crossing into the World f the Sword: Harry goes over.
Antagonist's World: Scorpio watches.
World of the Sword: Harry looks around the stadium.
Inner Cave: inside Scorpio's den.
Threshold Guardian: Scorpio runs from Harry; Scorpio resists…'…I have rights…'
Seizing the Sword: the stadium lights come on; Harry shoots and tortures Scorpio to get the girl's location.
Rebirth through Death: the girl is dead.
Reward: seeing the District Attorney; Scorpio is free.
Warning: '…he'll kill again…'
Atonement with the Father: Harry follows Scorpio around.
Apotheosis: Scorpio gets himself beaten up; he's insane.
Ultimate Boon: Scorpio sues the San Francisco Police Department; interviewed by reporters.
Harry is reprimanded by the Chief; Scorpio has the law on his side.
Refusal : Harry visits Chico; Chico's not coming back.
Hero's Backstory: Harry's wife is dead; Harry talks to Chico's wife.
Magic Flight: '…Chico's right, this is no life for you two…'
Developing the Antagonist: Scorpio robs the old shopkeeper.
Rescue from Without: Scorpio kidnaps the children in the school bus.
Crossing the Return Threshold : Callahan enters the Mayor's building.
Interdiction: '..I gave my word he would not be molested…''…well you can get yourself another delivery boy…'
Developing the Antagonist: crossing the bridge in the bus; Scorpio hits the kids.
Countering the Interdiction: Harry is waiting on the bridge.
Journey to the Final Conflict Harry jumps onto the bus; rides it until it crashes into the mine.
Harry pursues Scorpio.
Sacrifice: Scorpio grabs the kid.
Master of the Two Worlds: Harry shoots Scorpio.
Loop and Catchphrase: Scorpio is not that lucky.
Freedom to Live: Harry throws away his badge.
Learn more…
The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.clickok.co.uk/
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Kal Bishop, MBA
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