188 Stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) - Screenwriting Tips And Tricks 3

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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 (188+ stages of the Hero's Journey (Monomyth) you need to know about...):

(simply go to www.clickok.co.uk for full details)

*****Demonstrating the Magical Gift*****

One often missed stage of the Hero's Journey is the demonstration of the Magical Gift. In the Bond franchise, Q also demonstrates the gadgets. In Star Wars (1977), Ben fires up Luke's light sabre. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Bonnie dares Clyde to use the gun.

***Book of Law***

An Authority Figure will guard the entrance to the Great Cave of the First Threshold and dictate the rules of this New Domain. In Spartacus (1960), this is where Lentulus tells the slaves that they are to become gladiators and that, if they do well, may become free men.

*****First Trial Inner Cave - Inner Challenge*****

A number of things happen in the Inner Cave of the First Trial. One element is the expression of the Inner Challenge. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Bonnie complains about Clyde's lovemaking.

*****Inner Challenge / Inner Cave*****

It is in the Inner Cave of the First Threshold that the Inner Challenges is most often made explicit. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Clyde pretends to snore in bed; Bonnie wants sex.

*****Push to the Inner Cave*****

Pushes and Pulls are underestimated, even symbolically. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Jack doesn't mind switching, "...We both ought to be in this camp...."