From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters....

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: El Cid (1961)

* Context [we learn of Spain in the time of the Cid].

* Introduce the Antagonist.

* Introduce the Hero.

* Hero meets a Mentor [The Cid meets his father, Don Diego].

* Introduce a Shape Shifter.

* Hero commits a wizened act [lets the Muslim prisoners go]. The Call to Adventure or Inciting Incident.

* Introduce the Romantic Challenge.

* Obstacle to fulfillment of the Romantic Challenge presented by the Romantic Challenge's rival, hero's rival and shape shifter.

* Hero relates his inner challenge to his romantic challenge.

* Pushed to the First Threshold [El Cid's family name shamed].

* No way back [El Cid forced to challenge the King's champion].

* Polarization between the hero and his romantic challenge.

* Hero given a new challenge / trial in the First Threshold. Hero succeeds.

* A Reward to encourage the physical separation [El Cid will win the hand of Sophia Loren].

* Belly of the Whale. Physical Separation. El Cid leaves.

* A trial. Hero passes..

* Reward for passing the trial.

* Polarization between hero and romantic challenge increases.

* Transformation. Road of Trials (1). El Cid rescues the prince from the dungeons - the thirteen guards.

* Growth of the antagonist [Ben Yusif takes the city of Valencia].

* Transformation (2). El Cid avenges Sancho.

* Resistance to Seizing of the Sword [the queen attempts to persuade Sophia Loren to dissuade Rodrigo from seizing the Sword].

* Hero Seizes the Sword [Rodrigo forces the king to swear].

* Hero receives the reward [Rodrigo wins over Sophia].

* Forced onto a Night Sea Journey. Near death experience [survives with the aid of the people [the leper and the child].

* Reward [his own army].

* Atonement with the Father [The Cid faces the King]. Hero transformed [the Cid returns with a beard.

* Apotheosis. The king imprisons the Cid's wife. He is not a good king [he will march against the king unless his wife is released].

* The Ultimate Boon Rodrigo's twin daughters]. The Shape Shifter. The Shape Shifter comes around. The Cid takes Valencia. The Cid is offered the crown.

* Refusal of the Return [the king will not help the Cid defend Valencia against Ben Yusif]. Sophia asks where the Cid "finds the courage.”

* Rescue from Without. Ben Yusif and his armies appear on the shore. The Magic Flight. The Cid is injured and retreats from Ben Yusif.

* Rescue from Without. El Cid must return to battle tomorrow (with the arrow inside him.”)

* Master of the Two Worlds. The Cid returns to the field in between life and death.

* Freedom to Live - Spain was saved from the Moors.

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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