FORWARD
The 188 stage Hero's bolt (Monomyth) is the template upon which the expansive majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (ogle URL below) are based on this 188+ stage template.
concept this template is a priority for epic 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 yarn is and how it should be told.
b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, set 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 determined stage of the yarn, 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 stout details)
*****New Creatures of the Belly of the Whale*****
The Belly of the Whale is a world unto its possess. Consequently unusual (odd), threatening creatures are not novel. In Straw Dogs (1971), David arrives home to rep ratboy and Cawsey.
*****Seizing the Sword*****
Seizure. The Hero takes the Sword. In Star Wars (1977), Luke rescues Leia. In The Matrix (1999), Neo rescues Morpheus. In Dances with Wolves (1999), John and Stands with a Fist kiss and produce like. In Spartacus (1960), Spartacus and Varinia have a baby.
*****Magic Flight*****
This is very often, but not always, expressed as a running from Antagonisms and has an air of the supernatural about it. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), the guy in the café calls the police, the cops raid the house and they all bustle.
*****Mentor's Capabilities Demonstrated*****
The Mentor must often show his (or her) capabilties. This occurs on a number of occasions, including within the walls of the Outer Cave of the First Threshold. In Star Wars (1977), Ben uses the light sabre to slice off the criminal's arm. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Clyde robs the store.
*****Magical Gift*****
The Mentor most often provides the Hero with a Magical Gift (In Wall Street (1987), Carl Fox simply gives Bud Fox some money) . But the criteria is blissful if the Magical Gift is simply made explicit. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Clyde shows Bonnie his gun.