Schizophasia Blog

From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters and Academy Award Winners….

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…

Below is a deconstruction of a classic transformation that sticks rigidly to the Hero’s Journey.

Hero’s Journey: Desperate Housewives 02.05; basic deconstruction

FADE IN:

Everyones backstory.

A Story: Lynnette tries to help Nina relax; taking her to a singles bar.

Credits.

Theme: everyone in this world needs someone they can depend upon.

Inciting Incident / Call to Adventure

B Story: Lonny asks Susan to join his new agency.

C Story: Carlos meets the new lawyer and rejects him.

D Story: Brie threatens to sue if they don’t release Rex’s body.

A Story: Nina wants Lynnette to join her at the singles bar.

E Story: Betty delivers Edie’s mail and sees the news.

Communion: Brie tells all that Rex’s body has been released; invites them to the funeral.

Belly of the Whale

C Story: Carlos and Gabrielle at marriage counseling.

B Story: Mike tells Susan she shouldn’t trust Lonny; he doesn’t give second chances; she tells Julie that she sent Zach away and is afraid Mike won’t forgive her when he finds out.

A Story: Nina threatens Lynnette if she doesn’t go drinking with her; go get him for me!

E Story: Betty writes a letter; Kalib thinks it is better not to escape.

Trials

B Story: Susan goes over to Lonny’s to give him the new contract

C Story: the lawyer gives Gabrielle an unexpected visit. Push to the Atonement: the lawyer will convince Carlos to trust him.

Atonement

B Story: Susan runs from Lonny.

E Story: the cops get the letter from Betty.

D Story: Brie gets Rex’s body and is given the note.

C Story: the lawyer convinces Carlos to let him represent him.

A Story: Nina won’t let Lynnette go home; Lynnette plays the femme fatale and suddenly Nina’s not interested anymore.

Communion: Brie buries Rex.

Close Theme

Brie has lost a faithful friend.

Carlos has a determined advocate.

Lonny alone.

FADE OUT

Learn more…

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.clickok.co.uk/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made, the author’s name is retained and the site URL remains active.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://www.clickok.co.uk/

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I’ve noticed a big shift away from traditional horror recently, in books, shorts and in subs to E2M.

What’s happened to the werewolves, devils, demons, ghosts, vamps and other nasties?

Some claim that the above has been done to death. Do you think so? Can anything really be “done to death”?

I don’t think so. Sure there are thousands of traditional horror in the written field these days as there were 20, 50, 100 years ago. But, the way I see it is that every book is written by ‘a person’ whose experiences and culture is different to others. People have not lived my life and have not had the exact same experiences as me and sure as hell don’t see everything the same way I do.

There’s always something that can be added, changed, twisted.

Vampires: Man gets bit, becomes vampire, bites others. Hmmm. That’s an idea of an outline. It isn’t a story. The story is what happens before and after the mentioned incident. If it wasn’t, Ann Rice would be working in McDonalds.

Zombies: Done to Death? Resident Evil (Biohazard), 28 days later and others.

Werewolves: Night of the Werewolf, Blood of the Wolf, American werewolf in London, American werewolf in Paris.

If the writer can think ‘outside of the box’, a new reason for the story involving one or the other can be found in the real life around us, and even better, our dark imagination of what if…

Zombie story: A Middle-East country drops a chemical bomb on the US, England or little ole New Zealand. Creates a world of Zombies, especially when retaliation occurs. Now we just need a few subplots and perhaps a way to clean the world. Just don’t use a government experiment to create the zombies.

Werewolves: A camper is digging a toilet in the forest. While digging, something scratches him, he checks it out and sees a pointed tooth, digging further he finds the skull, a medallion and a silver bullet lying in the ribcage. Now it’s up to the writer to add new elements from his/her imagination of “what if…?”

Ain’t nothing dead in my opinion.
Spielberg found a cool way to make a dinosaur movie.

Richard Lee is the author of the acclaimed novel, ‘Blood of the Wolf’. His latest book, Re-Entry of Evil has just been released. Details of his books and his thoughts on writing can be found at this website http://www.writer113.com along with many other resources, links, book and DVD reviews, articles on the writing life.

He is a column writer for Camp Horror, and has edited 6 anthologies to date and is the editor at Sinisteria Horror Magazine.

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The Hero’s Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters:

The Hero’s Journey:

• Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

• Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

• Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

The Hero’s Journey is also a study of repeating patterns in successful stories and screenplays. It is compelling that screenwriters have a higher probability of producing quality work when they mirror the recurring patterns found in successful screenplays.

The Hero’s Journey is also a study of conventions. Before screenwriters can decide whether to accept or reject the conventions, they must appreciate their purpose and value.

Consider this:

• Titanic (1997) grossed over $600,000,000 - uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

• Star Wars (1977) grossed over $460,000,000 - uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

• Shrek 2 (2004) grossed over $436,000,000 - uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

• ET (1982) grossed over $434,000,000 - uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

• Spiderman (2002) grossed over $432,000,000 - uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

• Out of Africa (1985), Terms of Endearment (1983), Dances with Wolves (1990), Gladiator (2000) - All Academy Award Winners Best Film are based on the Hero’s Journey.

• Anti-hero stories (Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990) etc) are all based on the Hero’s Journey.

• Heroine’s Journey stories (Million Dollar Baby (2004), Out of Africa (1980) etc) are all based on the Hero’s Journey.

Hero’s Journey and Rebirth through Death

A critical part of the Hero’s Journey, post the Seizure of the Sword, is the Near Death Experience after which the hero is reborn.

In An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Zack Maya is beaten to near death by Sgt. Foley - this happens in the martial arts gym, which is representative of Zacks old world - and it happens after his argument with Paula.

In Al Pacino Scarface (1983), Elvira tempts Tony down this path with the words “I don’t sleep with the help.” This encourages Tony to claim the throne.

In Unforgiven (1992), the Sheriff beats Clint Eastwood to a pulp - in the bar that is, in effect “his territory.”

In A Fistful of Dynamite (1971), the main sequence is occupied by Dr. Villega. He is captured, tortured and forced to reveal the identities of his associates. John recalls his back-story and a similar situation in Ireland. Rod Steiger faces an execution at the hands of a firing squad.

Learn more…

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and FREE 17 stage sample and other story structure templates can be found at http://managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author’s name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://managing-creativity.com/

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