188 Stage Heros Journey (monomyth) - Inner Cave, First Trial Inner Cave - Inner Challenge
Posted on January 31, 2008
Filed Under Writing and Speaking |
FORWARD
Kal Bishop’s 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
OUTLIERS
In statistics, outliers are the exceptions. These are the incidences that occur outside the normal range of results.
Many people cannot get their head around the idea that every story they have seen, read or been exposed to is essentially a reworking of the same base.
They rebel against it. They cannot see it. They don’t like having the magic trick explained to them. They don’t like the idea that their favourite stories, albeit structurally, are not completely “original.” They lack the benefit of experience and they have not sat through hundreds of successful stories and deconstructed them scene-by-scene and sequence-by-sequence. They have not attained the epiphany.
You must not be one of these people. Not if you want to be commercially successfully.
Often, these people refer to outliers (the exceptions) in order to justify their theory that not all stories conform to the same base.
a) There are, in reality, very few outliers.
b) Many people are bad analysts (with a poor understanding of the Hero’s Journey and Transformation) and incorrectly refer to stories (that follow the structure) as exceptions.
c) The outliers (exceptions) are nearly always less effective, poorer stories and commercially unsuccessful (one reason you should not worry about them).
d) The further the outliers veer away from this structure, the poorer and less successful they tend to be (another reason you should not worry about them).
e) The exceptions are nearly always part of an unusual genre, such as “experimental” or “art-house.” While these may have value in their own right, they will divert you from writing effective and successful stories.
Steven Spielberg uses this structural template. George Lucas uses this structural template. Francis Ford Coppola uses this structural template. Shakespeare used this structural template. All your favourite writers, directors and producers use this structural template. You should use this structural template.
In summary, do not worry about the outliers. Master this structure first.
(For the Complete 188+ stage Hero’s Journey simply go to http://www.heros-journey.info/ )
ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:
*****Inner Cave*****
The Inner Cave, whichever it is (First Threshold, Road of Trials or beyond) is where the Hero confronts Inner Challenges. In Straw Dogs (1971), Janice watches David and Amy in the bedroom.
*****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.
Learn more…
WRITE THAT SCREENPLAY!
The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.heros-journey.info/
188 stages of the Hero’s Journey can also be reached from http://www.story-structure.org/
You can also receive a free sample file by entering your email address at this site.
You can post this article on your web site or blog as long as no changes are made, the author’s name is retained and the links to our site URLs remains active.
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Kal Bishop, MBA
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