s Ordinary World; it is usually the Polar Opposite of the Ordinary World. In The Matrix (1999), the world of the machines is nowhere like Neo's normal World. In Goodfellas (1990), the World of the gangsters is the polar opposite of both Henry's and Karen's parent's World. In Dances with Wolves (1990), Fort Hayes is quiet and uninhabited. John Dunbar has just come from fighting in the civil war.

Unfamiliar Creatures and Behaviours. The New World is full of unfamiliar creatures, people, behaviours, colours etc. In The Matrix (1999),

FORWARD

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:

(simply go to http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

*****Trial 3*****

Trial 3 centres around the conquering of the Outer Challenge and a significant Transformation to the New Self. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), the Barrow gang robs a bank, they shoot a cop (previously a cause for concern), and when they escape; everyone knows who they are. This Changing is formidable and demonstrated by the reaction of the Antagonism. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), the cops give chase but are "...not gonna risk their life in Oklahoma..."

*****New World of the First Threshold*****

Entry. Upon entry into the First Threshold, some marked characteristics are noticeable.

Polar Opposite. The New World of the First Threshold is markedly different from the Hero's Ordinary World; it is usually the Polar Opposite of the Ordinary World. In The Matrix (1999), the world of the machines is nowhere like Neo's normal World. In Goodfellas (1990), the World of the gangsters is the polar opposite of both Henry's and Karen's parent's World. In Dances with Wolves (1990), Fort Hayes is quiet and uninhabited. John Dunbar has just come from fighting in the civil war.

Unfamiliar Creatures and Behaviours. The New World is full of unfamiliar creatures, people, behaviours, colours etc. In The Matrix (1999), N

rom 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:

(simply go to http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

*****Trial 3*****

Trial 3 centres around the conquering of the Outer Challenge and a significant Transformation to the New Self. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), the Barrow gang robs a bank, they shoot a cop (previously a cause for concern), and when they escape; everyone knows who they are. This Changing is formidable and demonstrated by the reaction of the Antagonism. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), the cops give chase but are "...not gonna risk their life in Oklahoma..."

*****New World of the First Threshold*****

Entry. Upon entry into the First Threshold, some marked characteristics are noticeable.

Polar Opposite. The New World of the First Threshold is markedly different from the Hero's Ordinary World; it is usually the Polar Opposite of the Ordinary World. In The Matrix (1999), the world of the machines is nowhere like Neo's normal World. In Goodfellas (1990), the World of the gangsters is the polar opposite of both Henry's and Karen's parent's World. In Dances with Wolves (1990), Fort Hayes is quiet and uninhabited. John Dunbar has just come from fighting in the civil war.

Unfamiliar Creatures and Behaviours. The New World is full of unfamiliar creatures, people, behaviours, colours etc. In The Matrix (1999),

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:

(simply go to http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

*****Trial 3*****

Trial 3 centres around the conquering of the Outer Challenge and a significant Transformation to the New Self. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), the Barrow gang robs a bank, they shoot a cop (previously a cause for concern), and when they escape; everyone knows who they are. This Changing is formidable and demonstrated by the reaction of the Antagonism. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), the cops give chase but are "...not gonna risk their life in Oklahoma..."

*****New World of the First Threshold*****

Entry. Upon entry into the First Threshold, some marked characteristics are noticeable.

Polar Opposite. The New World of the First Threshold is markedly different from the Hero's Ordinary World; it is usually the Polar Opposite of the Ordinary World. In The Matrix (1999), the world of the machines is nowhere like Neo's normal World. In Goodfellas (1990), the World of the gangsters is the polar opposite of both Henry's and Karen's parent's World. In Dances with Wolves (1990), Fort Hayes is quiet and uninhabited. John Dunbar has just come from fighting in the civil war.

Unfamiliar Creatures and Behaviours. The New World is full of unfamiliar creatures, people, behaviours, colours etc. In The Matrix (1999),

row gang robs a bank, they shoot a cop (previously a cause for concern), and when they escape; everyone knows who they are. This Changing is formidable and demonstrated by the reaction of the Antagonism. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), the cops give chase but are "...not gonna risk their life in Oklahoma..."

*****New World of the First Threshold*****

Entry. Upon entry into the First Threshold, some marked characteristics are noticeable.

Polar Opposite. The New World of the First Threshold is markedly different from the Hero's Ordinary World; it is usually the Polar Opposite of the Ordinary World. In The Matrix (1999), the world of the machines is nowhere like Neo's normal World. In Goodfellas (1990), the World of the gangsters is the polar opposite of both Henry's and Karen's parent's World. In Dances with Wolves (1990), Fort Hayes is quiet and uninhabited. John Dunbar has just come from fighting in the civil war.

Unfamiliar Creatures and Behaviours. The New World is full of unfamiliar creatures, people, behaviours, colours etc. In The Matrix (1999),

s Ordinary World; it is usually the Polar Opposite of the Ordinary World. In The Matrix (1999), the world of the machines is nowhere like Neo's normal World. In Goodfellas (1990), the World of the gangsters is the polar opposite of both Henry's and Karen's parent's World. In Dances with Wolves (1990), Fort Hayes is quiet and uninhabited. John Dunbar has just come from fighting in the civil war.

Unfamiliar Creatures and Behaviours. The New World is full of unfamiliar creatures, people, behaviours, colours etc. In The Matrix (1999), Neo breaks free from his pod to find humans in pods and machines farming them. In The Last King of Scotland (2006), Uganda and Ugandans are totally new to Nicholas.

*****First Threshold EVolution*****

Evolution past the Fish out of Water stage is an integral part of the First Threshold. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Jack is better on the horse and Ennis gets tired of beans.

*****Push out of the first Near Death Experience*****

The Hero's Journey often contains more than one Near Death Experience - each is designed to incrementally push the Hero through a Rebirth. Also, Pushes and Pulls are an underestimated part of storytelling - they push or pull the Hero from one stage and state to another. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Bonnie and Clyde steal the car and run.

*****Rebirth*****

The Hero's Rebirth is often demonstarted post the Near Death Experience. In Straw Dogs (1971), Amy walks to David and, calmly for the first time, tells him they're "....due at the church hall at 8..."

*****The One*****

As noted before, the Seizing of the Sword (a tangible) is a metaphor for the intangible (Expansion of Consciousness). It is now, once the Hero has gained his (or her) Expansion of Consciousness, that others believe that he (or she) may truly be The One, The Saviour, The Messiah, the one capable of defeating the previously unbeatable Antagonism. In Dances with Wolves (1990), Two Socks takes the meat from John's hand. In The Matrix (1999), Trinity et al begin to believe Neo is the one.