d's Magical Gift helps initiate the Learning and the Changing. In The Matrix (1999), Morpheus tells Neo that he must begin training and is shown the martial arts simulator.

*****Loop*****

The Loop closes the story by linking the first and last sequences. Methods include:

Return to the Ordinary World. In Lord of the Rings, Frodo, Sam et al return to the Shire.

Journey to the New Life in a New World. In An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Zach and Paula go to wherever he is assigned

The 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 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) Gives you a universal structural template upon which you can superimpose your situational story. This is why stories such as Alien (1979), Gladiator (2000), Midnight Cowboy (1969), American Beauty (1999), The Graduate (1967) and many others (all deconstructed at the URL below) appear to be different but are all constructed, almost sequence by sequence, in the same way.

and more...

ABRIDGED TIP(S):

*****Initiate the Learning and the Changing*****

Certain commonalities occur in the Outer Cave of the First Threshold, including:

New Competencies. This is where training of a new talent or competency is initiated. In Spartacus (1960), the slaves begin their training.

Passive Hero. The Hero is still learning at this stage and is passive. In Spartacus (1960), the slaves are passively learning.

Magical Gift. The Supernatural Aid's Magical Gift helps initiate the Learning and the Changing. In The Matrix (1999), Morpheus tells Neo that he must begin training and is shown the martial arts simulator.

*****Loop*****

The Loop closes the story by linking the first and last sequences. Methods include:

Return to the Ordinary World. In Lord of the Rings, Frodo, Sam et al return to the Shire.

Journey to the New Life in a New World. In An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Zach and Paula go to wherever he is assigned

eenplays, 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 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) Gives you a universal structural template upon which you can superimpose your situational story. This is why stories such as Alien (1979), Gladiator (2000), Midnight Cowboy (1969), American Beauty (1999), The Graduate (1967) and many others (all deconstructed at the URL below) appear to be different but are all constructed, almost sequence by sequence, in the same way.

and more...

ABRIDGED TIP(S):

*****Initiate the Learning and the Changing*****

Certain commonalities occur in the Outer Cave of the First Threshold, including:

New Competencies. This is where training of a new talent or competency is initiated. In Spartacus (1960), the slaves begin their training.

Passive Hero. The Hero is still learning at this stage and is passive. In Spartacus (1960), the slaves are passively learning.

Magical Gift. The Supernatural Aid's Magical Gift helps initiate the Learning and the Changing. In The Matrix (1999), Morpheus tells Neo that he must begin training and is shown the martial arts simulator.

*****Loop*****

The Loop closes the story by linking the first and last sequences. Methods include:

Return to the Ordinary World. In Lord of the Rings, Frodo, Sam et al return to the Shire.

Journey to the New Life in a New World. In An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Zach and Paula go to wherever he is assigned

you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Gives you a universal structural template upon which you can superimpose your situational story. This is why stories such as Alien (1979), Gladiator (2000), Midnight Cowboy (1969), American Beauty (1999), The Graduate (1967) and many others (all deconstructed at the URL below) appear to be different but are all constructed, almost sequence by sequence, in the same way.

and more...

ABRIDGED TIP(S):

*****Initiate the Learning and the Changing*****

Certain commonalities occur in the Outer Cave of the First Threshold, including:

New Competencies. This is where training of a new talent or competency is initiated. In Spartacus (1960), the slaves begin their training.

Passive Hero. The Hero is still learning at this stage and is passive. In Spartacus (1960), the slaves are passively learning.

Magical Gift. The Supernatural Aid's Magical Gift helps initiate the Learning and the Changing. In The Matrix (1999), Morpheus tells Neo that he must begin training and is shown the martial arts simulator.

*****Loop*****

The Loop closes the story by linking the first and last sequences. Methods include:

Return to the Ordinary World. In Lord of the Rings, Frodo, Sam et al return to the Shire.

Journey to the New Life in a New World. In An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Zach and Paula go to wherever he is assigned

me way.

and more...

ABRIDGED TIP(S):

*****Initiate the Learning and the Changing*****

Certain commonalities occur in the Outer Cave of the First Threshold, including:

New Competencies. This is where training of a new talent or competency is initiated. In Spartacus (1960), the slaves begin their training.

Passive Hero. The Hero is still learning at this stage and is passive. In Spartacus (1960), the slaves are passively learning.

Magical Gift. The Supernatural Aid's Magical Gift helps initiate the Learning and the Changing. In The Matrix (1999), Morpheus tells Neo that he must begin training and is shown the martial arts simulator.

*****Loop*****

The Loop closes the story by linking the first and last sequences. Methods include:

Return to the Ordinary World. In Lord of the Rings, Frodo, Sam et al return to the Shire.

Journey to the New Life in a New World. In An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Zach and Paula go to wherever he is assigned

d's Magical Gift helps initiate the Learning and the Changing. In The Matrix (1999), Morpheus tells Neo that he must begin training and is shown the martial arts simulator.

*****Loop*****

The Loop closes the story by linking the first and last sequences. Methods include:

Return to the Ordinary World. In Lord of the Rings, Frodo, Sam et al return to the Shire.

Journey to the New Life in a New World. In An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Zach and Paula go to wherever he is assigned.

Symbolic link: In Drugstore Cowboy (1989), the loop is symbolic, with a return to Bob's hospital bed. In War of the Worlds (2005), images of bacteria and the smallness of Earth within the Universe make up the symbolic linkages.