From our deconstructions of more than 100 Hollywood Blockbusters:

Hero's Journey

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.

What is FADE IN?

It's actually very simple.

FADE IN is simply establishing context.

In A Beautiful Mind (Academy Award Winner Best Film, 2001), the very first text communicates to us that we are in Princeton and the very first sequence extols the beauty of mathematics.

In Elizabethtown (2005), the very first image is that of shoes being recalled - which relates directly to Drew's Call to Adventure.

In

In Silence of the Lambs (Academy Award Winner Best Film, 1991), the very first thing we see is Starling tackling the FBI assault course.

Learn more…

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

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Kal Bishop, MBA

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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://www.clickok.co.uk/

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