188 Stage Heros Journey (monomyth) - Physical Separation, Physical Deformation

Posted on April 18, 2008

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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

PLOT POINTS, MID POINT and ACTS

Conventionally, a plot point (or twist) occurs at around page 30 and page 90. Thus Act I is approximately pages 0-30, Act II is approximately pages 30 – 90 and Act III is approximately pages 90-120. With the inclusion of a Midpoint at approximately page 60, we have Four Act Structure.

However, Three or Four Act Structure in this form is little use in writing a screenplay.

A more useful Four Act Structure is:

a) The Hero is encountered in and pushed or pulled out of the Ordinary World (and Ordinary Self).

b) The Hero becomes a New Self.

c) The Hero recognises an incompatibility between the Ordinary and New Selves. A lack of Wholeness.

d) The Hero confronts the Old and New Selves (represented by a Greater Antagonism) and Masters the Two Worlds and Selves to remove incompatibilities and attain Completeness.

(For the Complete 188+ stage Hero’s Journey simply go to http://www.heros-journey.info/ )

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:

*****Physical Separation*****

The steps to a stage of the Hero’s Journey can consist of a number of steps. Take the Physical Separation:
a) A Foreshadow. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Joe sees Jack and Ennis fooling around from the hilltop.
b) A Delay. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Jack says there’s “…nothing I can do about it down there….”
c) Resistance. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Ennis and Jack hold fown the tent.
d) Thinking of the Return. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Ennis says, “…Fuck Joe…oh yes, what if we need to work here again….”
e) Reasons for Remaining. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), “…you’ll run them sheep off again if you don’t quiet down….”
f) Preparation. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Jake brings the tent down.
g) Momento. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Jack keeps the shirt.
h) Promising to Return. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Jack asks Ennis, “…you gonna do this again next summer…”
i) Goodbye. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Jack and Ennis say their farewells.
j) Physical Separation. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Ennis and Jack drive away.

*****Physical Deformation*****

The body is physically deformed or changed on some level. This triggers a new form once the transformation has been complete. In Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), the Nazi torturer’s hand is imprinted with the writings of the stone. In Godfather (1972), Michael Corleone’s face is deformed after a punch from captain McCluskey. In Silence of the Lambs (1991), Clarice cuts herself in the garage.

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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