aside, his friends leave them alone. In Star Wars (1977), R2D2 turns himself off during the meeting between Ben and Luke. In Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indy and Sallah and Indy and Marcus are alone (Marion plays with the Sallah's children).

*****Outer Challenge*****

The Outer Cave of the First Threshod is where the Hero's Outer Challenge is made explicit, In Straw Dogs (1971), David sees Charlie put her hands on Amy's throat; he hides behind the curtain - a metaphor for his hiding in the house.

*****Call to Adventure*****

The Call to Adventure can be very subtle. In St

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)

*****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.

*****Others Absent Themselves from the Sacred Meeting*****

A Sacred Meeting between the Hero and Supernatural aid quite often takes place, before the embarkation on the Journey. Others absent themselves from this meeting. In Wall Street (1987), when Carl takes Bud aside, his friends leave them alone. In Star Wars (1977), R2D2 turns himself off during the meeting between Ben and Luke. In Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indy and Sallah and Indy and Marcus are alone (Marion plays with the Sallah's children).

*****Outer Challenge*****

The Outer Cave of the First Threshod is where the Hero's Outer Challenge is made explicit, In Straw Dogs (1971), David sees Charlie put her hands on Amy's throat; he hides behind the curtain - a metaphor for his hiding in the house.

*****Call to Adventure*****

The Call to Adventure can be very subtle. In Str

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)

*****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.

*****Others Absent Themselves from the Sacred Meeting*****

A Sacred Meeting between the Hero and Supernatural aid quite often takes place, before the embarkation on the Journey. Others absent themselves from this meeting. In Wall Street (1987), when Carl takes Bud aside, his friends leave them alone. In Star Wars (1977), R2D2 turns himself off during the meeting between Ben and Luke. In Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indy and Sallah and Indy and Marcus are alone (Marion plays with the Sallah's children).

*****Outer Challenge*****

The Outer Cave of the First Threshod is where the Hero's Outer Challenge is made explicit, In Straw Dogs (1971), David sees Charlie put her hands on Amy's throat; he hides behind the curtain - a metaphor for his hiding in the house.

*****Call to Adventure*****

The Call to Adventure can be very subtle. In St

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)

*****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.

*****Others Absent Themselves from the Sacred Meeting*****

A Sacred Meeting between the Hero and Supernatural aid quite often takes place, before the embarkation on the Journey. Others absent themselves from this meeting. In Wall Street (1987), when Carl takes Bud aside, his friends leave them alone. In Star Wars (1977), R2D2 turns himself off during the meeting between Ben and Luke. In Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indy and Sallah and Indy and Marcus are alone (Marion plays with the Sallah's children).

*****Outer Challenge*****

The Outer Cave of the First Threshod is where the Hero's Outer Challenge is made explicit, In Straw Dogs (1971), David sees Charlie put her hands on Amy's throat; he hides behind the curtain - a metaphor for his hiding in the house.

*****Call to Adventure*****

The Call to Adventure can be very subtle. In St

ero. 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.

*****Others Absent Themselves from the Sacred Meeting*****

A Sacred Meeting between the Hero and Supernatural aid quite often takes place, before the embarkation on the Journey. Others absent themselves from this meeting. In Wall Street (1987), when Carl takes Bud aside, his friends leave them alone. In Star Wars (1977), R2D2 turns himself off during the meeting between Ben and Luke. In Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indy and Sallah and Indy and Marcus are alone (Marion plays with the Sallah's children).

*****Outer Challenge*****

The Outer Cave of the First Threshod is where the Hero's Outer Challenge is made explicit, In Straw Dogs (1971), David sees Charlie put her hands on Amy's throat; he hides behind the curtain - a metaphor for his hiding in the house.

*****Call to Adventure*****

The Call to Adventure can be very subtle. In St

aside, his friends leave them alone. In Star Wars (1977), R2D2 turns himself off during the meeting between Ben and Luke. In Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indy and Sallah and Indy and Marcus are alone (Marion plays with the Sallah's children).

*****Outer Challenge*****

The Outer Cave of the First Threshod is where the Hero's Outer Challenge is made explicit, In Straw Dogs (1971), David sees Charlie put her hands on Amy's throat; he hides behind the curtain - a metaphor for his hiding in the house.

*****Call to Adventure*****

The Call to Adventure can be very subtle. In Straw Dogs (1971), Charlie helps put the groceries in the trunk. Then Amy suggest that maybe Charlie could help with the garage. Charlie will be happy to do it tomorrow.