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.
and more…
The Color of Money (1986) – basic deconstruction
[can be deconstructed with either Eddie or Vincent as the Hero; both transform]
FADE IN: Martin Scorsese narrates and explains nine-ball.
Meeting the Mentor in his Ordinary World: Eddie talking whisky on the bar.
Mentors Romantic Challenge: his girl behind the bar.
Representation of the Old World: John Turturro.
Foreshadow of the Hero: what guy? Yo Vincent, we’re on.
Developing the Hero: I slipped; need more money.
Meeting the Hero: kid’s got a sledgehammer break.
Meeting the Hero’s Shape Shifter [Romantic Challenge]: Carmen.
Meeting with the Mentor: hi, how u doin?
Developing the Hero: I just want your best game; lets just play play…
Mentor’s Capabilities: you don’t know what to say, do you?
How about I take you out to dinner tonight; you should ask Vincent, no you should ask Vincent.
Push to the Journey / Transformation: Ten years from now I can go to West Point on Stocker; you’re a natural flake; if you got an area of excellence, money comes easy; you couldn’t find big time with a roadmap.
Developing Shape Shifter’s Motivation: what do you mean big time.
Developing the Mentor’s Capabilities: my area of excellence; I’ll leave with her in two minutes.
Mentor’s Romantic Challenge: Eddie in bed with his girl.
Persuading / Developing the Shape Shifter: Eddie takes Carmen into the car; will you help me.
Hero and Shape Shifter’s Backstory: how Carmen and Vincent met.
Refusal: Vincent in the stock room, selling toys; this is my job.
Foreshadow of the Overcoming of the Refusal: you’re losing her kiddo, she don’t get the allure of this place.
Magical Gift: Eddie gives Vincent the Balabooshka / stick.
Representation of the Old World: John Turturro.
Overcoming Refusal: in the bar; where’s Carmen?
Conscious Agreement: Vincent agrees; I’ve been thinking about it, lets do it.
Mentor’s Romantic Challenge: Eddie dancing with his girl.
Leaving the Old World and Old Self: John Turturro appears; I’m gonna be out of town for a couple of weeks.
Resistance to leaving the Ordinary World and Ordinary Self: John gets annoyed.
Resistance to leaving the Ordinary World and Ordinary Self: Eddie’s girl walks out.
Rules: I stake horse; I take sixty percent; sometimes if you lose you win.
Foreshadow of the Transformation: Grady Seasons; hang around the practice room.
Physical Change: watch the paint.
Journey to the First Threshold: on the road.
Developing Characters and Relationships / Backstories: that’s a dead giveaway; she used to be a waitress; I got retired.
Resistance to the Transformation: I’m too old to start again now.
Mentor’s Guidance: in the car; are you the best liquor salesman.
Foreshadow of the Transformation: I can’t believe I got goosebumps.
Middle Cave: Entering the now-it’s-a-furniture-store pool hall.
Inner Cave: playing the Old Men; I can’t take these guys’ money; what is it so far $60 no big deal.
Forced out of the First Threshold: running away from the old men et al.
Consciously Agreeing to Transform: in the car; you never ease off like that again; nice guys finish last; stick a pool cue down his throat; next time kid.
Journey to the Belly of the Whale: Chalky’s still around.
Foreshadow of the Transformation: Carmen shows herself in the bathroom.
Belly of the Whale: entering Chalky’s.
Meeting a Transformation Mentor: the owner of Chalky’s.
Mentor’s Status: this here is Fast Eddie Felson.
World of the Transformation / Creatures of this World: the pool hall; the men in the bar.
Resistance to the Belly of the Whale: I want Carmen out of here.
Foreshadow of Trial and Transformation 1: Eddie tells how they’re going to make money; Earl et al.
Physical Separation: Eddie picks up the pool cue and plays.
Trial and Transformation 1:
Eddie shows how hot he is: cool it; even if it is just for bangers; only one guy can be the best….
Eddie walks out: you know what this is turning into, a waste of my time and a waste of my money…
Eddie lying down and thinking; childcare.
Eddie visits Carmen; come on then, lets do it in the shower; work with me; we’re businesspeople.
Pulled to the Inner Cave: he’s taken the Stick.
Inner Cave: what you got in there; Doom; Werewolves of London; Vincent is king of the pool hall but he loses Earl.
Transformation [hero]: you lost money; the town is dead for you; I’m a f*cking animal; get in the car; the talk in the car; I’ll try.
Transformation [mentor]: Eddie talking to his girl on the phone; maybe you could move in with me, just for practice.
Trial and Transformation 2:
In the café; you heard of hustle called: Two Brothers and a Stranger.
Developing Characters and Relationships: people never talk to me like that; I really appreciate it.
Building a trophy wall.
Eddie and Carmen go in.
The hustle works.
Inner Cave: Vincent and Eddie argue over Carmen.
Transformation: it’s only acting.
Reward: the money; I got a good feeling about this.
Transformation: clips of Vincent et al playing the pool halls and improving; developing characters and relationships.
Trial and Transformation 3:
Meeting Grady Seasons.
You are going to dump something fierce.
Resisting Trial 3: why can’t I have a hustle where I win?
Losing to and being patronized by Grady.
Resisting: finding it hard to lay down.
Inner Cave: you win one more and you’ll be humping your fist for a long time.
Foreshadow of the Oracle: what are you doing, meditating?
Transformed: Vincent lays down and is happy with it; jumping on the bed with Carmen.
Meeting the Oracle: can I have the Balabooshka.
Seizing the Sword: Eddie plays for money and loses; how could I get suckered like that.
Resisting the Near Death Experience: Vincent gets mad.
Near Death Experience: How much do you need to go it on your own; I got nothing else to teach you.
Reward: Eddie goes on the road by himself; feel good don’t it.
New Self: glasses; swimming.
Rebirth and Transformation: Eddie plays Moselle and loses; practices; begins to win; beats Moselle.
World of the Atonement: Atlantic City.
New Self: suit; glasses; change of clothes.
Goodbye to the Old World: John Turturro just wanted to say hello.
Atonement with the Father: rising through the ranks at Atlantic City; beating the other hustlers; I didn’t deserve that, yes you did.
New Self [Vincent]: Vincent in control of Carmen now; annoyed that she didn’t negotiate for more.
Apotheosis: you were right, we didn’t need you.
Catharsis 1: Vincent beats Grady; you got lucky you lucky prick.
Catharsis 2: Eddie beats Julian.
Foreshadow of the Boon: I feel good; come down here.
Reward / Convergence: Eddie’s girl arrives with the chalk.
Ultimate Boon: Eddie beats Vincent.
Celebration: yeah… outside the door.
Denial / Refusal: Vincent dumped.
Romantic Challenge Resolved: I’m a real big fan of character in people.
Magic Flight: Eddie quits the tournament.
Rescue from Without: you gotta save my ass.
Crossing the Return Threshold: Vincent arrives; wanna play kick the dog for the rest of your life.
Master of Two Worlds: pick myself up and let you kick me again; don’t put the money in the bank.
Freedom to Live: I’m back.
FADE OUT:
Kal Bishop, MBA
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. 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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