The Hero's Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.

The Hero's Journey:

" Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

" Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

" Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

By understanding exactly what elements make up each major stage of the Hero's Journey, screenwriters can easily build a screenplay from the ground up.

A critical element of the Call to Adventure is the Antagonism. The story and editing determine where and how the antagonism is introduced, but it is rare to find not a mention of it during this stage of the journey:

In Star Wars (1977), the first sequence introduces the antagonism (Vader) and the need for a resolution.

Often, the antagonism is referenced if not actually introduced:

In Dances with Wolves (Academy Award Winner Best Film, 1990), the Pawnee and the White Man are not developed as antagonists until a much later stage. But the White Man as antagonist is referenced early on ("the Indians are nothing but thieves and beggars.")

And sometimes the antagonism is simply a tool to help with the hero's other challenges:

In Million Dollar Baby (Academy Award Winner Best Film, 2004), The Blue Bear and the gym bully are tools to push a) Maggie to the apotheosis and the Ultimate Boon and b) help overcome Morgan Freeman's challenge.

The Complete 188 stage Hero's Journey and FREE 17 stage sample and other story structure templates can be found at http://managing-creativity.com/

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Kal Bishop, MBA

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Kal Bishop

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.