| FORWARD | | | | However, Three or Four Act Structure in this |
| Kal Bishop's 188 stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) | | | | form is little use in writing a screenplay. |
| is the template upon which the vast majority of | | | | A more useful Four Act Structure is:a) The Hero |
| successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are | | | | is encountered in and pushed or pulled out of the |
| based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of | | | | Ordinary World (and Ordinary Self).b) The Hero |
| Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see | | | | becomes a New Self.c) The Hero recognises an |
| URL below) are based on this 188+ stage | | | | incompatibility between the Ordinary and New |
| template. Understanding this template is a priority | | | | Selves. A lack of Wholeness.d) The Hero |
| for story or screenwriters. This is the template | | | | confronts the Old and New Selves (represented |
| you must master if you are to succeed in the | | | | by a Greater Antagonism) and Masters the Two |
| craft. | | | | Worlds and Selves to remove incompatibilities and |
| [The terminology is most often metaphoric and | | | | attain Completeness. |
| applies to all successful stories and screenplays, | | | | (For the Complete 188+ stage Hero's Journey |
| from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback | | | | simply go to ) |
| Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of | | | | ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES: |
| the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to | | | | *****Celebrating the Physical Crossing***** |
| Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now | | | | A celebration marks the Crossing into the World |
| (1979)]. | | | | of the Transformation. In Bonnie and Clyde |
| THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY | | | | (1967), Bonnie isn't worried that they've shot |
| PLOT POINTS, MID POINT and ACTS | | | | someone, she's happy about it [in the cinema]. |
| Conventionally, a plot point (or twist) occurs at | | | | *****Dissatisfaction***** |
| around page 30 and page 90. Thus Act I is | | | | Part of the Period of Desolation. Before the Hero |
| approximately pages 0-30, Act II is approximately | | | | commits to the Journey and Transformation or is |
| pages 30 - 90 and Act III is approximately pages | | | | forced to by an Unbearable Antagonism, |
| 90-120. With the inclusion of a Midpoint at | | | | dissatisfaction and frustration sets in. In |
| approximately page 60, we have Four Act | | | | Brokeback Mountain (2005), Enis asks "...why didn't |
| Structure. | | | | we get the powdered milk... |