Screenplay Structure – Part 9 and 10 (of 17)
The hero’s journey is the screenwriting template. Screenwriters can use it to write effective screenplays. Below are a few of the elements of each stage of the journey.
Atonement with the Father.
Confrontation. That which is the greatest barrier to the apotheosis is confronted. In Alien (1979), Ripley confronts Ash. In Casablanca (1942), Rick has a confrontation with both Ilsa and Victor.
Internalise the Father. In The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Andy walks out wearing the warden’s shoes.
Apotheosis. Every hero has a seminal insight, an illumination – the apotheosis.
In The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Andy Dufresne’s apotheosis is that you either get busy living or you get busy dying. He reaches that insight in the scene by the prison wall with Red (Morgan Freeman).
In Scarface (1983), Tony Montana’s insight is that the rewards of the path he’s chosen are not worth the spiritual price he is paying, expressed with the words (in the restaurant scene): “is this it? Is that what it’s all about Manny? Eating, drinking, fucking, sucking,” “no free rides in this world kid,” “I lost my appetite,” “is that what I worked for? With these hands? Is that what I killed for? For this?”
In Raging Bull (1980), Jake discovers that Vickie has been sleeping with everyone, including his brother.
The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and FREE 17 stage sample and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.managing-creativity.com/
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Kal Bishop, MBA
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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. He can be reached at http://www.managing-creativity.com
