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.
The Hero's Journey is also a study of repeating patterns in successful stories and screenplays. It is compelling that screenwriters have a higher probability of producing quality work when they mirror the recurring patterns found in successful screenplays.
Consider this:
• Titanic (1997) grossed over $600,000,000 – uses the Hero's Journey as a template.
• Star Wars (1977) grossed over $460,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.
• Shrek 2 (2004) grossed over $436,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.
• ET (1982) grossed over $434,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.
• Spiderman (2002) grossed over $432,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.
• Out of Africa (1985), Terms of Endearment (1983), Dances with Wolves (1990), Gladiator (2000) – All Academy Award Winners Best Film are based on the Hero's Journey.
• Anti-hero stories (Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990) etc) are all based on the Hero's Journey.
• Heroine’s Journey stories (Million Dollar Baby (2004), Out of Africa (1980) etc) are all based on the Hero's Journey.
A B C Story
Sitcoms usually have A, B and C stories. For example, in "Friends," it is normal for the six to pair up and undergo a particular challenge. Often Phoebe and Joey, Ross and Rachel and Chandler and Monica.
Generally, the A B C story approach is helpful – it allows the screenwriter to enhance the degree of cohesion:
It is not unreasonable to think of the Seizing the Sword and the Rebirth through Death stages as the B-story and the Atonement with the Father and Apotheosis as the A-story:
In Star Wars (1977), Luke rescues Leia (B-story) and then Ben's confrontation with Vader and subsequent death leads Luke to realise that he will have to go on alone (A-story).
In Raging Bull (1980), Jake's journey to the Title Fight can be seen as the B-story and his confrontation with Joey and the discovery that Vickie is sleeping with Joey et al as the culmination of the A-story.
From another perspective, it is not unreasonable to see the Hero's Journey as the A-Story, the Antagonist's as the B-story and other major archetypes (shape shifter, supernatural aid etc) as the C-Story.
Learn more…
The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and FREE 17 stage sample and other story structure templates can be found at
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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
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