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.
Story Structure: Hero Convergence
One often overlooked aspect of the Hero's Journey is the convergence of Allies and possibly the Shape Shifter with the hero on his (or her way) to the Final Conflict (often the Master of Two Worlds stage).
It is not unusual for convergence to begin post the Rebirth after the Near Death Experience.
Just as the Pull toward the Final Conflict [for the Hero] is a combination of pulls towards it and pushes against it, so the convergence is also riddled with obstacles.
For example, in Goldfinger (1964), Bond activates the homing device to let Felix know to come. But Felix et al lose the signal...causing us to wonder how the allies will aid our man...
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
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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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