The Hero’s Journey is THE template upon which most successful stories and screenplays are built upon. As a guide, let’s use a summary deconstruction of Million Dollar Baby, the Academy Award Winner Best Film 2004.
Before we begin, there are a few items of note.
Million Dollar Baby has two heroes – Clint Eastwood (Frankie Dunn) and Hillary Swank (Maggie Fitzgerald). Both of these have internal challenges they need to overcome – Frankie has to come to terms with his daughter and Maggie with her White Trash origins. Morgan Freeman (Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris) is the mentor (supernatural aid) here to both, and like all good mentors, has a challenge of his own – what to do about Danger Barch? Through the process of taking Maggie to the Title Fight (the outer challenge), our heroes attain their apotheosis and ultimately conquer their challenges. The romantic challenge is embodied in the relationship between Frankie and Maggie.
Summary:
Call to Adventure: Maggie asks Frankie to coach her.
Refusal of the Call: Frankie refuses on the basis that this is not an adventure for a girl of her age.
First Threshold: Maggie is persistent in the gym. There is no going back for her, with or without Frankie.
Physical Separation (Belly of the Whale): Willie leaves Frankie, who is made redundant and drifts into teaching Maggie.
Transformation (Road of Trials) x3: Maggie transforms into a boxer and moves up a league; she makes the right choice in not leaving Frankie; she beats the British Champ; the completion of the transformation is signified by the receiving of a new name (Macushla).
Seizing the Sword: Maggie buys her family a house; Frankie warms to the role of father (the gaining of a new daughter);
Rebirth Through Death: Eddie saves Danger from the gym bully.
Atonement with the Father: Maggie takes on the Blue Bear.
Apotheosis: Maggie should have heeded the lesson – always protect yourself.
Ultimate Boon: Maggie gets a father and Frankie gets a daughter; they each get a new family.
Refusal of the Return: Frankie refuses to go back to the gym.
Magic Flight: Frankie searches for the best doctors and takes her away from the hospital in the desert.
Rescue from Without: Maggie’s family arrive and pull her back toward the old challenges.
Crossing the Return Threshold: Maggie loses her legs; she asks Frankie to kill her.
Master of the Two Worlds: Frankie consults with the priest and makes a decision to kill Maggie; Maggie wants to die remembering who she was.
Freedom to Live: Frankie doesn’t return to the gym.
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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