[From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters and sitcoms athttp://www.clickok.co.uk and our isolation and identification of more than 188 stages of the Hero's Journey that you need to know about...]
The Hero's Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template.
Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.
The Hero's Journey:
a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.
b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.
c) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.
and more...
The Hero's Journey: Tsotsi (2005) deconstructed [basic]
FADE IN: Ordinary World: Tsotsi et al playing dice.
Developing characters and relationships: 4+5=9
Meeting the Hero: Tsotsi turns around.
Ordinary World: in the townships.
Hero's Status: Tsotsi leading the pack.
Hero's Capabilities: small time gangsta.
Foreshadow of the Mentor: foreshadow of the Mentor: the old man in the subway station.
Inciting Incident: watching the old man in the station, following him onto the train, mugging and killing him.
Resisting / Repelled by the Inciting Incident: being sick.
Call to Adventure: Teacher Boy talks about decency; what is your name; does anything hurt you like that.
Meeting the Shape Shifter: the bar owner woman.
Warning of the Refusal: no trouble in my place.
Refusal: Tsotsi beats up Teacher Boy.
Pushed out of his Ordinary World: tell that bastard never to come here again.
Leaving the Ordinary World in haste: Tsotsi running.
Hero's Backstory: Tsotsi running as a child.
Physical Change: his hands.
Hero's Backstory: in the cylinders with his mother.
Pulled to the First Threshold: Tsotsi takes the car; shoots the mother.
Driving into the unknown: the dark night.
Resisting the First Threshold: trying to ignore the baby.
Conscious Decision / Physical Marker: taking the baby.
Antagonism / Pursued: the cops find the abandoned car.
Outer Cave / Fish out of Water: waking up with the baby.
Middle Cave / Meeting Allies and Enemies: the boys knock.
Meeting the Romantic Challenge: seeing the woman with the baby.
Antagonism / Pursued: the husband doesn't want excuses.
Developing the Shape Shifter and the Fool / Beginning of the divergence: outside "something fishy," where is he; fuck him.
Meeting the Mentor: the old man spits on Tsotsi.
Mentor's Ordinary World: the old man talks with the newspaper seller.
Pulled Forward by the Mentor: following the old man.
Hero / Mentor interaction: under the bridge.
Magical Gift: why do you go on?
Journey: on the tracks.
Chance of a New Day / World / Opportunity / Self: sunrise in the township.
Foreshadow of the Romantic Challenge: seeing the mother in the street.
Push to the Inner Cave: the baby has ants all over it; needs feeding.
Journey to the Inner Cave: following the mother.
Inner Cave: in the mothers apartment; making her feed the baby.
Developing the Romantic Challenge: attracted to the breasts.
Romantic Challenge's backstory: it was sad; you were happy.
Antagonism / Pursued: the shot woman wants her baby back.
Hero's Backstory / Romantic Challenge: the mother reminds Tsotsi of his own mother.
Leaving the Inner Cave / Between Worlds: tell anyone and I'll kill you.
Ordinary World: walking through the township.
Refusing the Transformation / Foreshadow of the Shape Shifter: that's not Tsotsi, he can't drive.
Pushed Forward: Teacher Boy talking about Decency with the Fela.
Resisting the Transformation: fuck decency.
Characters and Relationships: anytime you need someone.
Hero's Backstory: Tsotsi thinking of his mother, father, the dog.
Foreshadow of the Separation: Aap knocks on the door.
Forced to the Belly of the Whale: taking the baby to the Cylinder Children.
Physical Separation: Tsotsi tells the woman the truth that he is not the father; getting to know her backstory; she wants to keep the baby.
Resisting the Transformation: it better be here when I get back; I don't want your money.
Trial and Transformation 1:
• Teacher Boy being cared for.
• Tsotsi persuades him to go to his place.
• Teacher Boy at Tsotsi's place.
• Resisting: the boys laugh.
• Transformation: you need to pass your exam.
Push to Trial 2: you need money; we're doing a job.
Trial and Transformation 2:
• Outside the house / What are we doing here?
• Following the car inside; holding the father hostage.
• Asking for the Safe; lets kill him; preventing the killing.
• Resisting: what's going on with you.
• Push to the Transformation: the alarm.
• The bag full of baby things; killing the killer.
Resisting Trial 3: Aap doesn't want to get in the car.
Trial 3: selling the car for money.
Separation: Aap leaves.
Goodbye to the Old World: Tsotsi gives him some money.
Transformation: can I come in please.
Seizing the Sword: being fed; giving the money.
Pushed to the Atonement: you have to give the baby back.
Resisting the Atonement: what does this do; it won't make you its mother.
Romantic Challenge conquered: can I come back here.
Transformation: saying sorry to teacher Boy.
Shape Shifter revealed: the bar woman calls the cops.
Near Death experience: the cops burst into Tsotsi's place.
New Self (clothes): Tsotsi in new clothes.
New Self: (behaviour): Tsotsi gives the old man some money.
Goodbye to the Old Self: watching the Cylinder Children.
Romantic Challenge: the mother looks at her baby, potential for a new father.
Journey to the Atonement: walking to the house.
Forced to the Final Conflict: the guard calls the cops.
Atonement: leaving the baby at the door; ringing the buzzer.
Apotheosis: stretching out his arms to give the baby.
Ultimate Boon: surrendering instead of resisting.
Learn more…
The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey 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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