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.
Sitcom Structure
There are some interesting points to note regarding the similarities and differences between screenplay structure and sitcom structure.
a) Whereas as the screenplay story is told over (on average) 120 minutes, the sitcom story is told over many episodes.
b) The stages of the Hero's Journey can be spotted in most (good) sitcoms (over the lifespan of the sitcom). For example, in "Friends" the marriage of Rachel and Chandler can be seen as the Reward following the Seizing if the Sword and their realisation that they need to find their own home as an Apotheosis. In Lost (2004), Charlie undergoes the rebirth through death experience after surviving a hanging.
c) Individual sitcom episodes have A,B and C stories, but so do screenplays: A-story leads to the Apotheosis, B-story leads to the seizing of the Sword, C-story that of the antagonist or shape shifter.
d) Individual sitcom episodes can illustrate many parts of the Hero's Journey. For example, in Shameless (2004), Frank undergoes an Atonement with the Father and Apotheosis in the episode where he meets his father.
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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