nant, Good Mentors face Dark Mentors etc. In Spiderman (2004), the Green Goblin and Peter eventually duel amongst themselves. In Superman 2 (1980), Superman and Zod face each other. In Gladiator (2000), Commodus' forces allow the two to fight hand-to-hand.

*****A Period of Desolation*****

One effect of refusing ones Dharma is a Period of Desolation. When one refuses ones Dharma, he (or she) is cursed to wander the desert aimlessly, cursed not to live up to ones potential, cursed to regret, forever living a slow dea

FORWARD

The 188 stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188+ stage template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.

[The terminology is most often metaphoric and applies to all successful stories and screenplays, from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now (1979)].

THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY

THE 188 STAGE 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) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:

(simply go to http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

*****Devolved Consciousness*****

The Expansion of Consciousness is better made explicit after a demonstration of the Devolved Consciousness. In Straw Dogs (1971), David waits and haplessly shoots at the birds.

*****Hand-To Hand Battle*****

No one can defeat the Hero nor the Antagonist (the Antagonist is the Hero's Id; only he or she can defeat it). They gravitate towards each other and face each other. Initialy, the Antagonist is stronger (because the Hero is tackling his own psyche).

Status meets status, that is, the Hero's Sidekick or Loyal Ally faces the Antagonist's Lieutenant, Good Mentors face Dark Mentors etc. In Spiderman (2004), the Green Goblin and Peter eventually duel amongst themselves. In Superman 2 (1980), Superman and Zod face each other. In Gladiator (2000), Commodus' forces allow the two to fight hand-to-hand.

*****A Period of Desolation*****

One effect of refusing ones Dharma is a Period of Desolation. When one refuses ones Dharma, he (or she) is cursed to wander the desert aimlessly, cursed not to live up to ones potential, cursed to regret, forever living a slow deat

eenplays, from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now (1979)].

THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY

THE 188 STAGE 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) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:

(simply go to http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

*****Devolved Consciousness*****

The Expansion of Consciousness is better made explicit after a demonstration of the Devolved Consciousness. In Straw Dogs (1971), David waits and haplessly shoots at the birds.

*****Hand-To Hand Battle*****

No one can defeat the Hero nor the Antagonist (the Antagonist is the Hero's Id; only he or she can defeat it). They gravitate towards each other and face each other. Initialy, the Antagonist is stronger (because the Hero is tackling his own psyche).

Status meets status, that is, the Hero's Sidekick or Loyal Ally faces the Antagonist's Lieutenant, Good Mentors face Dark Mentors etc. In Spiderman (2004), the Green Goblin and Peter eventually duel amongst themselves. In Superman 2 (1980), Superman and Zod face each other. In Gladiator (2000), Commodus' forces allow the two to fight hand-to-hand.

*****A Period of Desolation*****

One effect of refusing ones Dharma is a Period of Desolation. When one refuses ones Dharma, he (or she) is cursed to wander the desert aimlessly, cursed not to live up to ones potential, cursed to regret, forever living a slow dea

e process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:

(simply go to http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

*****Devolved Consciousness*****

The Expansion of Consciousness is better made explicit after a demonstration of the Devolved Consciousness. In Straw Dogs (1971), David waits and haplessly shoots at the birds.

*****Hand-To Hand Battle*****

No one can defeat the Hero nor the Antagonist (the Antagonist is the Hero's Id; only he or she can defeat it). They gravitate towards each other and face each other. Initialy, the Antagonist is stronger (because the Hero is tackling his own psyche).

Status meets status, that is, the Hero's Sidekick or Loyal Ally faces the Antagonist's Lieutenant, Good Mentors face Dark Mentors etc. In Spiderman (2004), the Green Goblin and Peter eventually duel amongst themselves. In Superman 2 (1980), Superman and Zod face each other. In Gladiator (2000), Commodus' forces allow the two to fight hand-to-hand.

*****A Period of Desolation*****

One effect of refusing ones Dharma is a Period of Desolation. When one refuses ones Dharma, he (or she) is cursed to wander the desert aimlessly, cursed not to live up to ones potential, cursed to regret, forever living a slow dea

tter made explicit after a demonstration of the Devolved Consciousness. In Straw Dogs (1971), David waits and haplessly shoots at the birds.

*****Hand-To Hand Battle*****

No one can defeat the Hero nor the Antagonist (the Antagonist is the Hero's Id; only he or she can defeat it). They gravitate towards each other and face each other. Initialy, the Antagonist is stronger (because the Hero is tackling his own psyche).

Status meets status, that is, the Hero's Sidekick or Loyal Ally faces the Antagonist's Lieutenant, Good Mentors face Dark Mentors etc. In Spiderman (2004), the Green Goblin and Peter eventually duel amongst themselves. In Superman 2 (1980), Superman and Zod face each other. In Gladiator (2000), Commodus' forces allow the two to fight hand-to-hand.

*****A Period of Desolation*****

One effect of refusing ones Dharma is a Period of Desolation. When one refuses ones Dharma, he (or she) is cursed to wander the desert aimlessly, cursed not to live up to ones potential, cursed to regret, forever living a slow dea

nant, Good Mentors face Dark Mentors etc. In Spiderman (2004), the Green Goblin and Peter eventually duel amongst themselves. In Superman 2 (1980), Superman and Zod face each other. In Gladiator (2000), Commodus' forces allow the two to fight hand-to-hand.

*****A Period of Desolation*****

One effect of refusing ones Dharma is a Period of Desolation. When one refuses ones Dharma, he (or she) is cursed to wander the desert aimlessly, cursed not to live up to ones potential, cursed to regret, forever living a slow death, cursed to eternal frustration. In Star Wars (1977), Luke looks up at the moons, frustrated. In The Incredibles (2004), Mr Incredible is Interdicted from being the superhero. This results in a period of passivity and frustration.

Expectation. Periods of desolation lead to others expecting action from the Hero. In The Incredibles (2004), the little boy wonders when "something will happen."

*****Interdiction*****

An Authority Figure often Interdicts the Hero from going to the First Threshold or establishes rule when there. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Joe says, "...last year I had a 25% loss, I don’t want that again...."