Great Screenplay Idea and Good Story Ideas by Kal Bishop

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.

Good Screenplay or Story Ideas

The essence of the good story is the Apotheosis - the illumination or insight that the hero undergoes.

The apotheosis follows the atonement with the father - where the hero confronts that which limits his apotheosis.

Once you know what the apotheosis is and what blocks the hero attaining it, you can (relatively) easily build up to and beyond that point.

Learn more...

WRITE THAT SCREENPLAY!

The Complete 510+ stage Hero's Journey, Monomyth and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html

Image comparisons and a free sample file also at this site: http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html