From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters....

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...

EXAMPLE: Papillon (1973) - Hero's Journey [basic deconstruction]

[can also be deconstructed with Dega as the Supernatural Aid]

FADE IN: context: penal colony.

Goodbye to the Ordinary World and Ordinary Self: forget France; France has disowned you.

On a Journey: picking up their suitcases.

Creatures of the Ordinary World: the people watching in the streets.

Pushed out of the Ordinary World: the police force the convicts on.

Meeting the Loyal Ally: Louis Dega.

Romantic Challenge: Dega's wife.

Meeting the Hero: Papillion ["Papi"]

No Way Back: no you won't.

Meeting the Mentor: no you won't.

World of the Mentor: in the ship.

Hero's Capabilities / Danger / Warning: Papillon has a knife.

On a Journey / Pushed Forward: the boat sails.

Hero's Capabilities: Papi shoves money up his ass.

Symbol of Transformation: the butterfly tattoo.

Hero's Backstory: you're papillon; you killed a pimp; I'm innocent.

Mentor's Backstory: he spent nine years there.

Danger of the Journey and Transformation: 40% in the first year.

Ally's Backstory: Dega was the best counterfeiter.

Call to Adventure / Hero and Ally Polarization: you need protection.

Refusal: Dega doesn't think much of Papi.

This World: the hose down.

Foreshadow of the Transformation: I won't go to solitary; nothing personal.

Unbearable Antagonism: the dead man is killed and robbed.

Overcoming the Refusal: ok, I need protection.

Conscious Decision: Papi saves Degas' life.

Warning: Papi tied up like a dog.

First Threshold from Afar: looking at the islands.

Warning: you can't get away, the sharks, the current.

Threshold Guardians: the convicts turned guards.

First Threshold Marker: crossing the bridge.

Physical Change: he cuts himself to go to hospital.

Creatures of the First Threshold: the prostitutes; the integrated convicts; the people of the island.

Outer Cave:

Authority Figure: the warden.

Rules: the guillotine figure.

Meeting Allies: the old man wants 2000 to escape work.

Death: the beheading.

Resisting the Middle Cave: hoping the bribe will mean avoiding work.

Pushed to the Middle Cave: my family lost everything.

Middle Cave:

In Kilo 40.

Having to catch the croc.

Guards make money from the croc.

Inner Cave:

Clusiot shares antimalaria.

The dead convict. Sharing his food.

Polarization: Papi hisses at the converted convicts.

Push to the Belly of the Whale: I can get a boat.

World of the Belly of the Whale: catching butterflies.

Allies Nature: Dego catches the butterfly with his hands.

Warning: the butterfly man threatens to turn them in.

Pushed to the Transformation and Trials: if I don't go I'll die.

Pursued to the Transformation and Trials: Papi saves Dega's life and runs.

Polarization Decreases / Transformation: that man risked his life to save mine; for me that's a new experience.

Forced to the Road of Trials: Papi is double crossed and captured.

Trials and Transformation 1:

New World of the Transformation: Reclusion.

Transformation Mentor: our job is to process you, to break you physically, mentally and spiritually.

Rules: masturbate as little as possible etc.

Outer Cave:

Marker of Transformation: counting 5 steps to start.

Resisting the Transformation: we eat everything we get; press ups.

Marker / Foreshadow of the Transformation: how do I look?

Polarization Decreases / Transformation: Dega sends a coconut.

Time Shift: the old man next door is gone.

Resisting the Transformation: I'm still here you bastards.

Physical Change: the bat bites the leg.

Middle Cave:

Forced to Transform: the warden wants to know who sent the coconut; half rations and no light.

Push to the New Self: I accuse you of a wasted life; the penalty is death.

MIDPOINT: Developing Characters and Relationships / Decreased Polarization: Dega worried that Papi will tell; I would.

Transforming: laughing in the rain.

Inner Cave:

Resisting the Transformation: I don't get hungry; I was born skinny.

Transformed: now 13 steps.

Transformed: how do I look; you look swell.

Acceptance: Papillon calls the Mentor.

Death to the Old Self: you're dead.

Trials and Transformation 2:

Outer Cave: taken to hospital.

The gay boy doctor and the turnkey.

Transforming: getting stringer; Dega sends soup.

Developing Characters and Relationships: listen my friend, you owe me nothing.

Developing Characters and Relationships: the turnkey puts a flower in the boy's mouth.

Pushed to the Middle Cave: Clusiot tells Papi that Dega has arranged an escape.

Middle Cave:

Papi will kill the X-ray doctor if he double-crosses him.

Resisting the Inner Cave: you think I'm a whore, well I'm not.

Overcoming Resistance: Papillon agrees to him [the boy] coming along.

Resistance: Papi wants Dega to come along, but he won't.

Romantic Challenge: what do you think your wife is doing with the lawyer and all that money.

Inner Cave: escaping from the turnkey and over the wall.

Forced to the Inner Cave: Dega saves Papi's life.

Physical Change: Dega breaks his leg; setting his leg.

No Reward: The boat is a dud.

Trials and Transformation 3:

Outer Cave: the tattoo man appears.

Push to the Middle Cave: taken to the leper colony; hesitating at the door.

Inner Cave: with the lead leper; smoking his cigar.

Reward: the boat and money.

Meeting the Oracle: only a few weeks to Honduras.

Journey to the Sword: on the boat to Honduras.

Trial to the Sword: getting gangrene and operating.

Seizing the Sword: arriving in Honduras.

Separation: Dega left behind.

Forced to the Night Sea Journey: running with the other convict.

Near Death Experience: poison darts from the Indians.

Baptism: falling in the water.

Reward: waking up with the idyllic tribe.

Sexual Union: getting a girl.

New Self / Physical Change: the chief gets a tattoo.

Forced to the Atonement with the Father: the tribe leaves and Papi seeks refuge with the nuns.

Apotheosis: leaving the five years of solitary confinement; the sharks take the dead.

Convergence: Dega sees Papi on the island.

Magic Flight: taken to the island.

Denial: Dega runs from Papi.

Magic Flight: Papi pursues Dega.

Rescue from Without: the coconut drifts out to sea.

Crossing the Return Threshold: testing the bag of coconuts.

Final Antagonism: the coconuts bash the rocks.

Master of the Two Worlds: it happens every seventh wave.

Goodbye: hugging.

Freedom to Live: Papillon floats to freedom.

Fade out: Papi outlives the colony.

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