n the Ordinary World (Bonnie and Clyde (1967), An Officer and a Gentleman (1983), Thelma and Louise (1991)). Mirrors most often signify dissatisfaction with the Ordinary Self and dissatisfaction with the Period of Obscurity. It is this that pushes the hero forward.

Or take tunnels. Often heroes are seen moving through tunnels, which symbolise movement from one state to another.

Or bridges, gates, rivers and railroads - all of which mark boundaries between sta

The Hero's Journey (also known as the Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. It is upon this structure that situations are superimposed. This is why stories such as Alien (1979), Gladiator (2000), Godfather (1972), American Beauty (1999), Annie Hall (1977) and many others (all deconstructed at www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html) appear to be different but are all constructed, almost sequence by sequence, in the same way.

The following blockbusters have all been structured around the Hero's Journey template: Titanic, 1997 - grossed over $600,000,000; Star Wars, 1977 - grossed over $460,000,000; Shrek 2, 2004 - grossed over $436,000,000; ET, 1982 - grossed over $434,000,000; Spiderman, 2002 - grossed over $432,000,000. So how come you don't know it inside out?

For a number of very valid reasons, if you want to write (and sell) successful stories, whether they're Hollywood blockbusters, Indie successes, novels or other story forms, you need to master the Hero's Journey in a very detailed way...

THE UNDERRATED USE OF SYMBOLISM

Most of the time we don't notice it, but screenplays consist of much more structure and symbolism than is commonly assumed. And that is right, because they should be designed for maximum impact.

Take the role of water. At the stage of the Near Death Experience, romantic lovers part in the rain (50 First Dates, 2004), protagonists are tortured with water (Green Mile, 1999), protagonists happen to be on vessels that sink (War of the Worlds, 2005) and heroes are submerged underwater (Jaws, 1977). The role of water is ancient and works on the audience subconsciously; it signifies baptism / dirt to cleanliness / washing away the Old and emergence of the New Self.

Or take mirrors. The hero often looks at himself (or herself) in a mirror whilst in the Ordinary World (Bonnie and Clyde (1967), An Officer and a Gentleman (1983), Thelma and Louise (1991)). Mirrors most often signify dissatisfaction with the Ordinary Self and dissatisfaction with the Period of Obscurity. It is this that pushes the hero forward.

Or take tunnels. Often heroes are seen moving through tunnels, which symbolise movement from one state to another.

Or bridges, gates, rivers and railroads - all of which mark boundaries between sta

equence, in the same way.

The following blockbusters have all been structured around the Hero's Journey template: Titanic, 1997 - grossed over $600,000,000; Star Wars, 1977 - grossed over $460,000,000; Shrek 2, 2004 - grossed over $436,000,000; ET, 1982 - grossed over $434,000,000; Spiderman, 2002 - grossed over $432,000,000. So how come you don't know it inside out?

For a number of very valid reasons, if you want to write (and sell) successful stories, whether they're Hollywood blockbusters, Indie successes, novels or other story forms, you need to master the Hero's Journey in a very detailed way...

THE UNDERRATED USE OF SYMBOLISM

Most of the time we don't notice it, but screenplays consist of much more structure and symbolism than is commonly assumed. And that is right, because they should be designed for maximum impact.

Take the role of water. At the stage of the Near Death Experience, romantic lovers part in the rain (50 First Dates, 2004), protagonists are tortured with water (Green Mile, 1999), protagonists happen to be on vessels that sink (War of the Worlds, 2005) and heroes are submerged underwater (Jaws, 1977). The role of water is ancient and works on the audience subconsciously; it signifies baptism / dirt to cleanliness / washing away the Old and emergence of the New Self.

Or take mirrors. The hero often looks at himself (or herself) in a mirror whilst in the Ordinary World (Bonnie and Clyde (1967), An Officer and a Gentleman (1983), Thelma and Louise (1991)). Mirrors most often signify dissatisfaction with the Ordinary Self and dissatisfaction with the Period of Obscurity. It is this that pushes the hero forward.

Or take tunnels. Often heroes are seen moving through tunnels, which symbolise movement from one state to another.

Or bridges, gates, rivers and railroads - all of which mark boundaries between sta

er they're Hollywood blockbusters, Indie successes, novels or other story forms, you need to master the Hero's Journey in a very detailed way...

THE UNDERRATED USE OF SYMBOLISM

Most of the time we don't notice it, but screenplays consist of much more structure and symbolism than is commonly assumed. And that is right, because they should be designed for maximum impact.

Take the role of water. At the stage of the Near Death Experience, romantic lovers part in the rain (50 First Dates, 2004), protagonists are tortured with water (Green Mile, 1999), protagonists happen to be on vessels that sink (War of the Worlds, 2005) and heroes are submerged underwater (Jaws, 1977). The role of water is ancient and works on the audience subconsciously; it signifies baptism / dirt to cleanliness / washing away the Old and emergence of the New Self.

Or take mirrors. The hero often looks at himself (or herself) in a mirror whilst in the Ordinary World (Bonnie and Clyde (1967), An Officer and a Gentleman (1983), Thelma and Louise (1991)). Mirrors most often signify dissatisfaction with the Ordinary Self and dissatisfaction with the Period of Obscurity. It is this that pushes the hero forward.

Or take tunnels. Often heroes are seen moving through tunnels, which symbolise movement from one state to another.

Or bridges, gates, rivers and railroads - all of which mark boundaries between sta

rt in the rain (50 First Dates, 2004), protagonists are tortured with water (Green Mile, 1999), protagonists happen to be on vessels that sink (War of the Worlds, 2005) and heroes are submerged underwater (Jaws, 1977). The role of water is ancient and works on the audience subconsciously; it signifies baptism / dirt to cleanliness / washing away the Old and emergence of the New Self.

Or take mirrors. The hero often looks at himself (or herself) in a mirror whilst in the Ordinary World (Bonnie and Clyde (1967), An Officer and a Gentleman (1983), Thelma and Louise (1991)). Mirrors most often signify dissatisfaction with the Ordinary Self and dissatisfaction with the Period of Obscurity. It is this that pushes the hero forward.

Or take tunnels. Often heroes are seen moving through tunnels, which symbolise movement from one state to another.

Or bridges, gates, rivers and railroads - all of which mark boundaries between sta

n the Ordinary World (Bonnie and Clyde (1967), An Officer and a Gentleman (1983), Thelma and Louise (1991)). Mirrors most often signify dissatisfaction with the Ordinary Self and dissatisfaction with the Period of Obscurity. It is this that pushes the hero forward.

Or take tunnels. Often heroes are seen moving through tunnels, which symbolise movement from one state to another.

Or bridges, gates, rivers and railroads - all of which mark boundaries between states and thresholds.

Or the colour red - signifying blood, damage to the Physical Self and transmogrification to the New Self.

Symbolism is just another way of communicating the physical and psychological stage of the Journey / Transformation - there are quite a few of these tools, and you should use them. Coppola and Scorsese et al do.