Screenplay Format: Braveheart (1995) Deconstructed

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...

Sample Movie Deconstructed: Braveheart (1995)

FADE IN: Scottish highlands; bagpipes.

Backstory: narration.

Meeting the Hero [boy]: Wallace wants to know where they're going.

Interdiction: go home.

Antagonism: the hanged.

Breaking the Interdiction: Wallace doesn't go home.

Developing the Hero: I can fight.

Guided by the Mentor: but it's our wits that make us men.

Meeting Allies: it's up to us Hamish.

Hero's Ordinary World: the farm.

Inciting Incident / Antagonism: William's Father dead; the burial.

Romantic Challenge: Murron gives William the flower.

Meeting the Mentor: Argyle.

Call to Adventure: tomorrow you'll come with me.

Refusal: I don't want to leave.

Overcoming Refusal / Guided by the Mentor: your heart is free, have the courage to follow it.

Foreshadow of the Transformation: first use this [the mind] then I'll teach you to use this [the sword].

Leaving the Ordinary World and the Old Self: looking back at the farm.

Meeting the Romantic Challenge: Isabelle.

Meeting the Antagonist: Longshanks enacts Prima Nocte.

Meeting the Shape Shifter: Bruce.

First Threshold: William returns home as a man.

Meeting the Romantic Challenge: Murron and William catch each other's eye.

Meeting Allies: the rock fight with Hamish.

Developing the Antagonism: A Knight claims his right of Prima Nocte.

Foreshadow of the Physical Separation: the English soldier looks at Murron: her time will come.

Developing the Romantic Challenge: Murron rides with Wallace.

Resisting the Physical Separation: William won't go to the meeting.

Interdiction: the answer is no.

Pushing to the Physical Separation: will you marry me.

Breaking the Interdiction: William and Murron get married.

Unbearable Antagonism: the English kill Murron.

Physical Separation: William et al take revenge; William becomes leader.

Trial 1: William et al take over the town; the husband takes revenge.

Developing the Antagonism: Lonshanks asks his son to deal with Wallace while he's in France.

Trial 2: William et al defeat the English forces sent after them.

Developing the Shape Shifter: Bruce's father advises.

Developing the Romantic Challenge: Isabelle learns about Wallace.

Foreshadow of Trial 3: we'll make spears, twice as long as a man.

Developing Characters and Relationships: volunteers arrive.

Developing Characters and Relationships: the Irishman saves William.

Trial 3: William persuades the men to fight; the English army is defeated.

Reward and Celebration for passing the Trials: William is knighted.

Entering the World of the Sword: William will invade England.

Developing Characters and Relationships: Bruce speaks to William.

Developing the Hero: William sacks York.

Developing the Antagonist: the King returns.

Meeting the Oracle: William meets Isabelle.

Developing the Anatgonist: Isabelle returns to discover that Longshanks set a trap.

Isabelle's assistant tells William of the King's plan.

Developing Characters and Relationships: William and Bruce talk.

Shape Shifter Revealed: the Bruce talks to his father.

Developing the Antagonist: send in the Irish; dead men cost nothing.

Seizing the Sword: William battles the King's armies.

Rebirth through Death: William is hit with an arrow.

Shape Shifter revealed: some Scottish tribes do not attack; Bruce fights for the King.

Rebirth through Death: Hamish's father dies.

Reward: Bruce will not be on the wrong side again.

Reward: Mornay et al are murdered.

Reward: William's legend grows.

Developing the Antagonist: Longshanks sends Isabelle and the assassins.

Reward: William et al burn the assassins.

Reward: William beds Isabelle.

Rescue from Without:: Bruce sends for William and is caught.

Refusal: Hamish et al think it is a trap.

Shape Shifter Developed: Bruce confronts his father.

Atonement with the Father: William faces charges of treason.

Romantic Challenge: Isabelle visits William.

Sacrifice: William refuses the poison form Isabelle.

Final Conflict: Isabelle is pregnant; the King's line is dead.

Develop the Hero: William prays.

Sacrifice: William refuses to pledge allegiance to the king for a quick death.

Master of the Two Worlds: William being tortured; "...mercy