From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters at www.managing-creativity.com

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...

King Kong (2005) deconstructed

FADE IN: Context: monkeys and animals in the zoo.

Ordinary World: 20's or 30's; depression.

Meeting the Hero in her Ordinary World: Ann is an actress; performer.

Hero's capabilities: juggler; acrobat.

Hero's Challenge: may shortly be out of work.

Hero's True nature: Anne invites the old man out to dinner.

Forced out of her Ordinary World: the theatre is closed.

Goodbye to the Old World: Old Man going back to Chicago.

Foreshadow of the Transformation: you find something you care about and someone comes along and snatches it away.

Meeting the Herald: Westin gives Ann the card.

Meeting the Mentor: Denham trying to raise financing for the film.

Call to Adventure: Denham tells finance about the map.

Refusal: Denham is ridiculed.

Pushed to the First Threshold: finance are about to sack Denham.

Time Pressure: Denham in a rush now.

Obstacle: someone tries to get Denham out of the car.

Mentor's needs a Hero: Denham's in the car with Preston.

Mentor finds Hero: Denham runs into Ann.

Mentor guides Hero toward the Journey: Denham buys Ann dinner and persuades her to the boat.

Refusal: Ann walks away.

Introducing the Romantic Challenge / Overcoming Refusal: Denham mentions Jack Driscoll.

First Threshold from afar: the boat from the harbour.

Meeting Allies: the Captain.

Warning: the Captain warns Ann.

Pushed to the First Threshold: Preston persuades Ann onto the boat.

Physical Marker of the Crossing: the bridge onto the boat.

Meeting the Romantic Challenge: Denham reads Jack's script.

Resisting the First Threshold: Jack tries to get off the boat.

Forced to the First Threshold: Denham delays Jack until the boat leaves.

Meeting the Shape Shifter: the Captain.

Magical Gift: chloroform; the cages.

Meeting Allies / Developing Characters and Relationships: Baxter looking at his posters; Jimmy; Hayes, Ann meets the crew.

Developing the Romantic Challenge: Ann meets Jack.

Middle Cave: Denham tells Jack about the island; doesn't want the crew to know; Jimmy finds out; tells the crew.

Developing the Romantic Challenge: Ann looking at Jack in the mirror; below deck; Ann cries in front of the camera.

Mentor pushing to the World of the Transformation: Denham persuades the Captain.

Inner Cave: the crew confront Denham; he tells them they're going to find Skull Island.

Warning: the cook tells the story about the island.

Journey to the Belly of the Whale: on their way in the dead of night.

Developing the Romantic Challenge: Jack will write a play for Ann; the kiss.

Resisting the Belly of the Whale: the Captain turns around; there's a warrant out for Denham's arrest.

Warning: the compass fails; the skull on the map.

Pulled toward the Belly of the Whale: entering the fog.

Belly of the Whale: lost in the fog; running aground.

Warning of the Physical Separation: hearing the sounds of the island.

Physical Separation: Denham goes ashore on the boat.

Warning: Ann sees the rock in the shape of a skill; the skulls as they set foot on land; Hayes chat with Jimmy.

World of the Trials and Transformation: Ann et al look around the island.

Creatures of this World: the native inhabitants.

Foreshadow of the Transformation: the sound of Kong.

Pulled toward the Trials and Transformation: the natives capture Ann et al.

Resisting the Trials and Transformation: Ann et al are rescued by the Captain; back to the boat.

Developing Characters and Relationships: Denham toasts the dead on the ship.

Pulled toward the Trials and Transformation: the natives poll volt onto the boat and capture Ann.

Meeting the Transformation Mentor: Kong arrives and captures Ann.

Forced toward the Trials and Transformation: jack et al chase Ann behind the wall.

Time Pressure: 24 hours to return to the boat before the Captain leaves.

Developing the Transformation Mentor: Kong carries Ann around the jungle.

Trial and Transformation 1:

Resisting the Outer Cave: Jimmy can't get a gun.

Outer Cave: shooting the super bugs; finding Kong's footprint.

Resisting the Middle Cave: seeing the dinosaurs.

Middle Cave: dinosaurs and humans running from the Raptors.

Inner Cave: Ann plays dead with Kong; Denham is going to donate the proceeds of the film to the wife and kids of the dead; Baxter wants to leave Ann behind.

Ann tries to escape; Ann plays tricks with Kong; Ann tells Kong to stop.

Transformation: Kong gets mad and leaves. Ann escapes.

Trial and Transformation 2:

Outer Cave: falling back from the tunnel onto the log; Kong kills Hayes.

Forced to the Middle Cave: thrown into the cavern by Kong.

Middle Cave: Ann hunted by the Kimodo type dragon; the huge centipede.

Forced to the Inner Cave: Ann pursued by the Raptor.

Inner Cave: Kong battles the dinosaurs and saves Ann.

Transformation: Ann realises she must stay with Kong to stay alive.

Trial and Transformation 3:

Outer Cave: Jack, Denham et al wake up in the cavern; many are dead.

Middle Cave: attacked by the bugs.

Inner Cave: spider attack.

Transformation: the Captain comes to the rescue; Kong appreciates the sunset