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.

Beginning a Screenplay

One important aspect of beginning a screenplay is the FADE IN. Many screenwriters think these are just two words that begin the story, but it is much more than that.

The FADE IN sets the context of the story. A number of techniques are common – narrative, text, visuals, music etc:

a) In Star Wars (1977), the context is set by the famous roll-on text. From this we know about the evil Empire and the Rebellion etc.

b) In Lord of War (2005), the context is set along with the credits – we see the manufacture of a bullet in an arms factory and follow it’s journey to Africa where it embeds itself in a child’s head.

c) In Scarface (1983), the first sequence uses visuals and narrative to explain the expulsion of criminals from Cuba by Castro.

d) In War of the Worlds (2005), the first sequence uses narrative and visuals to show bacteria and that the Earth has been watched for millennia.

f) In Gladiator (Academy Award Winner Best Picture, 2000), the first shots use text to establish the state of Rome and the resistance of the Germanic tribes.

Learn more…

The detailed, complete deconstruction and the Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and FREE 17 stage sample and other story structure templates can be found at http://managing-creativity.com/

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Kal Bishop, MBA

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Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://managing-creativity.com/

Athletes Versus Employees

Most athletes are young, open to improvement, eager to learn and anxious to receive what a coach can provide. For the athlete, there is a defined season and something tangible to compete for. Feedback is automatic, immediate, and specific; and athletes can easily change coaches and/or teams. Employees, on the other hand, aren’t as emotionally committed. When have you seen an adult cry or rant and rage when a goal was not achieved? For employees, feedback and performance are hard to quantify. Work goes on; there is no end and often only vague scorecards. Lastly, employees do not demand corporate coaching or search critically for performance improvement. Without belaboring the point or making value judgments, suffice it to say that the two have different values and motivations. However, these differences do not change what constitutes effective coaching behaviors.

The application of CMOE’s Eight Step Coaching model may differ, but the concepts will not. All coaches for example, need to create a supportive, trusting relationship (Step One). Further, all coaches need to create the internal motivation or initiate a desire to pursue a more effective course of action (Step Two).

Sports Coaching Versus Corporate Coaching

In sports, the coach can rarely outperform those coached, yet in business the coach will probably be an accomplished player. One of the most successful coaches in the National Basketball Association never played professional basketball. Is it possible to conceive of a successful sales manager who never was a salesperson? In sports, coaching is a full-time job supported in many cases with assistant coaches; in business the coach has many diverse responsibilities. In gymnastics the coach’s span of control is usually on-on-one. The number of “suits” on the bench, during a college basketball game, often equals or outnumbers the “uniforms” or actual players. Athletes can practice before the game and take time-outs; in business the clock is always running. Most athletic coaches see themselves as, first and foremost, teachers. Even though the word “coach” has become a popular addition to most managers’ job descriptions, we doubt that many would also include teacher. So while the playing field and conditions are different, we believe that there are some unique lessons to be learned from sports coaching and applied to corporate coaching.

If you would like more information on Corporate Coaching or to learn what 100,000 managers have learned around the world, contact CMOE at (801) 569-3444 or visit their website.