Hero's Journey; Screenwriting: The Theme

The Hero's Journey is the template upon which the cast majority of successful screenplays are built upon. Films as diverse as Gladiator (2000), Million Dollar Baby (2004), Raging Bull (1980) and Scarface (1983) were all constructed around the Hero's Journey Template.

Should a screenplay have a theme?

The concept of the theme is misleading. Many successful stories are based on a theme but, then again, many are not or only vaguely so.

Better to focus on the Ideal and the Seizure of the Sword and the Apotheosis. The theme comes through as a result of that.

The theme can come across as the Ideal that forces the hero to Seize the Sword. For example, it is loyalty that drives Carlito to help Kleinfeld break Tony T out of jail in Carlitos Way (1993).

The theme can also come across in the Apotheosis. For example, In Casablanca, Rick's insight is that if you love someone, you sacrifice yourself for their happiness. That sacrifice can include selling your most prized material possessions (he sells his bar), allowing your love to find happiness in another's arms (he ultimately allows Ilsa to be with Victor), physical suffering (it is likely that his ultimate actions will see him to a concentration camp), leaving dear friends (he will have to leave Sam behind) and forced exile from home and heart (he will have to leave Casablanca). He learns this insight from both Ilsa and Victor, who are prepared to do the same for each other.

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/.