Screenwriting Unforgiven (1992) Deconstructed
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: Unforgiven (1992)
FADE IN: Context: roll on text: Hero’s Character and Inner Challenge: William Munny the vicious villain; the death of his wife via smallpox; the burial.
Inciting Incident: the facial slashing.
Meeting the Antagonist: Bill Daggett walks in.
Unbearable Antagonism: “you ain’t even gonna whip them”
Sending the Call: the girls collect money.
Meeting the Hero in his Ordinary World: Munny on the farm.
Meeting the Herald: Schofield Kid.
Hero’s Backstory: ” you’re the one that shot [all those men];
Herald’s Inner Challenge: “I coulda killed you, easy”"I’m a killer myself.”
Developing the Hero: “they say you’re the meanest son of a bitch alive”"you are cold blooded”
Call to Adventure: “how about it”
Refusal: “I ain’t like that anymore”
Hero pushed out of his Ordinary World: “you don’t look too prosperous”
Inner Challenge: “she died, nearly three years ago now”
Hero pushed out of his Ordinary World: the fever; the kids.
Hero pulled out of his Ordinary World: watching the Schofield Kid ride away.
Developing the Inciting Incident and the Goddess: “she ain’t got no face left and you’re going to give her a mangy pony”
Consciously Agreeing to the Journey: Munny gets out his gun.
Preparing for the Journey: Munny practices shooting; shooting the tin can.
Pulled Back: “did pa used to kill folks?”
Hero’s Inner Challenge: laying flowers at Claudia’s grave.
Saying Farewell to the Ordinary World: Munny says goodbye to the kids.
Clumsily entering the New World: Munny can’t get on his horse; the horse isn’t used to a saddle.
Developing the Inciting Incident and the Goddess: “give me the money”"stupid bitches”
Meeting the Mentor: Munny goes to see Ned in his Ordinary World.
Persuading the Mentor: Ned agrees to come along.
Crossing into the First Threshold: “we’ll catch up to him by tomorrow”
Resisting the Transformation: by the campfire; “I won’t go back to my Old Self”
Rules of the First Threshold: no firearms.
Antagonist’s Backstory: “Bill came up from all those tough towns”
Developing the Antagonist: Bill beats up English Bob.
Developing Characters and Relationships and the Inner Challenge: “you ever go into town”
Trial 1: Munny and Ned get shot at.
Meeting the Shape Shifter: the Schofield kid; “kid, is that you”
Shape Shifter’s Inner Challenge: “get your damn hands off that rifle Mr.”
Trial 2 / Confronting Inner Challenges: the kid is blind.
Developing the Antagonism: Bill tells Beauchamp the real story of the Duke.
Developing the Hero [Inner Cave]: “how many men you killed.”
Developing the Shape Shifter’s Challenge [Inner Cave]: “I killed five men.”
Developing the Antagonist [Inner Cave]: English Bob refuses the gun; “you were right not to take it, I would have killed you.”
Resisting the Transformation: “I ain’t like that no more Ned, I ain’t no crazy killer.”
Foreshadow of the Physical Separation: English Bob run out of town.
Developing the Inciting Incident and the Goddess: “put a veil on”
Foreshadow of the Physical Separation: Munny et al cross the railroad track into town.
Developing Characters and Relationships: “maybe you should hang the carpenter”
Physical Separation: “two men just rode into town.”
Resisting the Transformation: Munny has fever and refuses the whisky.
Transformation / Trial 1: Bill beats up Munny in the bar.
Developing the Antagonist: Bill slaps the whore around.
Developing the Shape Shifter: “we don’t need him, he’s just a washed out old farmer”
Transformation / Trial 2: “I seen the angel of deathI’m scared”
Developing the Shape Shifter’s Challenge: “I’m a damn killer”
Developing the Hero’s Inner and Romantic Challenge: “I thought you was an angel”; “would you like a free one”
Transformation / Trial 3: “shoot him before he gets to the rocks”
Separation: Ned goes back to Kansas.
Meeting the Oracle: Bill is told that one of the cowboys is dead.
Developing the goddess: “I didn’t think they’d really do it”
Foreshadow of the Rebirth through Death Experience: they catch Ned.
Journey to the Sword: Munny and the kid wait by the toilet.
Foreshadow of the Rebirth through Death Experience: Bill whips Ned.
Overcoming the Guardians of the Sword: “I’ll go with you”"yes, and you can wipe me ass too”; shooting at the door.
Seizing the Sword: the kid kills Quick Mike.
Pursued out of the World of the Sword: Munny and the Kid ride away.
Refusal / Repulsion at the New Self: “the kid regrets killing the man.
Rebirth through Death: Ned has been strung up.
Atonement with the Father: Munny drinks whisky.
Apotheosis: “I ain’t gonna kill nobody no more.”
Ultimate Boon: “you can keep the money” “I ain’t like you”
Magic Flight: “you stay clear of the folks you see, there’ll be a lot of them out to hang you”
Pushed to the Return Crossing seeing Ned in the coffin.
Crossing the Return Threshold: Munny walks into the bar.
Catharsis 1: Munny shoots Skinny.
Rescue from Without: misfire.
Catharsis 2: Munny shoots Bill.
Master of Two Worlds: the shoot out; Bill dies.
Catharsis 3: Bill is still alive; Munny shoots Bill dead.
New Self: “any man takes a shot at me, I’m gonna kill his wife and kids.or I’ll come back and kill every one of you sonsabitches”
Freedom to Live: Munny had disappeared to San Francisco
Fade Out: the roll on text.
Learn more
The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.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/
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