Plot Twist! Why the Hero’s Journey is No Joke-r
Last week I talked about using the therefore and but method of storytelling suggested by South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker. We looked at the difference between an episodic story and a story with a structure created using Stone and Parker’s tactic.
But I think it’s worth talking some more about how this works and what happens when we throw character into the mix.
Whether the most important element in a movie is the story is perhaps a moot point. However, in my opinion, the most important element of a story is character.
Many screenwriting how to books and courses focus on structure. Since Star Wars changed Hollywood forever, that structure has often been based around the Hero’s Journey. But here’s why I have a problem with it…
Hero’s Journey Story Structure
Here are the 12 steps of the Hero’s Journey story structure. If you watch any Disney or Pixar film made in the last 20 years you notice it follows this well used formula. So, if you hope to get a job with Disney one day I recommend you study it well.
1. The Ordinary World
2. The Call of Adventure
3. Refusal of the Call
4. Meeting the Mentor
5. Crossing the First Threshold
6. Tests, Allies, Enemies
7. Approach to the Inmost Cave
8. The Ordeal
9. Reward (Seizing the Sword)
10. The Road Back
11. Resurrection
12. Return with the Elixir
When I was learning how to write a screenplay, I found these steps very seductive. I could take my story idea, apply these 12 steps and hey presto! I’ll have a solid story? Sign me up!
But my stories ended up as horrible abominations. So what went wrong?
Let’s agree with William Goldman when he said a screenplay is structure. And now let’s agree with me that the most important element of a story is character.
Therefore: structure = character
What’s that structure called again? Oh yeah, it’s called the Hero‘s Journey. That’s right, it’s a structure that defines the journey of a hero. But what if you don’t want to write a story about a hero (specifically one defined in these very limited terms)?
Yes, this particular hero’s path to enlightenment is a very popular one. People – particularly those family audiences Disney craves – LOVE this journey. We can never have it told to us enough times. Of course, it’s also reassuring due to its familiarity.
The Hero’s Journey is like an old blanket we’ve had since childhood. And when we feel nervous about life and our place in it, we know we can always wrap ourselves in this blanket and feel comforted, reassured and protected.
But what if you want to tell a story about a different character?
The problem with the Hero’s Journey is that the structure is enforced from above on your characters, imprisoning them. The same goes for all the other popular structures, including Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat.
I totally understand the appeal of these structures, I really do. When faced with the uncertainty created by too many possibilities we feel lost. But they’re a very restricting and artificial way to structure a story.
They are to storytelling what McDonalds is to cuisine: we know what we’re going to get, but it tastes the same each time.
By having a predetermined structure you’re putting your character in a straightjacket. In fact, this becomes like a discussion on free will: are we genuinely making choices or is our path set out before we’re even born?
If you stick your character into the Hero’s Journey prison then it’s definitely the latter.
Upstaged by the Villian
Have you ever noticed that the villain in a blockbuster movie is often more interesting and complex than the hero? Look at all memorable villains like The Joker, the Sheriff of Nottingham, Darth Vader, Hannibal Lecter and so on. Is it because they are free to express the complexities of their characters, while the boring old hero has to blandly follow his predetermined path?
Here’s my alternative
I don’t know if this is being used by anyone else, but this has become one of my methods of writing a screenplay. It’s much simpler than these 12 steps and predetermined story beat methods. And I also find it to be more fluid and intuitive, and therefore a much faster way to write a screenplay.
Essentially, the character defines the structure and not the other way around. So this is how…
Step 1: Know Your Character
Let’s assume that every story is ultimately a character definition. Every twist and turn and story beat is a defining moment in the main character’s journey. The Hero’s Journey breaks those defining moments down into 12 easy to understand steps that will end up defining the main character as a challenge-overcoming, family-uniting, world-saving Hero.
By using my method you will be creating your own steps – or rather, your main character will. Your main character will now be free to define his own journey and ultimate destiny.
Of course, there can be more than one main character. For example, in a love story the 2 protagonists are usually of equal importance. But, for the purpose of simplification, this week’s task will involve defining one character using screenplay story beats.
Step 2: use ‘therefore’ and ‘but’ plot points
Once you know your character well, you can use this knowledge to determine all those therefore and but plot twists. Let me show you what that means. Below are 2 sample scenarios where I have bolded the character-related text to emphasise how it determines the therefore and but path of the story.
Example 1
A bitter, grumpy old man is working in a small general store in a small town. He scowls at two children as they enter the store to buy sweets. But as the kids try to reach a chocolate bar on the top shelf the old man barks at them to get down. Shocked by the sound, one nervous kid slips, the shelf breaks and all the sweets tumble to the floor.
Therefore the grumpy old man hobbles from behind the counter shouting. He chases the kids out of the store waving his walking cane at them threateningly. But at that moment their father enters the store and the old grumpy man ends up striking him on the head by accident.
Therefore the father complains to the store boss and the grumpy old man is fired.
Example 2
A kind, gentle old lady is working in a small general store in a small town. She smiles at two children as they enter the store to buy sweets. The kids struggle to reach a chocolate bar on the top shelf, therefore the kind lady appears with a foot stool and climbs up to reach it for them.
But seeing the children are from a poor family, she decides to give them 2 chocolate bars each for free, with a “shhh” and a wink. Therefore the kids run to tell their father of the shopkeeper’s generosity. But the proud father feels humiliated by the charity and therefore tells the store boss, who fires the kind old lady for giving away store property.
You just can’t win, right?
You see, different characters can end up in the same place but via very different paths. In this method, those paths are determined by the character and not by a pre-set story structure.
FREE Film School: Week Nine Task
Last week you re-drafted your screenplay using the therefore and but method. How did that turn out? Did it start to shape into something interesting?
This week’s task is to go through your short screenplay once more and this time check to see if the character/s drive the therefore and but plot twists.
If you find you aren’t sure, it might be that your character/s are not clearly defined. One thing you can do is simply make notes about the main character. It can be 50 words or 2000, write as much as you want.
If you consider that your screenplay is a character study, then not knowing your character will result in a confused screenplay. Once you know your character, then you will know your screenplay.
In some films such as Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, the main character can be thought of to be the world or setting – in this case the hotel. This is often the case with horror films.
That’s it for this week. Good luck with the tasks!
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