Effective Screenplay: Out of Africa (1985) Deconstructed

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.

Effective Screenplay: Out of Africa (1985) Deconstructed

This analysis is best understood by watching the film simultaneously and with a good understanding of the Hero's Journey...

FADE IN: Visuals and narrative; Karen; dreams; Africa; “I had a farm in Africa,” memories of Denys Finch Hatton, “a glimpse of the World through God's eye…”

Call to Adventure. Karen “has got to be away from here;” she has got no life in Denmark etc. Karen's Inner Challenge: she has nothing.

Refusal: Bror resists: “am I supposed to think you're serious..”

Entering the New World and the First Threshold: the train to Africa; radically different from Denmark.

Clumsily entering the First Threshold: “shoo, shoo…”

New rules: “it's rude not to stop the train here…”

Foreshadow of the Journey: Denys drops off some Ivory on the train; references to Barclay.

Meeting the Supernatural Aid: Meeting Faraj.

New and strange creatures in the First Threshold: Karen observes the Africans and is unwelcome in the Mens club by the stuffy colonials.

Pulled into the Adventure: one hour before the wedding.

Celebration on entering the New World: the marriage.

Emotional reaction at entering the First Threshold: “thank you for this..”

Meeting Allies: Meeting Lord Delamere, Felicity, Bror's character (philanderer), Barclay Cole etc

Warning against the Journey: “Sabu, we can go now…”

Physical Separation from the Old State: arriving at the farm

Expectations Changing: they're going to be growing coffee

Resisting the Transformation: “fetch some wine for my lover's brother…; did I tell you Hans came to say Goodbye…”

Pulled into the Transformation: “can be many days before the rain, Sabu”

Duration of the Journey: three or four years.

Trial 1: Meeting the Chief

Tangible Representation of this Stage of the Journey: the injured boy's leg; “the other boys will think you are afraid..”

Trial 2: the damn: “Sabu, this water lives at Mombassa”

Trial 3: Facing the Lion; saved by Denys.

Rest Break and Celebration (at the passing of the Trials) before the Seizing of the Sword: meeting Denys and Barclay and telling stories.

Reminder of the Inner (attachment): “when you were a mental traveler, did you take so much luggage;”

Receiving a Magical Gift (normally useful for the Seizing of the Sword): the pen

Marker of Change: Rain; Karen asks Bror to “come home; the boy comes to work at the farm.

Meeting the Oracle; learning about the Sword: the war means that Bror et al will have to go off to fight.

Resistance to Seizing the Sword: Denys resists; the discussion with Barclay; Karen doesn't want Bror to go.

Time Stretch: Karen reminiscing.

Status Change: Felicity comes round; Karen's status has risen.

Time Pressure to Seize the Sword: The Captain comes around; Karen will have to move into town.

Warning against Seizing the Sword: “that's no place for a white woman.”

New World of the Sword: African Muslims praying

Difficulty getting to the Sword: the cows are hard to control.

Disorientation: Karen gets them lost.

Guidance from the Mentor: “God is Great Sabu…”

Hawks and Doves argue the value of continuing on the Journey: Barclay against her continuing; Denys gives Karen a Magical Gift (the compass).

Overcoming threats: Massai pass by.

Resistance and Conflict getting to the Sword / Proactive Growth Experience: Lion attack.

Mentor Guidance: “this Lion does not have this Ox, we do not have this Ox…etc”

Seizing the Sword: Karen arrives to meet Dee and Bror.

Transformation: “you've changed your hair..”

Rebirth through Death: Karen gets Syphilis; Karen has to go home;

Saying goodbye to the Old Self: leaving the farm; Denys; Bror; going home.

Time Stretch: “arsenic was my ally…”

The New Self: Karen returns; she enters the World again as the Wizened One.

Symbols of Change: almost everyone has a car now; the boy's leg has healed etc…

Foreshadow of the Apotheosis: 1: Karen begins the detachment:; she can't have children…

Foreshadow of the Apotheosis: Meeting Denys at Christmas

Resisting the Apotheosis: Karen builds the school.

Guidance and warning from the Mentor: “when these children are this tall, then this chief can be dead…”

Conflict towards the Atonement: Barclay has a fistfight.

Foreshadow of the Atonement and Apotheosis: Karen dances with Denys (“what exactly is it that you own”); Bror isn't around for the New Year kiss.

Atonement: with the Father: Karen asks Bror to leave the house; Karen learns to be alone.

Learning to detach: “do they always have to whip them so..”

Resisting the Apotheosis: Karen won't go with Denys.

Resistance to the Apotheosis: the car stalls.

Building up to the Apotheosis: learning to detach; the trip with Denys; the dinners, setting up camp; talking about the Massai.

Foreshadow of the Final Conflict: the aircraft.

The source of the Inner Challenge: Karen's father killed himself.

Apotheosis: killing the Lion and sleeping with Denys without committing.

Reward: Karen takes the record player.

Resisting the Apotheosis: dinner with Barclay; ‘then I would have no-one.”

Denys comes and goes as he pkeases.

Foreshadow of the Refusal and the death of the Old Self: Barclay's water has gone black.

Ultimate Boon: “Denys asks to move in..”

Death of the Old Self: Barclays funeral.

Ultimate Boon: “we spoke of nothing ordinary, small or real…we lived disconnected and apart from things…”; the magic flight

Refusal of the Return: Denys comes to ask for money….

Foreshadow of the Final Conflict: Karen needs to borrow money.

Break from the Old Self: Bror wants a divorce.

Foreshadow of the Master of Two Worlds: Letting the water go…

Magic Flight: Denys leaves.

Rescue from Without:: the fire.

[slicing]:

Crossing the Return Threshold: Karen asks for land for the Kikuyu.

Master of the Two Worlds: Karen prepares to leave; Says Goodbye to Denys et al; welcome into the Mens Club….”you were right, the farm never did belong to me.

Freedom to Live: Bror tells Karen Denys is dead; the funeral.

Goodbye to the Mentor.

Afterlife Act: Denys is buried on high ground

Learn more…

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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