Effective Screenwriter: The Shawshank Redemption (1994) 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 Screenwriter: The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Deconstructed This deconstruction is best understood by watching the film simultaneously... FADE IN: opening music indicates era the story is set in. Introduce Hero (Andy Dusfresne) and the Romantic Challenge [his wife is having an affair]. Development of Hero's character and the Romantic Challenge [the court hearing; details of his wife's murder; did he kill her?] Call to Adventure. Hero forced out of his Ordinary World by Herald [the judge sentences Andy to two life sentences]. Meeting the Supernatural Aid (Mentor) and his challenge (Morgan Freeman playing "Red.") [Red faces the parole board and is rejected]. Mentor's status [other inmates rush after and walk behind Red]. Mentor is comfortable in this World [Red walks comfortably and stands tall in this World]. Mentor's capabilities [narration tells us that Red can "get anything;" he's a regular Sears and Roebuck]. Hero enters the First Threshold – Red's World [the bus brings in Andy]. Overview of the New World Hero in entering [overview of the prison]. Hero's status in his Ordinary World [Red narrates that Andy was a VP of a bank – good work for a man his age]. Strange creatures in the New World [from Andy's POV, the prisoners are strange and unfamiliar]. Meeting the Antagonist's Lieutenant / Shape Shifter (Captain Hadley) and is nature [he's a vicious bully]. Hero's status in the New World is low [they're "maggot shit" and "new fish"]. Meeting the Threshold Guardian (Heywood). Hero uncomfortable in this New World [Andy walking outside the bus]. Mentor notices and evaluates the Hero [Red notices Andy]. Hero enters the Threshold of the Inner Cave [Andy et al line up inside]. An authority figure dictates the rules of this place; meeting the antagonist [Norton tells them the way it is]. Antagonists demonstrate their nature [Hadley truncheon's a prisoner in the stomach]. Transformation begins; Hero begins to lose his Old Self [Andy showered and powdered]. Warnings of the danger of the Journey, the Inner Cave and the First Threshold ["somebody always breaks down the first night."]. Hero enters the Inner Cave [Andy enters his cell]. Confronting the shadows, demons and ghosts of the Inner Cave [the voices of the inmates]. Near Death experience [Hadley kills the fat inmate, but Red his money on Andy getting beaten]. Hero survives the Near Death experience. The Mentor learns not to underestimate him ["on his first night, Andy cost me ten cigarettes – he never made a sound."]. Hero investigates his New World [Andy looks around the following morning]. Foreshadow of the Road of Trials [Bogs notices Andy]. Hero meets allies [Brooks asks for the maggot for Jake, the crow]. Tangible symbol of this phase of the Journey (Jake, the crow). Symbolic of the transformation ["I'm gonna look after him until he's big enough to fly"]. Conflict with a Shape Shifter (Heydon) ["what the fuck do you care New Fish!"]. Foreshadow of the Road of Trials [Bogs hits on Andy]. Physical Separation form the Old World [Andy keeps himself to himself for a month and then talks to Red]. Mentor warns hero of the coming Trials [Red warns Andy about Bogs and the Sisters]. Mentor agrees to provide the Hero with a Magical Aid. Mentor / Hero relationship established [Red agrees to get Andy a rock hammer]. Mentor reflects on the Hero [Red comments on Andy's manner and narrates that he likes him]. Mentor secures the Magical Aid [Red secures the rock hammer]. Allies assist in the delivery of the Magical Aid [Brooks helps deliver the rock hammer]. Transformation. Trial 1. Resistance [Andy fights off Bog et al]. Trial1. Andy gets gang raped. Time Stretch ["things went on like that for a while…the sisters kept at him"]. Time Stretch. Preparing for Trial 2 [red arranges for the allies to repair the roof]. Trial 2. Andy arranges to take care of Capt. Hadley's taxes. Celebrating the passing of Trial 2. The boys drink beer on the rooftop. Character development; Mentor's backstory [Andy and Red talk chess; Red is the "only guilty man in Shawshank."] Foreshadow of the Final Conflict [Andy carves chess pieces with the rock hammer; Andy starts scratching the wall; Andy sources a poster of Rita Hayworth from Red]. Resisting Trial 3 [Andy resists Bogs et al again]. Trial 3 {Bogs et al rape Andy again and put him in the infirmary]. Hero's capabilities demonstrated [Andy prevents having to give the blowjobs]. Hero's Transformation demonstrated [Andy stands up to Bogs]. Separating from the World of the Trials [Capt. Hadley (playing a Shape Shifter) takes care of Bogs]. Celebrating the Passing of the Trials [Red et al secure some rocks for Andy and Rita Hayworth]. Meeting with the Oracle [Norton sizes Andy up for the Journey to the Sword]. Oracle guides Hero toward the Sword [Norton assigns Andy a job in the library]. Tangible symbol of growth [We meet a grown up Jake]. Mentor guides Hero around the World of the Sword [Brooks shows Andy around]. Foreshadow of the journey to the Sword [Andy does accounts for a prison guard]. Developing the Ideal [Andy wants to develop the library for altruistic purposes]. Journey to the Sword with allies [Andy becomes the prison accountant; red becomes a staff member]. Time Stretch: Resistance to the Return to the Old World; Foreshadow of the Freedom to Live [Brooks upset at getting parole]. Reasons to fear the Return to the Ordinary World [Brooks is institutionalised]. Journey back to the Ordinary World [Brooks lets Jake go]. Danger of the Ordinary World [Brooks returns and eventually commits suicide]. Seizing the Sword [Andy gets the funds for the library]. Celebrating the Seizing of the Sword; pursued by the Antagonist; separating from the World of the Sword [Andy plays the Mozart record]. Rebirth through Death [Andy survives two weeks in the hole; when he returns he takes centre seat at the table; "easiest time I ever did."] Warnings about the Atonement and Apotheosis "hope is a dangerous thing." Reminder of the Mentor's challenge [Red refused parole again]. Time Stretch ["I wonder where 10 years went…"] Resistance to the Warnings [Andy gives Red a harmonica – hope is a good thing]. Time Stretch [Marilyn Monroe poster; Red thinks about the harmonica]. Transformation complete [The State awards Andy full funding for a library]; change of clothing and new glasses. Build up to the Final Conflict; expanding the character of the antagonist [Norton puts the prisoners to work on "community projects."] Foreshadow of the Atonement [Andy doing Warden Norton's books]. Foreshadow of the Master of Two Worlds [Andy tells Red about the forged identities]. Arrival of the Joker – build up to the Atonement [Tommy arrives]. Joker's backstory [Tommy's done time]. Time Stretch: Hero mentors the Joker [Andy teaches Tommy; Raquel Welch poster]. Setting up the Atonement with the Father [Tommy tells Red et al that Andy is really innocent]. Atonement with the Father [Andy confronts Norton; "how can you be so obtuse…"; solitary for a month; Norton shoots Tommy; Norton threatens to put Andy in with the sodomites and burn the library]. Apotheosis: "you either get bust living or you get busy dying." Ultimate Boon: Synergy [Red et al are concerned about Andy and will keep an eye on him]. Ultimate Boon: Reward [Andy gets the warden's accounts], replaces the Father [puts on Norton's shoes] and escapes. Refusal of the Return [Norton et al can't believe Andy has escaped]. Magic Flight [Andy's escape developed with flashbacks]. Master of the Two Worlds [Andy cleans out Norton's bank accounts and sends in the incriminating evidence]. Norton and Capt. Hadley pursued by police]. Foreshadow of the Freedom to Live [the postcard]. Rescue from Without / Mentor's Challenge [Red gets released]. Crossing the Return Threshold [Red out in the Ordinary World]. Freedom to Live [Red finds the directions to Mexico and joins Red]. 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/ You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site. Kal Bishop, MBA ********************************** You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.
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