Classic Story Structure
(Credit: Studio Binder)
1. You (Hero)
The first thing you need to do is create a protagonist we want to invest in. Not everyone liked Don Draper, but we certainly wanted to watch him!
Example: “Iron Man” (2008)
Protagonist: Tony Stark
Description: Tony Stark is a genius billionaire playboy philanthropist, and while not everyone likes him, audiences are drawn to his charisma, wit, and complex personality.
2. Need
Now that we’re obsessed with your protagonist, we need to know what’s motivating them! Establish an active drive – what do they need?
Example: “Finding Nemo” (2003)
Protagonist: Marlin
Description: Marlin’s need is clear from the beginning: he must find his missing son, Nemo. This establishes his motivation and drives the entire plot.
3. Go!
Look at them go! We’re off to the races as the protagonist has initiated their journey to find, build, buy, steal, or win over whatever they need.
Example: “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” (2001)
Protagonist: Frodo Baggins
Description: Frodo’s journey begins in earnest when he sets out from the Shire to take the One Ring to Mordor. The adventure is underway.
4. Search
Put them to test! Let’s see what they’re made of. Nothing worth doing is ever easy, so make sure you challenge your protagonist a bunch of times.
Example: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (2001)
Protagonist: Harry Potter
Description: Harry faces numerous challenges at Hogwarts, including dangerous creatures, complex spells, and rival students, testing his resolve and abilities.
5. Find
Mission accomplished! Or is it? It appears as though your protagonist has gotten what they set out for, but it can’t be that easy.
Example: “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989)
Protagonist: Indiana Jones
Description: Indy finds the Holy Grail, but it’s not as simple as it seems. The path to truly claiming it is fraught with trials and the realization of its deeper implications.
6. Take
How badly do they still want it? This is where we see how steep of a price your hero is willing to pay to accomplish their goal, to get what they need.
Example: “The Dark Knight” (2008)
Protagonist: Bruce Wayne/Batman
Description: Batman faces intense moral and physical challenges as he battles the Joker, questioning how far he’s willing to go and what he’s willing to sacrifice to save Gotham.
7. Return
Now our hero must return home. Having taken what they wanted and slayed the metaphorical (or real) dragons, they make the journey back.
Example: “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” (2014)
Protagonist: Bilbo Baggins
Description: After the battle and reclaiming Erebor, Bilbo returns home to the Shire, forever changed by his adventures.
8. Change
“The only thing constant is change.” – Heraclitus, and college dorm posters. Your hero isn’t the same person they used to be, show that change here.
Example: “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (1977)
Protagonist: Luke Skywalker
Description: By the end of the film, Luke has transformed from a farm boy into a hero of the Rebel Alliance, having grown in confidence and skill.
These examples illustrate how various movies follow the classic story structure, each step marked by significant plot points and character development.
The Hero with a Thousand Faces Story Structure
by Joseph Campbell
Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero with a Thousand Faces” outlines the monomyth, or the hero’s journey, which is a common narrative archetype found in myths and stories worldwide. Here’s a list of the stages in the hero’s journey, along with brief descriptions for each:
1. The Ordinary World
- Description: The hero’s normal life before the adventure begins.
2. The Call to Adventure
- Description: The hero is presented with a problem, challenge, or adventure to undertake.
3. Refusal of the Call
- Description: Initially, the hero is reluctant or refuses the adventure due to fear or insecurity.
4. Meeting with the Mentor
- Description: The hero meets a mentor who provides guidance, wisdom, and training for the journey.
5. Crossing the First Threshold
- Description: The hero commits to the adventure and enters the Special World, leaving the Ordinary World behind.
6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies
- Description: The hero faces tests, encounters allies, and confronts enemies in the Special World.
7. Approach to the Inmost Cave
- Description: The hero approaches the most dangerous part of the journey, often where the object of the quest is hidden.
8. The Ordeal
- Description: The hero faces a major hurdle or obstacle, often a life-or-death crisis.
9. The Reward (Seizing the Sword)
- Description: The hero overcomes the ordeal and is rewarded with the object of the quest, new knowledge, or reconciliation.
10. The Road Back
- Description: The hero begins the journey back to the Ordinary World with the reward, facing challenges along the way.
11. The Resurrection
- Description: The hero faces a final test, where everything is at stake and they must use everything they’ve learned.
12. Return with the Elixir
- Description: The hero returns home transformed and brings back an “elixir,” which can be knowledge, a solution, or a physical object that benefits the Ordinary World.
These stages can be adapted and interpreted in many ways, and not all stories include every stage in a clear or linear fashion. However, the hero’s journey provides a useful framework for understanding the common patterns in storytelling across cultures and genres.