AllnarrativesandstorieshavecommonelementsandStagesthatcanbefoundwithin.

Infact,despitetheircountlessvariations,auniversalstandardthatcanbefoundinalltypesof
storytellingtexts,whethermovies,tales,epicnarratives,myths,anddreamsaswell.Christopher
Voglerexplainsthetwelvestagesthataherogoesthroughinthejourneyathand(2007).The
WritersJourneytakesthetraditionalherosjourneyandbreaksitdownintwelvestages.The
thoroughbreakdownandevaluationfollowsanddrawspointsontheHerosjourneywhichis
evidentandseeninthemajorityofstoriescreated,inmostlyallformsofart.Inordertogeta
betterperspectiveontheHerosjourneythisessaywillfocusonlyonitsmostprominentstages
andexplainthemthroughreferencestopopularfilms.

ThetwelvestagesfollowaprogressionthatgoesfromtheOrdinaryWorldtoaSpecialWorld,
wheretheadventuretakesplaceandtheprotagonistisgoingtofacetheantagonistinorderto
solvetheuniversalconflictsofhisquest.Theseconflictshavetobeuniversalinthesensethat
everyoneinthespectatorshastobeabletoidentifywiththem,whileparticularbecausethey
havetobecoherentandspecifictothestory.Theyalsohavetobeinnerconflictswhichhaveto
dowiththeHerossoulandinternalweaknesses,butalsoconflictsrelatedtotheworldthat
surroundhim,usuallycharacterizedintotherivaltobefacedanddefeated.
TheHeroistheProtagonistwhogoesthroughthejourneythatissetbeforehand.Themainand
centralcharacterwhosemainpurposeistobesetapartfromtheordinaryworldbysacrificing
himorherselfforaservicewhichischallenging,butwiththecompletionofthequestortaskat
hand,balancewillbebroughtbacktotheOrdinaryworld.Intermsofamoviethatstrictly
followsorconveysaherosjourney,thetrilogyofbatman.TheBatmanTrilogywhichstarted
with2005sBatmanBeginstellsthestoryofayoungBruceWaynewhohaswitnessedthe
murderofbothofhisparentsbythehandofarobber.Theordinaryworldistheworldinwhich
theaudienceunderstandsBruceWayneslifebeforehiscallingtothespecialworld.Theworld
thatallowsustoknowandbeabletoidentifywiththeherobeforethejourneytakesoff,which
isBruceschildhood.Inthestageoftheordinaryworldopportunitytoknowandidentifywhat
theherosproblems,urgesanddrivesareconveyedwhilealsoshowingothercharacteristicsthat
help in shaping the heros identity.However, depending on the unforeseen journey, the
characteristicsandotheraspectsthathelpedidentifytheherototheaudiencemaychange.The
problemstheherofacedintheordinaryworldandwhatheunderstoodmaydrasticallychange
lateron,andthus.InthefilmFugitive(1993),Dr.RichardKimblewhoisplayedbyHarrison
Forddemonstratedtheunreliabilityofsolelydependingontheknowledgeconstructedfromthe
ordinaryworld.Theproblems hefacedinthe ordinaryworlddrasticallychangedwhenhis
journeybeguninthespecialworldasafugitivefromjustice.Themodelhethusconstructedat
thebeginningisturnedupsidedownbytheadventureheundergoes,andbyreactingtoitina
waythatputsthestoryforward,hispersonalitychangesforthebetter.
Theherosjourneyisalsoawayacharacterischallengedforpersonalgrowth.Tobevictorious
in a competition, to be able to find love and heal wounds are all part of the journey. As
previouslystated,toenterthespecialworldtheherohastobeundergoasacrifice,willingly
mosttimes,alwaysrelatedtoanimportantchoicetriggeredbyaCalltoAdventure.Inorderto
findtheforcetocrossthethreshold however,theHeroneedsasortofinnerpushwhichis
usuallyprovidedbyamentor,whetherasanobjectoracharacter.TheHeromustthenconfront
aneventthatforceshimtocommittoenteringthespecialworldformwhichthereisnoturning
back. TheEvent willdetermineagaintheCentral Dramatic Questionthat propelsthestory
forward.AnexamplecanbefoundinTheItalianJob(2003)whenthevillainEdwardNorton
stealsthemoneyandkillsthefatherlikefigureofMarkWalberg,playedbyDonaldSutherland.
Thisleadsthecharactertodecidetoseekvengeanceupontheantagonist.Whatthecrossingof
thethresholdalwaysimpliesisthefactthatitalwaysrequirestheHerotoundertakeataskof
personalgrowth.

Inthenewworld,orduringwhatVoglerdefinesastheSecondAct,orinitiation/departure.The
Herohereisbroughttoexploretherulesofthegamethatpopulatethenewfield.Buttodoso,
hehastogothroughaprogressiveprocessofdiscovery,byencounteringalliesandenemies,
traitorsandadvisorswhowillconstantlytesthisassertivenessandstrength.AsVoglersays,
barsandsaloonsareperfectneutralareaswheretheseencountersoccur,butactiondoesnt.
What happens is transactions of information or perspective on things that let the Hero
understandwhoisonwhichsideinthetown,intheworld,orsimplyonthepaththatleadsthe
herotohisgoal.TwoexamplesofthiscanbefoundinthemovieShrek(2001),wherethe
protagonistfindstheDonkeyintheforestandbecomeshisally,whileinShrek2(2004)PussIn
Bootsismetinabarasmentionedbefore.Anotherrecentfilmthatfeaturesameetinginabaris
Lynchs Lost Highway (1997), where the protagonist meets a mystery man which is the
embodimentoftheunknownandpurefear.
ByApproachingtheInmostCave,theherogetsclosertotheclimax,thedangerousplace.Inthis
phaseitoftenrequiredtostopatthegatestoprepareoneself,planandovercometheguardians
oftheshadow.Theheroisforminganewperceptionofhimselfandothers,hencehehastimeto
wearasuit,anarchetypemaskortogathertheweaponstodefeattheantagonistinthefatal
encounter. It is usually the moment where to balance back the team out of disputes that
happenedduringthecourseoftheirpath.Thiscanhappenbygivingalittlehelptoafriend,
apologizing,andencouragingothers.Makingsureeveryoneissettowardsthesamegoalsis
vitalinordertoreachtheinmostcavereadyforthebattle.Toreachthisbalancetherecould
evenbeabattleamongsttheteamtocertifythepositionsandwhostheleader.Exampleofthis
fightcanbefoundinAndersonsfilmTheMaster(2012),wherethetwoprotagonistsinorderto
carryontheirultimatestruggleagainstthescientificinstitutionandcommonbeliefstheenemy
inthatsituationareleadtofightagainsteachotherandalsosacrificepartoftheirprideinorder
toworkasateam.
Thecriticalmoment,orTheSupremeOrdeal,ofthestoryistheconfrontationbetweenheroand
antihero,hewhodetainsmoralvalueandisattachedtotheaudienceasthepositivesideofthe
story,andtheelementofconflictwithinthestory,whichistheshadow.Herethesuspenseis
unleashedandbyriskingeverythinginalifedeathissue.AsCampbellwritesinhiswritings
(1949),thisisamomentofpenitence,wheretheherofindshimselfinasituationwherehehas
tofacehisdeepestfearsandtraumas,andonlybyovercomingthemcantheenemybedefeated.
Aspreviouslystated,thismodelisflexibleandallowsvariations:anexampleofthesevariations
isAntoineFuquasmovieTrainingDay(2001)starringDenzelWashington.Attheendofthe
movietheheroisconfrontedwithhisneighborhoodandhiscolleagueundertraining;despitethe
factthatinallsenseshewasboundtoloseandhadsomehowalreadylost,sincehehadagun
pointedathisface,Denzelgivesprobablyhisbestperformancebyactingasifeverythingwas
onhisside.Thisattitudeofrefusinglossandforcedlymaintainingawinningbehaviorcanbe
seen as a common attitude of antiheros, and another example of that is The Joker, whose
carelessnessdefeatsanyresemblanceofdefeat.
Whethertheherohascompletedthetaskasawinnerorhaslostthebattle,thebeginningofthe
ThirdActstartswiththeRoadBacktotherealityofthebeginning.Theadventurehascometoa
deeperresolutionbutithasntfinishedyet.Theheroisnotoutoftheforestyetandhastoface
thechoicetogobacktowherehecamefrominordertobringthemessagehelearnedfromthe
battle.Thischoiceisusuallyledbyfear,fearthatthisacquiredwisdommightvanishinsucha
transientplacelikethespecialworld.Theneedtobringitbacktothestableoriginsisthuswhat
drivestheherotocrossthisotherthreshold.
Thisisthelastbigtaskforthehero.Eventhoughitsnotcomparabletothedifficultyofthe
SupremeOrdeal,theResurrectionisanotherlifeanddeathissue,onelastdangerousmeeting
withdeath.Itcanbethoughtasacleansingorpurificationthathastohappeninorderforthe

herotoprovehecameoutofthelandofthedeadashealthyandpure.Itisusuallyinthis
encounterthattheheroicstatusoftheprotagonistisfinallybroughttotheearsofthepeople
surroundinghim, even thought it might result inthe heros deathin the case he sacrificed
himselfforthegreatergood.AnexampleofthislaststagecanbefoundinDragonheart(1996)
very explicitly, even thoughin a somehowdifferent form of Voglers definition: beingthe
antagonisttiedtothedragonbyphysicallysharinghalfofitsheart,whenhegetsdefeated,the
dragon dies as well. But being the dragon an emotional and fantastical expression of the
protagonistsemotionalstrength,hisdeathcanbeconsideredanultimatesacrificeonthesideof
theheroinordertobringbackpeacetothevillagehewasfightingfor.Inthiscase,thedragons
and heros somehow resurrection is visually shown by the dragons body morphing into
gleamingparticlesandflyingtothestarsthefilmdepictedastheconstellationofthedragons.
Finally,aspreviouslyanticipated,thepeaceuponthestartingplaceisbroughtbybringingback
whatVoglerdefinesasTheElixir.Theelixirisinfactthewisdomheacquiredduringthe
adventure,itcanbephysicallysymbolizedortold,orsimplyrepresentedbytheherospresence.
EventhetragicendofaHerosJourneycanprovidethebestelixirofall,securingtheaudience
withagreaterawarenessofusandourworld,asitisshownintheoldfilmCitizenKane(1941).
Concluding,tocontextualizeeverythingwithmyparticularcrewfunctioninbothproductions,
asawriter/directorthistextmademeunderstandhowparadoxicalthenatureofstorytellingis.
Nomatterhowparticularanduniquecertainstoriescanbe,therewillalwaysbeacertaindegree
ofuniversalityinthem,andviceversatheseuniversalfeaturescanbeshuffledincountlessways.
Thiscantakeplacewiththeuseofdifferentartformsandtechniquesamongwhichcinema,
withlighting,props,andstages,withwhatcertaincameraanglesimplyandhowthecharacters
areconstructedandevolve.Italsomademeunderstandthatunderthesecircumstancethebest
waytogenerateastoryistoletitoriginatefromthedepthsofourinnercreativity,getting
inspiredbutnotinfluenced,impressedbutnotmarked.Onlythenaframeworkcanbeusedasa
tool to enhance the uniqueness of the story rather than suffocating it with schemes and
frameworksthathavealreadybeenusedfordecades.Fromanactorperspectiveaswell,the
importanceoftrulyrepresentingacharacterbydelvingintothedepthsofourexperiencesis
necessarytograspthedetailsofthecharactersexperience.Onlythroughthisprocesscanahigh
degreeofauthenticitybeportrayedonscreenandreachtheheartsofthespectatorsbeforeus.

Filmography:
Anderson,PaulThomas.2012.TheMaster.
Cohen,Rob.1996.Dragonheart.
Dreamworks.2001.Shrek.
Dreamworks.2004.Shrek2.
Davis,Andrew.1993.TheFugitive.
Fuqua,Antoine.2001.TrainingDay.
Gray,F.Gary.2003.TheItalianJob.
Lynch,David.1997.LostHighway.
Nolan,Christopher.2005.TheDarkKnightTrilogy:BatmanBegins.
Welles,Orson.1941.CitizenKane.
References:
Cambpell,Joseph.1949.TheHerowithaThousandFaces.USA:PantheonBooks.
Vogler,Christopher.2007.TheWritersJourney:MythicStructureforWriters.USA:Michael
WieseEditions.