FREEDOM EQUILIBRIUM THE CALL THE ORDINARY The Approach: the initial plan to take on the central

TO LIVE
0 TO ADVENTURE WORLD 12 - STAGE HERO'S JOURNEY 7 conflict begins, but setbacks occur that cause the
17 1 CALL TO
MASTER OF 1 BASED ON CHRISTOPHER VOGEL'S WORKS hero to try a new approach or adopt new ideas.
REFUSAL ADVENTURE
TWO WORLDS THE RETURN
16 2 OF THE CALL 12 2
The Ordeal: things go wrong and added conflict is
1 The ordinary world: we see the hero's normal life 8 introduced. The hero experiences more difficult
at the start of the story before the adventure begins.
THE CROSSING OF hurdles and obstacles, some of which may lead to a
SUPERNATURAL
THE RETURN THRESHOLD 15 3 RESURRECTION ACT III: ACT I:
REFUSAL life crisis.
AID 11 3 OF THE CALL 2 Call to Adventure: the hero is faced with an event,
Return Separation conflict, problem or challenge that makes them begin
RETURN SEPARATION their adventure. 9 The Reward: After surviving the Ordeal, the hero
seizes the sword - a reward that they've earned that
RESCUE CROSSING
14 Refusal of the Call: the hero initially refuses the allows them to take on the biggest conflict. It may be a
FROM WITHOUT 4 THE THRESHOLD 3
ORDINARY WORLD adventure because of hesitation, fears, insecurity, or physical item or piece of knowledge or wisdom that
THE HERO'S JOURNEY THE ROAD
10 4
MEETING any other number of issues. will help them persevere.
BACK THE MENTOR
17-STAGE MONOMYTH SPECIAL WORLD The Road Back: the hero sees the light at the end of
THE MAGIC
FLIGHT
13 BASED ON BRUCE CAMPBELL WORKS 5 BELLY OF THE 4 Meeting the Mentor: the hero encounters a mentor 10 the tunnel, but they are about to face even more tests
WHALE that can give them advice, wisdom, information or
items that ready them for the journey ahead. and challenges.

9 ACT II-b: ACT II-a: Crossing the Threshold: the hero leaves their 11 The Resurrection: the climax. The hero faces a final
REFUSAL 12 INITIATION 6 THE ROAD OF THE REWARD
Initiation Descent
5 CROSSING 5 ordinary world for the first time and crosses the test, using everything they have learned to take on the
OF THE RETURN TRIALS
THE THRESHOLD conflict once and for all.
threshold into adventure.
The Return: the hero brings their knowledge or the
THE ULTIMATE 11 7 THE MEETING WITH 6 Tests, Allies and Enemies: the hero learns the rules 12
BOON THE GODDESS 8 6 of the new world and endures tests, meets friends, elixir back to the ordinary world
THE ORDEAL
10 7 TESTS, ALLIES and comes face-to-face with enemies.
9 8 AND ENEMIES
APOTHEOSIS THE WOMAN AS THE APPROACH
ATONEMENT WITH TEMPTRESS
THE FATHER

The essence of the "You" step is to establish the protagonist of the

15 - beats SAVE THE CAT! BEAT SHEET
story. It doesn't always need to be a single person. It could be a BASED ON BLAKE SNYDER'S WORKS
8 - STAGE STORY CIRCLE family or a team. This is our introduction to our main character(s),
an opportunity to see them before the story truly begins.
BASED ON DAN HARMOND'S WORKS This is important in creating a compelling character arc. A huge
Opening Theme

The change could be a personal one; it can be
change to the world around them. In the instance
of a movie or long story, it would be both.
Sometimes the change has opposite effects too.
ACT 1
part of storytelling is the "change" the protagonist makes during Once we've been introduced to the Break
their journey. In this stage, we firmly establish their starting point protagonist and their world, the next Image stated Setup Catalyst Debate
so we can assess this change at the end. This is also the time to step is to figure out what they "need." into 2
understand the context around the character — their world, its Something happens to our character
rules, and how they fit inside it. that presents a problem or a
question. This is when the story starts
to take shape — if "You" is the who of
YOU

ACT 2a
The world has changed for the better, but maybe the story, "Need" is the what. This is
B Story Fun and Games Midpoint
the protagonist has changed for the worst. where we learn the main goal of the
ESTABLISH THE PROTAGONIST
Playing with the change step can be interesting. protagonist, the pursuit of which will
1 guide the rest of the story.

CHANGE NEED
Dark Nght of The Soul

ACT 2b
8 Bad Guys Close In Break
MASTER OF BOTH WORLDS 2 SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT All is Lost
into 3

ORDER Needs drive us into action. The "Go" step marks the
protagonist's first steps across the threshold in Gather Execute High Tower Dig Deep Execute

ACT 3
The return stage is coming into the home pursuit of the need. This is why you always hear Final Image
stretch. The character has brought back RETURN GO! "we need an active protagonist." If there is a "Need"
the Team the Plan Surprise Down a New Plan
into the normal realm whatever they
BRINGING IT HOME
7 3 CROSSING but not a "Go," the story ends. When writing your
found and took. Be it a magical item, a own script, make your need so vital that it's
person, a lesson...and as a result of this THE THRESHOLD
they...change. CHAOS impossible not to go. Crossing this 3rd step is also
when the protagonist enters the bottom half of the
Story Circle. Leaving their normal world behind and FINALE
officially entering the unknown.

Opening Image – A visual that represents the central struggle & tone of the story. A B Story – This is a discussion about the Theme – the nugget of truth. This Dark Night of the Soul – The main character hits bottom, and wallows in

6 4
TAKE
MEETING YOUR MAKER
Take whatever you found! And escape with it! Campbell
might call this part of the story circle the magic flight.
Even though the hero successfully acquires their Need, it
comes at a price. Even after their initial success, the
protagonist(s) suffer heavily losses. Depending on the
genre, these "losses" could be anything from a temporary
setback to the death of a major character.
snapshot of the main character’s problem, before the adventure begins. Often
mirrors the Closing Image.
SEARCH Search is where things begin getting more
complicated. Both concerning the story
Set-up – Expand on the opening image. Present the main character’s world as it is,
and what is missing in their life. Stasis = Death, the “before” life of the protagonist is
THE ROAD you are telling AND in terms of the
5 such that if it stays the same, he or she will figuratively die. The main character’s
flaw, his problem that needs fixing over the course of the story, is also revealed. (In
OF TRIALS process. The character can address the
many stories, it is not the main character’s flaw, but another central character’s flaw
FIND need by searching for an answer. Great
stories don't always do this so literally. For
that is presented for him to resolve over the course of the story – for the character to
‘arc’)
MEETING THE GODDESS Harmon's Story Circle, it works to keep it
Theme Stated (during the Set-up) – The message, the truth you want to reveal by
active and straightforward. the end of your screenplay. What your story is about in a larger sense. Usually, it is
spoken to the main character or in their presence, but they don’t understand this
truth…not until they go on the journey to find it.
Eureka! The hero has searched and searched, and now
he's found the Need that sent them on this journey. But Catalyst – A moment where the opportunity to go on a journey is presented to the
main character. Life as it is now changes. The “before” world is no more, change
is the story over? Nope. Because in a good story, the
has begun. (Catalyst is the same as the Inciting Incident or Call to Adventure
hero doesn't find what he needs. He might have found
Debate – Change is scary and for a moment, or a brief number of moments, the
what he wanted, but it turns out he needs something main character doubts the journey they must take. Can I face this challenge? Do I
else. Something bigger. This is where plot and character have what it takes? Should I go at all? Often the hero denies the call to adventure at
development often collide. first.
Break Into Two (Choosing Act Two) – The main character makes a choice and to
go on the journey, and our adventure begins. We leave the “Thesis” world and enter
the upside-down “Anti-thesis” world of Act Two.
discussion often takes place between the main character and the love interest. So,
the B Story is usually called the “love story”.
hopelessness. The Why hast thou forsaken me, Lord? moment. Mourning the loss
of what has “died” – the dream, the goal, the mentor character, the love of your life,
Fun & Games – “The Promise of the Premise” – This is the fun part of the story. The
etc. But, you must fall completely before you can pick yourself back up and try
again. Here the main character’s arc is complete as they fully understand the truth
Fun & Games is the first half of Act II where the audience is entertained as the main
they could not see when they set out on the journey. The DNOTS is directly
character explores the new world and overcomes the type of obstacles they have followed by “New Information” also delivered via the B Story. This information
been promised by the premise of the film, it’s genre, even it’s one-sheet poster. The
Fun & Games are what we came to see the movie for!
functions as a second Catalyst that gives the main character the choice again, to
pack up and go home, or give it one more try to complete the journey. The DNOTS
Midpoint – The midpoint is the largest plot twist of the film, it raises the stakes of the
main character’s goal, can change the goal completely, or at least makes the
can be anywhere from 10 pages long to a single action or word by the main
character.
requirements of the goal much more difficult. It can feel like a new movie is starting
Break Into Three (Choosing Act Three) – Thanks to a fresh idea, new inspiration,
as a result of the midpoint. Here the main character must recommit to the new goal,
or last-minute Thematic advice from the B Story (usually the love interest), the main
for which there is no turning back. Often it is the B Story that incites the midpoint plot
twist. Often a “ticking time clock” for resolving the goal begins ticking at the midpoint.
character chooses to try again. The New Information presents the final goal the
main character will have to achieve to complete the journey.
Bad Guys Close In – Now the Fun & Games get serious. The BGCI is the second
half of Act II where the audience is exhilarated by an ever more complex and Finale – The main character confronts the antagonist or force of antagonism with
new strength. This time around, the main character incorporates the Theme – the
overwhelming set of obstacles to the main character’s goal. Here the main
character’s gifts are of no use, their plans are foiled, their team can be split up, or a nugget of truth that now makes sense to them – into their fight because they have
trusted friend will betray them. (In terms of B Story, there is a saying “sex at page experience from the A Story and context from the B Story. So we can say the main
60”) character has left the “Anti-thesis” world and entered the “Synthesis” world. Here
the journey will be resolved, one way or another.
All is Lost – The low point of the main character’s journey. The moment that the
Final Image – opposite of Opening Image, proving, visually, that a change has
main character loses everything they gained so far, or realizes everything they now
have has no meaning. The main character has lost even more than if he’d never occurred within the character.
gone on the journey in the first place. At the All is Lost, something or someone dies.
This is the “Whiff of death.” It can be physical or emotional, but the death of
something old makes way for something new to be born.