Screenplay Tips: "The Hero's Journey"

Struggles, mentors, the journey, drama, sidekicks and nemesis. All of these aspects make up a type of story called "The Hero's Journey." These aspects need to be carefully thought through to produce an appealing screenplay. Here's a how-to about what to include in your screenplay about your hero. I've underlined some good hightlights.

When writing a screenplay about a hero's journey, essentially you're writing about the events that turn the character into a hero. During this journey everything he encounters is the ingredients to the recipe that eventually make him the hero. Give him a goal. A righteous goal, any goal you want. Goal gives purpose. Something inevitably will go wrong in your character's life which he needs to fix, this will be his goal which again is his purpose in the story.

Your hero must struggle on the way to his goal. If he doesn't struggle he has nothing to overcome, if he has nothing to overcome he can't build character, if he can't build character he can't become strong and if he can't become strong why the hell should we care what he's up to in the first place?

Struggles can vary and they should. A lot of times during a journey the hero struggles between good and evil. Let's face it, good and evil are the two sides to almost every great story. Your hero will struggle over what path to take, because damn it, evil is attractive! It's sexy. Sure it's wrong but look at the lifestyle the bad guys have: they drive fancy cars and have hot women hanging on them, they're powerful and they never seem to have anyone give them grief or wait in line for anything. Wouldn't you like to be in on that? That's the question, that's the struggle your hero will have to go through and the decision he'll have to make. "Do I want to be a good guy or a bad guy?" Like I said, evil is sexy but good is right. It's harder to do but it's right. Harder is what makes the story and the character worth a hoot, the challenge is what makes going good the right thing to do because nothing good is every all that easy.

Also it is very easy for a hero to have a struggle against his father. Maybe the character wants one way of life and the father wants the other. The thing about this element is it is real. Everyone reading this has, or had, a father at some point. Nearly everyone can relate to having battles with their dad over a myriad of things. That's what growing up is after all. The more struggles you pit your character against, the more he's going to overcome and the more the audience will love him/her for the ability to make the right choice.

Whether or not your character has a father does not keep your character from having a mentor. Every character who turns into the hero has a mentor, someone who guides them. The mentor is someone who is wise and patient with your character. The mentor guides the character through what it takes to be a hero and the mentor's wisdom reflects a lifetime of study and self-reflection.

The mentor should meet your character early in the story, this gives them ample time to bond and get to know one another. Having them meet early also sets the stage for when the mentor can no longer be there for your hero, this is yet another challenge to overcome. The mentor at some point in the journey gives your hero a gift, one that is either of great importance or of great use. Luke Skywalker's light saber comes to mind. Obi Wan gives Luke the blue light saber at the beginning of Episode IV and that is the tool Luke uses throughout the trilogy to save his life, fight evil and ultimately defeat his father (did someone say father-son struggle?)

At some point in the story, the mentor inevitably dies or goes away. This event is typically and understandably traumatizing for the hero because everything he knows he learned from his mentor. The hero often feels as though there's no point anymore, that they can't go on without the guidance of the mentor. The hero doesn't realize immediately that they have actually soaked up and stored all the information they've been taught and they're ready to go it alone. In time though, they do find out they're ready.

During the journey, inevitably your character will change and grow. They go through a transitional period, a threshold crossing of sorts. They go from someone who is unsure of themselves and their mission to a confident and tough person ready to do what is necessary. During their transition they put their foot down on whether or not they will be a good guy or bad guy and stand by their decision. They go from being simple and insecure to being willing to fight. In fact, initially, you may have your character out right reject his call to adventure and heroism. He could think it is completely not for him, wants nothing to do with it, but eventually he'll have an inner struggle about what to do, he'll see the light, grow enough to say "yeah I'll give it a shot," and before he knows what hit him he's on the path to destiny, to being the hero he needs to be.

Drama is a popular aspect of the hero's journey. You will probably find once you start writing your screenplay drama will come quite easily. Drama goes hand in hand with the struggles you've created for your hero. The hero will have to overcome these struggles and prove himself, he'll have to prove his worth to himself and to his cause and to any number of things and people. This will all create drama naturally and it will keep the reader/viewer interested because as much as we like to see someone succeed, we like even more to see them struggle and fight to get there. It makes the rewards all the more sweet.

How else can we create drama? Well at some point, as a part of proving one's worth, the hero will have to engage in a battle with the bad guys. This battle can be one of many confrontations between good and evil but is typically not their final confrontation. The final confrontation comes later. So this battle, what should happen? Well, I can think of plenty of examples where there hero is seriously wounded during the fight. Having your hero get wounded but not die helps shape the character, helps him or her learn from their mistakes and makes them all the more aware of how serious their situation is; makes them aware they need to be more careful and take their time honing their skills. It also lets them know their journey is not finished yet, they need more practice before they can win or even fight the final battle.

So, we know a lot about what makes a person a hero and how he gets to where he's going. What's left? Typically a hero's journey isn't really possible without the hero getting help. He can't do everything on his own; after all he's too busy growing and changing and learning. So what does this mean? It means sidekicks. The mentor is already in place and it should be known the mentor is not a sidekick, the mentor is the hero's teacher. A sidekick is a friend who helps the hero in different ways. Sidekicks are comrades.

When a hero begins his journey, he/she will naturally begin to scoop up pals along the way. They scoop up pals during the situations you put them into. These friends will stick with them until the end, that is, if they live long enough. Women make good sidekicks. Doesn't have to be a love interest or anything, but maybe it is, it's up to you. Women make good sidekicks because they are a unique type of character in the hero's journey. Very rarely are the women in the hero's journey damsels in distress. Women are tough and resourceful and may be busy on their own journey when they meet up with your hero.

Who else can we throw into the mix with the hero? A common character the hero encounters is the outsider. The outsider is a cowboy, a wild-man who only cares about himself and does not like doing things by the book. He might have a friend or two but generally doesn't care about anyone or anything outside of himself or his cause. The outsider may agree to help your hero but, for a price or any number of reasons. The purpose of the outsider is this: they grow just like your other characters, however his transition is slightly different because he goes from the singular (me, me, me) to the whole (helping people for a far greater cause). He'll learn there are indeed other people out there and the world does not revolve around him.

Other sidekicks can be many. They can be fat, skinny, goofy, stupid, whatever. However, one thing a sidekick always is, is loyal. Completely faithful. He may be dumb and at times unhelpful or even get in the way but he's always got his friend's back no matter what. So, with all these folks thrown in the mix with your hero, the hero's journey really becomes a group journey, because the story is about all of them, the hero is just the center piece.

What is one thing every great story about heroes have? A nemesis. The hero needs opposition. Intense opposition. Opposition so terrifying your hero may second guess what hell he's doing fighting evil to begin with. The nemesis symbolizes a deadly obstacle in your hero's way. Usually the nemesis is your hero's biggest obstacle. If he defeats the nemesis, the mission is complete, usually. The nemesis is the hero's complete opposite. The hero has chosen good. Well, the nemesis chose evil a long, long time ago. That's the key difference between the two is when the nemesis was making his choice between good and evil, he chose evil. He succumbed the excitement and so called "rewards" of what the evil life brings. The bad guys always give in to wanting power and more power and more power. The level they're at is never good enough. They keep wanting more. Good guys walk a higher path because of their ability to say no, because of their ability to avoid temptation.

At some point the hero will realize the only way to win is to take out the nemesis, the kingpin. The hero may be terrified but he accepts it because it his duty, it is his purpose. He may have to go into the darkest places of himself and do a little self-reflection as well as reflect on his journey to find the strength to go through with the battle. As I wrote above, your character would enter a final confrontation with evil...this is that confrontation. Everything he and his friends have been through has lead to his point. Now it's time to put it all to the test and all on the line.

Keep writing always, hope this helped.