Constructing Screenplays: Forrest Gump (1994) Deconstructed
From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters at www.managing-creativity.com/ The Hero's Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template. Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. The Hero's Journey: a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told. b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on. c) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created. and more... Sample Movie Deconstructed: Forrest Gump (1994) FADE IN: Loop: falling feather. Intro the Hero and his Character: Forrest sitting on the bench. Catchphrase: life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get. Reference the Mentor: Mama. Hero's Ordinary World: Forrest as a boy on crutches. Hero's Backstory: descended from the founder of the Klu Klux Klan. Meeting the Mentor: Mama / Mrs Gump. Hero's Ordinary World: renting out rooms in the house. Mentor's Guidance: you're the same as everybody else; you're no different. Hero's Capabilities: IQ 75. Call to Adventure : "…my boy will get the same benefits as everyone else…" Refusal: the chart. Overcoming Refusal / Mentor's Sacrifice: sex with the school administrator. Hero's Backstory: what's vacation? Dad left. Hero's Ordinary World: Forrest teaches Elvis his walk. Going on a Journey: Mama puts Forrest on the bus. Resisting the Journey: my mama said never to talk to strangers; well now we ain't strangers anymore. Hero's Status: no one lets Forrest sit next to them. Meeting the Romantic Challenge: meeting Jenny on the bus. Developing the Romantic Challenge: little Forrest and Jenny on the tree. Goddess' Inner Challenge: Jenny doesn't want to go home. Forced to the First Threshold: the boy s chase Forrest. Encouraged to the First Threshold: run Forrest run. Foreshadow of the First Threshold: Forrest breaks free of his crutches and runs like the wind. Goddess' Inner Challenge: Jenny's dad was kissing and touching her all the time; "…Dear God, make me a bird, so I can fly far far away from here…"; Jenny's Dad arrested. Foreshadow of the Resolution: Jenny would come and sleep over. Pushed to the First Threshold : Grown Jenny tells grown Forrest. to run; he runs through the football game. Forrest gets to go to college on a football scholarship. Outer Cave: Forrest follows the black students into school; Wallace gets shot. Middle Cave: Forrest rescues Jenny from the guy in the car. Pulled into the Middle Cave: Jenny invites Forrest into her room. Inner Cave: Jenny wants to be a singer; have you ever been with a girl Forrest? Forrest plays football and meets Kennedy. Somebody shot that President; and then his brother too. Graduating from the First Threshold: Forrest graduates: Mama proud. Pushed to the Transformation: army recruitment. Threshold Guardian: Forrest enters the army recruitment bus. Hero meets Ally: Forrest meets Bubba. Ally's Backstory: Bubba's mama cooked shrimp, and Bubba's mama before her etc. Foreshadow of the Resolution: I'm getting into the shrimping business as soon as I get out the army. Developing Characters and Relationships: Forrest assembling the gun, listening to the sergeant major; Bubba talks about shrimp. Developing the Romantic Challenge: Forrest misses Jenny. Goddess forced to the Transformation: Jenny thrown out of school; playboy shoot. Developing the Romantic Challenge: Jenny in the porn show; Forrest beats up the man in the audience; Jenny, I love you; Forrest, you don't know what love is. Physical Separation : Jenny hitches a ride; Goodbye Jenny, they're sending me to Vietnam. Guidance: don't ever try to be brave; just run, just runaway. Goodbye to the Old Self: Goodbye; I'll write to you all the time, and just like that she was gone. Goodbye to the Old Self: Goodbye to Mama: you come back safe now. Transformation: Entering the World of the Transformation: arriving in Vietnam on the helicopter with Bubba. Meeting the Mentor: Dan Taylor. New Self: change your socks. Mentor's Backstory: somebody in his family died in every single American war. Guided by the Mentor: Dan tells them the rules of survival. Journey to Trial 1: in the countryside. Meeting Allies: Dallas, Cleveland, Tex et al. Trial 1 [passive]: checking out the hole; the different types of rain. Foreshadow of the Resolution: Bubba asks Forrest to go in the shrimping business with him. Developing the Romantic Challenge: Forrest writes to Jenny. Trial 2 [active]: the shootout.; the enemy attack; running; rescuing Tex, Lt. Dan etc Warning against Trial 3: I've got an airstrike coming. Trial 3: Forrest rescues Bubba; Bubba dies. Marker: back on the bench; it nipped me in the buttocks. Mentor's Inner Challenge: Dan refuses the ice cream; Dan loses his legs. Romantic Challenge: Jenny's letters returned. Meeting the Oracle: learning to play ping pong; "..never, ever take your eye off the ball…" Mentor's Inner Challenge: Dan pulls Forrest off the bed; you cheated me out of my destiny; what am I going to do now. Journey to the Sword: Separation: Lt. Dan discharged. Seizing the Sword : Forrest gets the Medal of Honour. Where were you hit? In the buttocks. Convergence: Forrest invited to speak; Jenny appears; round of applause. Near Death Experience : Jenny's boyfriend slaps her; Forrest beats him up. Reward : Forrest and Jenny go for a walk; I wish it would never end; I'll always be your girl. Just like that. She was gone, out of my life again. Forrest goes back to the army to play ping pong; plays for the US. John Lennon interview. Somebody shot him. Atonement with the Father : Lt. Dan returns; "..they gave you the congressional medal of honour.." Staying with Lt. Dan; celebrating the holidays. Foreshadow of the Resolution: if you're ever a shrimp boat captain, I'll come and be your first mate. The girls arrive at the bar. Developing the Romantic Challenge: Jenny leaves the guy. Happy New Year; Old Langs Ayne. Apotheosis : Dan throws the girls out; "…don't call him stupid..." Marker: back on the bench Forrest meets Nixon; Forrest reports Watergate; Nixon resigns. Ultimate Boon : Forrest discharged from the army. Return : Forrest returns home; gets 25k sponsorship money. Magic Flight : doesn't stay home long. Visiting Bubba's family. Visiting Bussa's grave. Buying a shrimp boat; shrimping is hard; only five shrimp. Developing the Romantic Challenge: naming the boat Jenny; Jenny doing drugs. Disgust with the Self: Jenny thinks of suicide. Rescue from Without : Lt. Dan appears; "…well, I said if you ever became a shrimp boat captain I'd be your first mate…" No shrimp. Forrest goes to church but Lt Dan leaves the praying up to him. Still no shrimp. Where's this God of yours. The hurricane. The hurricane destroys all the shrimping boats except Forrest's. Forrest starts bringing in the Shrimp. Forrest becomes the owner of Bubba Gump Shrimp; cover of Fortune Magazine. Mentor's Inner Challenge conquered: Dan thanks Forrest for saving his life; goes swimming. Crossing the Return Threshold : Mama's sick; Forrest runs home. Departure of the Mentor: Forrest at Mama's bedside; Mama dies. Lt. Dan invests in Apple; he don't have to worry about money anymore; Forrest gives a heap to charity; Forrest cuts the grass for free. Developing the Romantic Challenge: thinking about Jenny. Crossing the Return Threshold: Jenny returns. Jenny sleeps. And sleeps. And sleeps. Goddess' Inner Challenge Conquered: Jenny returns to her father's house and throws stones at it; "…sometimes there just ain't enough rocks…" Jenny and Forrest like peas in a pod again; on the tree; Jenny buys Forrest some Nike shoes; "..it was the happiest time of my life…" Forrest asks Jenny to marry her; "…I'm not a smart man, but I know what love is..." "…Forrest, I do love you…"; Jenny sleeps with Forrest. Jenny leaves. Forrest alone. Forrest starts running. And keeps running. Master of the Two Worlds: Forrest runs to the ocean. And turns around. And runs to the other ocean. And back again. And gets press attention. And gets a following. And thinks up the 'shit happens' slogan. And comes up with the Smiley T-shirt. And after 3 years, 2 months, 14 days and 16 hours...he stops; "…I'm pretty tired, I think I'll go home now…" Reagan gets shot. Loop: on the bench, Forrest pulls out the letter. Forrest runs to see Jenny: Jenny's a nurse. Jenny apologises. Forrest Junior arrives. Forrest is a Daddy. "…is he smart?" Forrest sits and watches TV with his son. Jenny is sick. Will you marry me Forrest? Freedom to Live: Lt. Dan appears with his fiance at the wedding Forrest and Jenny get married. Happy family. Developing Characters and Relationships: Forrest by Jenny's bedside; "..I wish I could have been there with you…"; "…I love you…" Forrest gets Jenny's Father's house pulled down. Forrest by Jenny's grave. Forrest Junior starts school; playing ping pong; fishing; he' so smart Jenny. Jenny buried under their tree. Forrest Junior gets on the bus. I want to tell you I love you. Forrest senior waits for the bus on the bench. Loop: the feather. Learn more… The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.managing-creativity.com/ You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site. Kal Bishop ********************************** You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained. Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://managing-creativity.com/ |
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