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[quite a complicated structure; many characters progress through the Hero's Journey]
FADE IN:
Loop: Hero's Status / Jane's [Sidekick] Inner Challenge: my dad is such an asshole.
Hero's Ordinary World: this is my neighbourhood, this is my street, this is my life.
Foreshadow of the Resolution: in less than a year I'll be dead.
Developing the Hero's Ordinary World: Lester wakes and jerks off in the shower.
Introducing the Romantic Challenge: Carolyn in the front garden.
Developing the Sidekick: Jane.
Hero's Status: both my wife and my child think I'm a gigantic loser.
Foreshadow of the Transformation: it's never too late to get it back.
Hero in his Ordinary World: Lester at work.
Foreshadow of the Transformation: Brad threatens to fire Lester.
Developing Characters and Relationships / Inner Challenges: Lester and Carolyn arguing in the car.
Foreshadow of the Mentor and Antagonist: New neighbours.
Developing Characters and Relationships / Pre Transformation State: Lester, Carolyn and Jane around the dinner table…
Backstory: what happened? We used to be pals.
Foreshadow of Mentor 1: Being video recorded by Ricky.
Developing the Goddess and her Inner Challenge: I will sell this house today; crying…
Developing the Sidekick and Mentor 2: Jane and Angela watching basketball; "…my parents are such assholes, if they could just have their own lives…"
Resisting the Call to Adventure: Carolyn takes Lester to go to watch Jane cheerlead; we can leave after this, right?
Call to Adventure: seeing Angela dance.
Meeting Mentor 2: "…good to meet you, Angela…"
Refusal of the Call: …"that's alright, I have a car…"
Interdictor: "…Dad, Mom's waiting for you…"
Pulled toward the First Threshold: Lester dreaming of Angela.
Developing Mentor 2: Angela wants to be a model; she's full of bullshit.
Foreshadow of Mentor 1: Being video recorded by Ricky.
Sidekick's Romantic Challenge: Angela sticks a finger at Ricky.
Conscious decision to Cross to the First Threshold: Lester calls Angela.
Threshold Guardian: Jane appears.
Foreshadow of Mentor 1: Being video recorded by Ricky
Meeting the Antagonist in his Ordinary World: Col. Frank Fitts at home with Ricky and Barbara.
Developing the Antagonist: the two Jims appear at the door; "..how come these faggots always have to rub it in your face…"
Developing the Antagonist and Mentor 1's Challenge: excuse me sir for being so blunt, sir…
Warned from the First Threshold: Angela says Ricky is really weird.
First Threshold [Jane]: Ricky stops to talk to Jane at school.
Developing the Antagonist's Ordinary World: Frank et al watching TV.
Warning at the Border of the First Threshold: Lester and Carolyn entering the party; "…please act happy…"
Outer Cave: Meeting Buddy and his wife at the party.
Pulled toward the Middle Cave: Lester meets Ricky; "do you get high?"
Middle Cave [Carolyn]: Carolyn has a one to one with Buddy.
Middle Cave [Lester]: Lester having a joint outside.
Guided by the Mentor: Ricky tells his boss to go away; "…so don't pay me..."; "..I think you just became my personal Hero…"
Developing Mentor 1: "…my Dad interferes less when I appear to have a respectable job…"
Pulled to the Inner Cave: Carolyn drags Lester home.
Inner Cave: Angela appears by the fridge; Lester dreams of her touching him.
Guided by the Mentor toward the Transformation: Jane and Angela in the bedroom; "..if he worked out I would totally fuck him…"
Pulled in by the Mentor: Jane's name in lights in the garden.
Chosen by the Mentor: Ricky focuses in on Jane and not Angela.
Preparing for the Trials: Lester finds his old weights.
Foreshadow of the Antagonist's Apotheosis: Ricky Records Lester weight training with his top off.
Developing the Antagonist and Mentor 1's Challenge: Frank wants a urine sample.
Pull to the Physical Separation: Lester dreams of entering Angela's bath of roses.
Consciously deciding to Transform: Lester jerking off in bed; Carolyn wakes; Lester confronts Carolyn.
Symbol of Transformation / Foreshadow of Antagonist's Apotheosis: the unfit Lester running with the two Jims.
Foreshadow of the Antagonist's Apotheosis: Lester meets Ricky in front of Frank.
Entering the Mentor's Ordinary World: Lester goes into Ricky's room.
Foreshadow of the New Self: I flipped burgers and it was great; all I did was party and get laid; I had my whole life ahead of me.
Transformation 1[Hero]: Lester working out, listening to Pink Floyd and smoking pot in the garage; Carolyn arrives; you're one to talk you blood sucking, money grabbing freak.
Transformation 2 [Hero]: Lester quits; threatens Brad and gets a years severance pay with benefits.
Transformation 1 [Carolyn]: Carolyn meets Buddy for lunch.
Transformation 1 [Jane]: Ricky filming the bird; "..do you want a ride…"; Jane chooses Ricky over Angela.
Transformation 2 [Carolyn:]: "...fuck me your majesty…"
Resistance to the Transformation: "…Lester interviewed for the job at the burger joint…"
Transformation 2 [Carolyn]: "..that's just what I needed…"; Carolyn and Buddy post sex.
Transformation 2 [Jane]: Jane walks with Ricky.
Developing the Antagonist's World: Ricky takes Jane home to meet his Mom.
Developing the Antagonist's World: inside Frank's private room; he's a Nazi sympathiser.
Foreshadow of the Mentor's Apotheosis: the most beautiful thing I've ever seen; watching the dancing bag.
Transformation 3 [Jane]: Jane kisses Ricky.
Transformation 3 [Lester]: Lester takes control of the dinner table.
Transformation 3 [Carolyn]: Carolyn visits Jane in her room; "…the most important lesson in life is that you count on anyone.."; slapping Jane.
Foreshadow of the Reward [Jane]: Ricky records; Jane undresses for him at the window.
Developing the Antagonism: Frank beats up Ricky; Ricky won't fight back; "…you need structure, son…"
Seizing the Sword [Carolyn]: Carolyn in the shooting range.
Foreshadow of the Resolution: Carolyn driving to the music with the gun in the car.
Symbol of Transformation: Lester has bought a 1970 Pontiac Firebird.
Seizing the Sword [ Lester] Whatever happened to that girl; when did you become so joyless. Lester kisses Carolyn; I'm only trying to help you.
Near Death Experience: Ricky tells how his dad put him in hospital.
Seizing the Sword [Jane] / Loop: It would be nice if I was anywhere near as important to him as Angela; he is doing serious psychological damage to me…want me to kill him for you.
Reward [Jane]: Ricky and Jane in bed.
Hero Transformed: Lester jogging: he's fit now.
Warning against the Atonement: Jane reprimands Lester for looking at Angela "like that."
Foreshadow of the Antagonist's Apotheosis: Lester makes the "phone me" signal.
Foreshadow of the Antagonist's Apotheosis: Frank looks in Ricky's room and sees the video recording of Lester.
Atonement with the Father [Lester]: Lester sees Buddy kissing Carolyn.
Apotheosis: "…you don't get to tell me what to do ever again…"
Atonement with the Father [Carolyn]: Buddy leaves Carolyn.
Hero Transformed: Lester has shoulder muscles.
Push to the Antagonist's Apotheosis: Lester out of pot; calls Ricky; Frank suspicious of Ricky.
Push to the Atonement [the girls]: Jane and Angela in the car.
Antagonist's Apotheosis: Frank sees Lester give Ricky some money; rent boy references; looks like a blowjob; the girls arrive.
Atonement [Angela]: Angela runs from Lester as soon as he comes on too strong.
Atonement with the Father [Ricky]: "…where did you get that from…"; Frank punches Ricky.
Apotheosis [Ricky]: I'd rather disown you than see you become a cock sucker; Ricky tells the lie.
Refusal: Ricky says goodbye to Mom.
Refusal: Carolyn gets the gun out of her glove apartment; I refuse to be a victim.
Refusal: Jane begs Angela not to fuck her Dad.
Crossing the Return Threshold: Ricky asks Jane if she'd go with him to New York.
Apotheosis [Angela]: Ricky tells Angela that she's ugly, boring and ordinary and she knows it. Angela cries.
Crossing the Return Threshold: Frank confronts Lester in the garage; tries to kiss him.
Refusal: Carolyn "…refuses to be a victim…"
Master of Two Worlds: Lester finds Angela alone in the room; you couldn't be ordinary if you tried.
Refusal: Carolyn; I refuse to be a victim.
Refusal: Jane asks Ricky if he's scared.
Master of the Two Worlds: Angela admits that this is her first time.
Crossing the Return Threshold: Carolyn arrives home.
Inner Challenge Conquered: Lester makes Angela a sandwich; how's Jane? She's happy, she thinks she's in love. How are you? I'm great.
Inner Challenge Conquered: Lester looks at the family picture.
The shot.
Freedom to Live:
Ricky and Jane find Lester dead.
The expression on Lester's face.
The clouds.
Lester looking back on his life; lying back; the maple leaves; my grandmother's hand; my brother's firebird; and Jane; and Carolyn.
A bloodstained Frank.
Carolyn cries.
Buy the Complete Hero's Journey...more than 188 stages of the journey you need to know about...
Download Complete Hero's Journey SAMPLE (zipped Adobe PDF file)