The Intuitive Screenwriting Wheel VS The Hero's Journey VS The Blake Snyder Beat Sheet
Here you can find the Hero’s Transformation Outline step by step. Please have in mind two major rules about archetypal wheel progression:
1. Every act is a closed system and yet intertwined with the rest of the wheel. This is really important for understanding the four-act structure!
2. Every step or transformational stage on the wheel is dual/oppositional. One archetype exists only in relation to its opposing archetype. Storytelling is the art of integration.
Intuitive Screenwriting Wheel - The basic outline:
ACT ONE - BIRTH:
Warrior (The exposition of a wound-ego)
Creator (A ray of hope)
Explorer (The hero decides to go on a quest)
ACT TWO - MANIFESTATION:
Lover (Love introduced)
Sage (Healing is possible)
Ruler (On the top of the false mountain)
ACT THREE - STRUCTURE:
Fool (Fun and games upside down)
Orphan (Loneliness)
Magician (Magic comes from above)
ACT FOUR - PARADISE/ASCENSION:
Caregiver (Emotional breakdown)
Destroyer (Death of an old belief/self)
Innocent (Ascension to a new world)
The Hero’s Journey outline by Christopher Vogler (The Writer’s Journey)
ACT ONE
Ordinary world
Call to adventure
Refusal of the call
Meeting with the mentor
Crossing the first threshold
ACT TWO
Test, Allies, Enemies
Approach to the inmost cave
Ordeal
Reward- Seizing the sword
ACT THREE
The road back
Resurrection
Return with the elixir
The Intuitive Screenwriting Wheel – Extended outline comparison with the Hero’s Journey:
ACT ONE - BIRTH:
Warrior-Fool (Exposition of a wound-ego/ The trickster is asking a hero: 'Who do you want to be?)
1. Ordinary World
Creator-Orphan (A ray of hope, heart’s desire/but the hero is afraid to be an outcast)
2. Call to Adventure
3. Refusal of the call
Explorer-Magician (The hero realizes where he doesn't belong /Suddenly a new world opens in front of him/her. They go on a quest.)
4. Meeting with the Mentor
5. Crossing the first threshold
ACT TWO - MANIFESTATION:
Lover- Caregiver (Love introduced/but the hero still craves true emotional fulfillment )
6. Test, Allies, Enemies
Sage-Destroyer (Healing is possible/but self-destructiveness hits hard)
6. Test, Allies, Enemies
Ruler-Innocent (On the top of the false (ego) mountain/ hero's wish or hero's fear is fulfilled)
7. Approach to the inmost cave
ACT THREE - STRUCTURE:
Fool -Warrior (Fun and games upside down/rage come up again, the hero sees that he is fooled by others or by himself.)
Orphan – Creator (The hero is balancing between two major relationships, or between freedom and a relationship, possibly even cheating, while fighting the fear of loneliness --> But the heart is now louder than ever.)
Magician - Explorer (Magic comes from above, the hero finally sees where he does belong, it’s time to adopt a new belief.)
8. Ordeal 9. Seizing the sward
ACT FOUR - PARADISE/ASCENSION:
Caregiver - Lover (Emotional breakdown, the hero stays alone; the hero has to show love and mercy for himself, has to become his own parent.)
10. The road back
Destroyer - Sage (Death of an old ego/or an old self can finally bring healing. The new self is being born.)
11. Resurrection
Innocent - Ruler (Forgiveness brings ascension to a new world – once the hero rules his own world, he is on the top of the world beyond himself as well. Pure love is possible now. )
12. Return with the Elixir
Intuitive Screenwriting Wheel basic outline comparison with Blake Snyder Beat Sheet (“Save the Cat” outline)
Warrior (Exposition of a wound-ego)---------------- Opening Image, Theme Stated, Set-up 1-10
Creator (Ray of hope) ----------------------------------- Catalyst 12
Explorer (Hero decides to go on a quest)---------- Debate 12-25, Break into Two 25
Lover (Love introduced) -------------------------------- B story 30
Sage (Healing is possible) ------------------------------ Fun and Games (30-55)
Ruler (On the top of the false mountain) ----------- Midpoint (55)
Fool (Fun and Games Upside Down) ---------------- Bad Guys Close In
Orphan (Loneliness) ------------------------------------- Bad Guys Close In (55-75)
Magician (Magic comes from the above) ---------- All is lost (75)
Caregiver (Emotional breakdown) ------------------- Dark Night of the Soul (75-85) Break into 3.
Destroyer (Death of an old belief) ------------------- Finale (85-110)
Innocent (Ascension to a new world) ---------------- Final Image (110)
Now let me use a classical example to show you how the Intuitive Screenwriting Wheel works. Let’s analyze Sunset Boulevard (1950).
ACT ONE - BIRTH:
Warrior (Exposition of a wound-ego): Joe Gillies is a screenwriter without money.
Creator (A ray of hope): He meets Betty who tells him that his writing sucks, and then he ends up in Norma Desmond’s “dead” property. She offers him a job.
Explorer (the Hero decides to go on a quest): Even though Joe hates Norma’s writing, he is still fascinated by her and the whole setting, so he accepts it.
ACT TWO - MANIFESTATION:
Lover (Love introduced): Norma is falling in love, she is buying him stuff.
Sage (Healing is possible): He escapes Norma’s New Year’s Eve party and ends up at a party with Betty.
Ruler (On the top of the false mountain): Norma tries to kill herself, so he decides to stay with her.
ACT THREE - STRUCTURE:
Fool (Fun and Games Upside Down): Joe is bored to death by fake family life; Norma entertains him.
Orphan (Loneliness): Joe cannot fool himself anymore; he starts sneaking out at night to write with Betty.
Magician (Magic comes from the above): After he kisses Betty, Joe realizes that not only he is in love with her, but she is in love with him, too.
ACT FOUR - PARADISE/ASCENSION:
Caregiver (Emotional breakdown): Joe confronts Betty with his true life (Norma).
Destroyer (Death of an old self): Betty leaves, Norma kills him.
Innocent (Ascension to a new world): He ends up dead in the pool, Norma goes “crazy” – they both play their last roles.
Homework for this week: Make an outline for your film.