Tuesday 2 November 2010

The Three Act Structure, and The Hero's Journey

When one thinks of acts, the theatre comes to mind - not necessarily artwork. However, an important aspect of visual communication is that of storytelling and effective communication with the audience.

In school, children are taught in Literacy that every good story has a beginning, a middle, and an end – or an establishment, a crisis, and a resolvement. We establish a scenario - whether this includes a backstory or not is optional, but the audience is given a 'here and now' portrayal of our protagonist. A crisis or the 'meat of the story' comes up in which the equilibrium is thrown out of balance, usually thanks to a choice that our protagonist makes. And, finally, at the end of the tale there is a form of resolve, where a new equilibrium is restored (and not necessarily a 'happily ever after').

For example, let's take Disney's UP (one of my favourite Pixar films):


The establishment is as follows:
-          Many years ago, Carl and Ellie are a normal couple.
-           They save for Paradise Falls
-          Other obligations require the money.
-          Ellie suddenly falls ill and dies in hospital before the trip can take place.
-           Carl alone, grieving and bitter.

The current scenario:
-          Carl still in a state of grief and lives alone in the old house, where building sites surround it
-          He is opposed to the construction around him
-          The court declare him a 'public menace' and he is forced to move into a residential home.




Carl makes a decision:
-   Using thousands of balloons, he lifts the house into the sky to travel to Paradise Falls
-   He accidentally takes with him a young boy named Russell (a stereotypical sidekick).
-   Arriving in Venezuela, they meet a flightless bird who Russell dubs 'Kevin', and the main antagonist, Charles F. Muntz.
The main crisis of the film is that Muntz is after Kevin.






Resolve is brought about:
- Muntz’s death trying to snatch Kevin
- Kevin is later reunited with family.
- The house lands perfectly by the side of Paradise Falls, fulfilling Carl's promise to Ellie
- Carl has turned from a bitter, crotchety old man into a kindly grandfather figure
- Carl finally accepts Ellie's death. A new equilibrium is restored.

Secondly, another form of storytelling is that of The Hero's Journey - or in the words of one Joseph Campbell, a monomyth.



For this example, I shall use the 1994 Disney film The Lion King, the story loosely based from the Shakespearean tale of Hamlet.
-          Simba flees Pride Rock after the death of his father Mufasa, out of fear that he was the one that caused it.
-          He meets Timon and Pumbaa, who are his mentors and helpers as he grows up.
-          Later on he meets his childhood friend Nala, who reveals to him that Pride Rock has fallen into a state of ruin, and Simba conflicts with himself over returning to take his place as king
-          ‘Gift of the Goddess’ is when Mufasa appears to Simba as a ghost in the clouds
-          He finally returns to Pride Rock and fights his uncle Scar



Useful links:
Hamlet and the Lion King, by Trey McElveen. http://www.lionking.org/ - accessed 2nd Nov, 2010
Monomyth - The Lion King. http://wiki.unknowableroom.org/ - accessed 2nd Nov, 2010

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