Michael Hauge Notes - Part Two

Outer Journey

*Plot Structure - events of a story and their position in relation to each other - the sequence of events that illicits maximum emotion.

-Proper structure means the right thing happens at the right time.

Stage One - The Setup
- approximately the first 10%
- Introduce hero and show them living every day life (big moment has not yet occured)

1st Turning Point - The Opportunity
- this takes your hero into stage two and the new experience.
- creates the preliminary desire, just enough to take hero into new situation
- often creates a change in geography

Stage Two - The New Situation

2nd Turning Point - Change of Plans
- something happens to turn story in a new direction - here and only here, the hero's goal becomes evident (goal is established)
- in a romantic comedy, hero often has two goals, the second of which is always to win love
- in a love story, this is the point where the audience wants the hero to fall in love

Stage Three - Progress
-Hero has goal and decides on a plan

3rd Turning Point - Point of No Return
- Hero burns bridges
- in a love story, often the point of love making
- declaration of love, desire is spoken outloud
- outside world starts closing in
- obstacles come from outside goal

Stage Four - Complications and Higher Stakes
- Now if hero loses, they lose much more
- lose destiny

4th Turning Point - Major Setback
- Something must happen to make goal seem unachievable
- In a love story, hero/heroine break up or are torn apart
- "All is lost"

Stage Five - The Final Push
- Hero wants to go back to the way things were, but can't

5th Turning Point - Climax
- Hero must give everything
- Peak emotional moment
- Point which clearly resolves physical goal

Stage Six - Aftermath
- New life the hero will live having completed the journey
- Transformed existence
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That's it for today. I know this probably won't make as much sense as if you heard it being explained, but there's a lot of good stuff here that makes sense when you look at it in comparision to a movie like Shrek (which Michael uses as an example quite frequently.) More tomorrow!