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Creative Writing With The Hero's Journey

Learners (future filmmakers and creative writers) will study The Hero's Journey's story structure stages by discussing the elements and watching film clips, and they will plot out their own story that follows the hero's journey.
Angelia Derrick (she/her)
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(170)
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Class
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What's included

5 live meetings
4 hrs 35 mins in-class hours
Homework
1 hour per week. Student's will work on their own story following the Hero's Journey roadmap throughout the weeks and then present it at the final class.
Assessment
Grade can be provided at the parent's request. A - Show up to each class, participate in discussions, and turn in all homework. B - Show up to almost every class, participate in most discussions, and turn in all homework. C - Show up to some classes, doesn't participate in class, and misses some homework. D/F - Misses most classes, doesn't participate in class, and doesn't turn in any homework.
Grading
included

Class Experience

The Hero's Journey is a form of storytelling that follows a main character on their journey that changes them emotionally. This myth pattern has been studied for years and goes back the original written and verbally told stories of humans. Joseph Campbell brought it to popular culture with "The Hero With a Thousand Faces." Christopher Vogler breaks it down even further specifically for writers in "The Writer's Journey". 

Students will learn the steps of the Hero's Journey and how to plot a story following this map in this class. 

Week 1 - We will cover the basics of the Hero's Journey and the steps 1) The Ordinary World, 2) Call to Adventure, and 3) Refusal of the Call. This is the beginning (or Act 1) of the story, we'll talk about ways to introduce your hero, ways to introduce the ordinary world, how does your hero get called to go on the adventure, and why might they choose to stay where they are instead of embarking on the adventure.  

Week 2 - We will cover the steps 4) Meeting with the Mentor, 5) Crossing the First Threshold, and 6) Tests, Allies, Enemies. This is the end of the beginning (Act 1) and the start of the middle (Act 2), we'll talk about ways to introduce the mentor character to your hero and how the mentor will affect the rest of the story, what the hero does to decide to go on the adventure, and now the hero is in the thick of things and will meet allies and enemies on their journey. 

Week 3 - We will cover the steps 7) Approach to the Inmost Cave, 8) The Ordeal, and 9) Reward. This is the heart of the middle (Act 2) and possibly near the end (Act 3), we'll talk about ways to keep the challenges coming and keep the hero moving forward, throwing even more difficult challenges at the hero that they might not survive, and what do they do when they triumph. 

Week 4 - We will cover the steps 10) The Road Back, 11) The Resurrection, and 12) Return with the Elixir. This is your ending (Act 3), we'll talk about whether the hero goes back to their normal world or can't, your hero will face the final and most difficult challenge of the journey, and now they have triumphed and what does your character do at The End. 

Week 5 - We will go over any questions that students have about the Hero's Journey. Students will share the stories they have plotted out on the Hero's Journey beat sheet and receive feedback from the instructor and other students.
Learning Goals
Students will understand what the Hero's Journey is and each step their hero will go through to reach the end of the story.
learning goal

Other Details

Parental Guidance
Clips will be shown from some PG-13 or R movies and might contain violence and/or language; The Matrix, Terminator, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, Top Gun, The Hunger Games, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and Spider-Man.
Supply List
A one-page Hero's Journey beat sheet for the student to fill out for their own story.
 2 files available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined May, 2020
5.0
170reviews
Star Educator
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Master's Degree in Film/Cinema/Video Studies from California State University, Fullerton
Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Charter Oak State College
Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
Bachelor of Arts in Applied Arts: Creative Writing
Certificates from Institute of Children's Literature
Certificates from Institute for Writers
Writing young adult fantasy and space opera under the pen name Angelia Almos. 

Reviews

Live Group Class
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$90

for 5 classes
1x per week, 5 weeks
55 min

Completed by 6 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-14
3-6 learners per class

This class is no longer offered
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