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This is a very good book for people learning to write screenplays. It breaks apart the screenplay into the individual bits and shows how they interact.
At times, it almost reads like a checklist of what to have in your screenplay, and herein lies the problem. Instead, he takes the easy way out, with only off the cuff references to a few films. If you're a novice screenwriter looking to get a nominal, very basic sense of three act structure, narrative storylines and character arcs, give this a go - but don't expect more than a cursory examination of a very complicated subject. It's a great feeling, until you realize that not every screenplay is as easy to dissect as the requisite Chinatown and Star Wars. The form IS complicated; it's not a checklist to go down, and Campbell's book is light years more helpful in illuminating just why that is. As much as Vogler tries to pursuade the reader that he is advocating form over fomula, the book is too simple to be anything but. Vogel could have made this book a thousand times more valuable simply by including as many examples as possible in chapters on character arcs, inciting incidents, etc.
Sort of like I cribbed the notes from the smart kid in the class. As everyone knows, this book is directly derived from Campbell's Hero with 1000 Faces book, to the point where it's essentially a Cliff Notes version. Honestly, you can find this stuff for free on the internet.I started with Vogler's book, and while it provided a Fiction-101 introduction, it felt anorexic in content. Which is probably why everyone who finishes reading this book feels like they're on the verge of writing the next Indiana Jones.You will absorb this book in about half an hour and feel like you've suddenly unlocked a door into the fundamentals of storytelling. While I do believe this form can be found in the majority of successful stories, most of the time, the structural aspects are so novice as to be obscured or difficult to define. I had read a lot of people on here saying that Campbell's book is "too broad" and "all-encompassing" to be worthwhile to the screenwriter, and having now read it, I have to say that these people are completely nuts. Start with this book, but don't be one of those lazy LA-types who can only stand a "Seven Page Practical Guide" - go to the source and treat your writing like an artist would.
This is an essential part of your writing toolbox, but it is not meant to be the whole toolbox:) He did not create the mythic journey, nor did Joseph Campbell. This does not have to be used as a formula, but it does help to identify successful patterns in writing that resonate deep within because these are a part of life and the mythic stories we have been told. Vogler's book is easier reading, and focuses on the creative process of writing and how to adapt the Mythic Journey and his Writer's Journey to any story. Be sure to use the Look Inside feature on Amazon to review the Table of Contents, the "first pages" then go on to "Surprise Me" which allows many other pages to be viewed.
His descriptions are very useful for writing and focuses on how to use the Hero's Journey outline and character archetypes when writing and uses many examples from mostly movies and some books. This will help give you an idea of this book.The Writer's Journey is a must read classic for all writers. Even if you end up a critic of Vogler, thinking he is too formulaic, you will be knowledgeable about his approach. I think this is a must read for all writers, if just to be aware of the controversy, however I think most will attain significant benefit from learning about the Writer's Journey.There are many comments criticizing Vogler for rewriting Joseph Campbell ( The Hero with A Thousand Faces) and for making this into a formula for writing. Very interesting, even if just to make your movie viewing more interesting:) Definitely worth the read, and probably to buy as most of us need to go back and review. I have both books.
Vogler mentions Joseph Campbell and explains how he adapted Campbells Mythic Journey for writers. Vogler compares his Writer's Journey outline to Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey, so you can readily identify his adaptation and terminology.
I find it fun to identify the character roles and parts of the writer's journey in movies I am watching, especially as I am still in the process of learning this approach. You can choose to criticize, but I feel all writers should at least be knowledgeable about the Mythic Journey identified by Joseph Campbell and Christopher Vogler's adaptation for writers.
Very useful, interesting and great descriptions of each stage of the journey and types of characters. Joseph Campbell identified this mythic journey in all stories told from the beginning of time.
Once aware of this, it is up to you to make your choices.Another criticism by some, is that Vogler is just rewriting Campbell, and those interested should just read Campbell. It's also just an interesting read:)This book also highlights how we all relate to the journey and archetypal characters and how they add to your story.
It seems easy when reading the descriptions, but I find it more difficult to identify some parts of the journey and characters in movies and stories already written.
If Campbell was the hero who returned myths to importance in popular consciousness, Vogler is the hero who has chopped a path through Campbell's forest of footnotes and thickets of examples. Vogler is the hero who has returned with the elixir of a simple, useful paradigm in The Writer's Journey.
22min" on YouTube (bPumvMebxjs)6) View "Titanic (99)" by James Cameron Dir & Screenwriter of 3-1/4hr film which cost $200M, US Gross $600M, Foreign Gross $1,200M, Total gross $1,800M.-----Book Summary is in Preface p. Avoid the interview transcript book as it misses all the interleaved visuals during the interview.3) Read Vogler's Analysis of Wizard of Oz as per pgs below. Throughout his book, Vogler discusses the same topics pedagogically three times; eg tell them what your going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them.IMHO, for the beginning screenwriter, the best way to get the most out of Vogler's excellent book (2nd Ed) is by:1) Read Vogler's Preface2) View Bill Moyer's PBS video interview with Joseph Campbell "The Power of Myth (98)," avail at college libraries. xii-xxiii.Analyze the films: p. If questions, then read the relevant chapter and questions and exercises on the last page of each chapter.4) View snippets of "Wizard of Oz" on YouTube or the DVD usually available at public libraries. 5) Read Vogler's 32pg essay "Analysis of Titanic (97)" in back of book 6) View "Titanic Doc Making of. xxiii: Titanic, The Lion King, Pulp Fiction, The Full Monty, Star Wars saga.Section I Mapping the Journey (only covers Act1)p5 mentions Bill Moyers interview of Joseph Campbell's "The Power of Myth" on PBS TV program.p14-27 The stages of the hero's journey; Act1 30 pages, Stages 1-51) Ordinary world, 2) Call to Adventure, 3) Refusal of the Call (the reluctant hero), 4) Meeting with the Mentor (the wise old man / woman), 5) Crossing the First Threshold (encounter a guardian), Act2 60 pages, Stages 6-96) Test, Allies, Enemies, 7) Approach the Inmost Cave (of danger), 8) Ordeal, 9) Reward (Seizing the Sword), Act3 30 pages, Stages 10-1210) The Road Back, 11) Resurrection, 12) Return with the Elixir (or treasure, or lesson).consistently thoughout the text: "The Wizard of Oz" is analyzed on p15,18,58,86,96,105,113,124,131,139,141,147-56,178,190,200,219,234."The Wizard of Oz (1939)" trailer, YouTube URL(X-ZULpr8m5o) p29 Uses Carl G Jung (1875-1961), Swiss psychologist, to explain the collective unconsciousp35 Uses Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), Austrian psychiatrist, to explain the hero and egop47-56 Uses the ancient Greek Homer "The Odyssey," poems where the Mentor guides the younger hero "Telemachus" on his Hero's journey. His Mentor is the Goddess Athena p57-80 big section on Threshold Guardian villians, including herald p61, shapeshifter p65, shadow p71, and trickster p77 archetypes.Section II Stages of the Journeyp81-236 has a chapter for all 12 stages, last page of Chapter has an Exercises page.p81-98 Stage1) Ordinary worldp92 To humanize a hero, give a wound; a visible physical injury or a deep emotional wound.p95 State the theme of story in the Ordinary World sectionp99-106 Stage2) The Call to Adventurep107-115 Stage3) Refusal of the Callp117-126 Stage4) Meeting with the Mentorp127-133 Stage5) Crossing the first thresholdp135-143 Stage6) Tests, Allies, Enemiesp145-157 Stage7) Approach to the Inmost Cavep159-179 Stage8) The Ordealp181-192 Stage9) RewardAct3p193-201 Stage10) the Road Backp203-220 Stage11) the Resurrectionp221-235 Stage12) Return with the Elixir-----Epilogue: looking back on the Journeyp241-266 Analysis James Cameron's "Titanic" 25 pgsp276-292 Analysis "Pulp Fiction" by Q Tarintino 17 pgsp293-295 Analysis "The Full Monty"Filmography p301Bibliography p 302Index (double space) p304-325
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