JOURNAL ARTICLE

Beyond the Hero's Journey: Creating Powerful and Original Character Arcs for the Screen, Anthony Mullins (2022).

  • Published In: Journal of Screenwriting, 2023, v. 14, n. 1. P. 95 1 of 3

  • Database: Film & Television Literature Index with Full Text 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Ferrell, Rose 3 of 3

Abstract

The article reviews *Beyond the Hero's Journey: Creating Powerful and Original Character Arcs for the Screen* (2022) by Anthony Mullins, which offers a fresh approach to screenwriting by focusing on two main character types—change characters and constant characters—and their internal and external worlds. Mullins challenges traditional storytelling paradigms like the hero's journey by exploring diverse character arcs, including minimalist, reactive, and ensemble arcs, as well as those in television drama, without insisting on a fixed story structure. The book uses a wide range of film examples to illustrate how character choices shape story arcs that can be optimistic, ambivalent, or pessimistic, providing writers with greater creative freedom. It is recommended for screenwriters, scholars, filmmakers, and anyone interested in dramatic storytelling.

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of Screenwriting. 2023/03, Vol. 14, Issue 1, p95
  • Document Type:Correction Notice
  • Subject Area:History
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:1759-7137
  • DOI:10.1386/josc_00117_5
  • Accession Number:163084685
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