Binitesh Baruri The Visitor

In class we were told that we had a visitor, called Binitesh Baruri who was was going to talk to us. He's a director and is from India, he came to take to us about hero's journey or also called monomyth. Hero's journey is what all directors and story writers use to create a story. It's like a skeleton to most story's. Binitesh gave us examples of movies, that used monomyth, he used Harry Potter, Batman, Spiderman, Star trek and a few other movies.

He told us how each story used hero's journey, and that there are 12 main stages to create a successful story. 

1. The Ordinary World  The story usually begins with the character, having a difficult life or they want there life to mean something. For example in Harry Potter and The Philosopher Stone, Harry is living a lonely sad life, he makes a wish because he wants a better life. Or in some movies the the main character wants to help people, and become the hero for example Kick Ass.
 
2. The Call to Adventure
The hero gets a call to action, for harry potter it was the letter that invited him to Hogwarts or Hagrid because he brought the letter. In Spiderman it was when they got a tour around the lab, and then peter got bit by the spider.

3. Refusal 
This is the stage where the main character hears the call to adventure but hesitates, or refuses the role of hero because they are scared to leave the comfort of their every day lives. For example in The Hobbit Bilbo refuses to join the dwarves and become there burglar, because he is a hobbit and is afraid of leaving his stable life, to go on an adventure.

4. Mentor, Helper
The hero needs a some type of help, and it is usually given advice or they get help from a person who becomes there mentor, they get training, equipment, or advice. In some story's they are helped by there sidekicks or by someone else who later becomes there ally. For example in The Lord of The Rings Frodo is helped by Sam, on his adventure to destroy the ring. Also he was helped by Gandalf who is his friend and mentor.  
 
5. Crossing the Threshold 
Crossing the threshold is the end of act one, when the main character is ready, or isn't ready but finally agrees to leave his ordinary life, to start his adventure or enter a new world. For example in kick ass when he decides to become a hero, he crosses the threshold when he starts to stop crime on his own by facing the criminals.

6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies
This is when the hero, goes through tests and figures out who his enemies are and who his allies are. For example in Full Metal Alchemist Brother Hood, Edward is working for the government but realizes, there is a conspiracy deep within the government so as he goes through his journey he realizes who he can trust and who his real enemy's are.  

7. Approach
The hero and his allies prepare for the major challenge. For example in The Hobbit when Bilbo and the Dwarfs get ready to fight the Orcs.

8. Ordeal  
About half way through the story the hero, confronts death or faces there greatest fears. After they have completed this task they become stronger, "Reborn", like a transformation of some kind.

9. Reward
The hero takes some kind of treasure, but was achieved by facing and surviving death. There could be a celebration, but sometimes is also caution because the treasure could be taken again. The treasure achieved could be many different things. It could be experience, weapon or an object, or it could even be love.

10. Road Back  
This is when the hero is driven to complete the adventure, but has to chose to either stay in the unique world, or to go back to there ordinary world. 

11. Atonement 
This is when the goal of the quest has been achieved, and all the previous tasks have prepared and purifed the hero. For example in The Hobbit, Thorin tells Bilbo that he actually considered him a good friend. He apologizes for being stubborn, and treating his friends wrongly just before he dies.


12. Return
The return is when the Hero returns home, or carries on with his journey but has some type of treasure, that has the power to change the world like the way the hero was transformed.

I found it pretty interesting when we were told about this. Because this is like guideline, that helps you create a successful story. After we were told about this we watched a movie called City of God.

- City of God

In class we watched a film called City of God, we watched this with Binitesh because he was showing us how directors make the audience like or dislike a character. If a character is strong he is feared and not really liked, but if a character is kind they are bullied and you pity them but there not your favorite character. If a character has both these quality's and is kind and strong they then end up becoming the audiences favorite character. I thought the film was ok, I didn't really like it that much it just wasn't my type of movie.