Has anyone ever told you that something BIG must happen on Page 25 of your screenplay? Was their description of The Big Thing vague, incoherent, or simply wrong?

It has to be very, very big. Page 25. Themes. The most spectacular. Mine's bigger. Anonymous Reader, Bigly Studios

Frustrated by most existing screenwriting guides, we did what any cinephiles would do: we watched a bunch of movies. Before asking "What's good or bad?" we just asked: "What is?" Then we wrote it down.

We believe The Big Lebowski reveals a mnemonic for a canonical hero's journey. A bowling ball travels down a lane, disappears into an unseen world, and returns to the light: tumbling and tumbling in Eternal Return.

We recorded our hypotheses in a screenwriting template and tested them experimentally against some existing monomythic features. Readers are encouraged to compare the template to other films in order to confirm or disconfirm our suspicions.

Our template is a formula (not the formula) for writing a screenplay. Take it, trash it, or add to it as you like it. Storytelling is a collaborative art form best shared by everyone. If you have ideas, objections, or examples to contribute, email us here: