Uploaded July 2020 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
Chris Vogler Screenwriter, story analyst, actor and consultant, including working on Disney’s movie Lion King, and he’s the author of the best-selling book, The Writer’s Journey, a practical approach to using mythic ideas, particularly Joseph Campbell’s ideas about the hero’s journey and Carl Jung’s ideas about archetypes. His website is ChrisVogler.wordpress.com Writer’s journey Shamans We need shamans They go inward to the spirit world. The world of their imaginations. Vision quest Ecstatic dancing, drumming, chanting, dreaming, starving selves, consult with healing plants around them. They made an inner journey to the spirit world—becoming a bird, climbing a ladder, going down to an underworld. There they humbly approach their spirit guides with the current human problem. If the spirits are in a good mood the spirits give a gift in the form of a vision, like Creatives are part of the heritage of shamans. Story writers, writers, novelists are modern day shamans Architects are shamas Modern day shamans—scientific experts Translating the vision—viewers and readers do the translation. Go inward. Seek your wellsprings of inspiration and then come back and turn your visions into creative works that can be shared. If we do that we’ll be making a better world. Audience contract: entertainment, sensations, places, stars, novelty, Fulfill deep wishes, including wish granting fairy godmothers, wizards, genies Capturing the zeitgeist We have lived by our contracts. Essential documents of our civilization are contracts Brands connection to hero’s journey. Stories and evolution Rumpelstiltskin wishes as underlying principle of storytelling. Throughline or desire line Disney built its empire on When you wish upon a star, sleeping beauty, Cinderella, Aladin Angle for pitching is to ask: “Did you ever wish…” Jung quote he put on his door: “summoned or not the god will come.” Trust the path
Chris Vogler Screenwriter, story analyst, actor and consultant, including working on Disney’s movie Lion King, and he’s the author of the best-selling book, The Writer’s Journey, a practical approach to using mythic ideas, particularly Joseph Campbell’s ideas about the hero’s journey and Carl Jung’s ideas about archetypes. His website is ChrisVogler.wordpress.com Writer’s journey Shamans We need shamans They go inward to the spirit world. The world of their imaginations. Vision quest Ecstatic dancing, drumming, chanting, dreaming, starving selves, consult with healing plants around them. They made an inner journey to the spirit world—becoming a bird, climbing a ladder, going down to an underworld. There they humbly approach their spirit guides with the current human problem. If the spirits are in a good mood the spirits give a gift in the form of a vision, like Creatives are part of the heritage of shamans. Story writers, writers, novelists are modern day shamans Architects are shamas Modern day shamans—scientific experts Translating the vision—viewers and readers do the translation. Go inward. Seek your wellsprings of inspiration and then come back and turn your visions into creative works that can be shared. If we do that we’ll be making a better world. Audience contract: entertainment, sensations, places, stars, novelty, Fulfill deep wishes, including wish granting fairy godmothers, wizards, genies Capturing the zeitgeist We have lived by our contracts. Essential documents of our civilization are contracts Brands connection to hero’s journey. Stories and evolution Rumpelstiltskin wishes as underlying principle of storytelling. Throughline or desire line Disney built its empire on When you wish upon a star, sleeping beauty, Cinderella, Aladin Angle for pitching is to ask: “Did you ever wish…” Jung quote he put on his door: “summoned or not the god will come.” Trust the path
