A hero and their team embark on a quest to win a prize or accomplish a mission. Sports movies, quests, and road trips are all the stuff of the Golden Fleece genre. The mission has a definable “road” and there should be a “prize” or “finish line” that the audience can track. But Golden Fleeces are always about something internal—a hero goes “on the road” in search of one thing and winds up discovering something else: themselves.
The 3 elements of a GOLDEN FLEECE story are:
1) A road spanning oceans, time—or across the street—so long as it demarcates growth. It often includes a “Road Apple” that stops the trip cold. 2) A team or a buddy the hero needs to be guided along the way. Usually, it’s those who represent the things the hero doesn’t have: skill, experience, or attitude. 3) A prize that’s sought and is something primal: going home, securing a treasure, or re-gaining a birthright.
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BJ Markel first worked with Blake Snyder in 1986. He edited Blake's three Save the Cat! books and co-founded Blake Snyder Enterprises, LLC with Blake in 2005. In his other life, BJ worked in video acquisitions and entertainment marketing, including 20 years at the Walt Disney Company.
