"Slumdog Millionaire“ Film Structure Analysis

Nr. Scene description Notes Dramatic Question Connections between the shot Beginning End Lenght TOTAL
NB! You only need to type in the end of the scene. The rest is calculated by Exel.
ACT 1 00:36:53
Prologue 00:05:25
0 Production Company Credits 00:00:00 00:00:30 00:00:30 00:00:30
1 Jamal is questioned by the Police Officer in 00:00:30 00:00:58 00:00:28 00:00:58
Mumbai (2006)
2 Beginning Text, TV show starts 00:00:58 00:01:45 00:00:47 00:01:45
3 Interrogation Room 00:01:45 00:02:00 00:00:15 00:02:00
4 TV Show "Tell something about yourself" 00:02:00 00:02:10 00:00:10 00:02:10

5 Interrogation Room I work in Call Center 00:02:10 00:02:20 00:00:10 00:02:20

6 TV Show 00:02:20 00:02:50 00:00:30 00:02:50
7 Shot of Latika 00:02:50 00:02:56 00:00:06 00:02:56
8 Interrogation Room What a hell a Slumdog possible I knew the answers 00:02:56 00:05:25 00:02:29 00:05:25
know?
1. sequence - Status Quo 00:15:09
1. ORDINARY WORLD
9 Jamal and his brother Salim run home to Introduction to the slums 00:05:25 00:08:35 00:03:10 00:08:35
Mom from the Airport
10 Brothers in School Three muscetairs 00:08:35 00:09:17 00:00:42 00:09:17

11 Police Station, tape with the TV SHOW is Question nr 1 00:09:17 00:10:10 00:00:53 00:10:10
started
12 TV Show Who was the star of the 1973 hit 00:10:10 00:10:28 00:00:18 00:10:28
film Zanjeer?
13 JUHU SLUM. RUBBISH DUMP Amitabh helicopter arrives 00:10:28 00:13:40 00:03:12 00:13:40
14 Mother cleans Jamal. Brother sells the 00:13:40 00:14:40 00:01:00 00:14:40
authogram.
15 In Police Office. Jamal knows the first For sixteen thousand rupees, in 00:14:40 00:16:35 00:01:55 00:16:35
answer in TV SHOW and also the second depictions of the God Ram, he
question. is famously holding what in his
right hand? Is it A) a flower. B) a
scimitar. C) a child or D) a bow
and arrow?

2. CALL TO ADVENTURE
16 INCITING INCIDENT: Jamal mother gets First time we see Latika 00:16:35 00:19:30 00:02:55 00:19:30
killed. He knows the answer …
17 Jamal knows the answer in TV SHOW. 00:19:30 00:20:34 00:01:04 00:20:34
Comercial break
 2. sequence - Raise of Problem 00:16:19
3. REFUSAL OF THE CALL
18 Latika stays with brothers. Start of story of 00:20:34 00:22:32 00:01:58 00:22:32
Jamal and Latika
19 TV Show continues with next question. 00:22:32 00:23:04 00:00:32 00:23:04

4. MEETING WITH THE MENTOR

20 Boys and Latika live in dump yard. They are 00:23:04 00:24:35 00:01:31 00:24:35
"saved" by Maman - a gangster who tricks
and then trains street children into
becoming beggars

21 They arrive to the chrildren training camp 00:24:35 00:25:38 00:01:03 00:25:38

22 Training. Arvind sings well. Salim gets 00:25:38 00:26:29 00:00:51 00:26:29
selected by Maman
23 Salim scares the other children and 00:26:29 00:27:48 00:01:19 00:27:48
threathens Latika.
24 Begging on the streets Latika pretends to be blind. 00:27:48 00:28:13 00:00:25 00:28:13

25 Latika puts chilli pepper to Salim while 00:28:13 00:29:45 00:01:32 00:29:45
sleeping
26 Blinding of Arvind. Maman asks Salim to 00:29:45 00:31:46 00:02:01 00:31:46
bring Jamal to him.
27 Jamal and Latika dream about the bright Jamal dances to Latika. Living on Harbour Road 00:31:46 00:32:25 00:00:39 00:32:25
future. on big house
28 Jamal sings for Maman asking 50 Rupis 00:32:25 00:33:48 00:01:23 00:33:48

5. CROSSING THE FIRST THRESHOLD

29 PLOT POINT 1: Boys and Latika escape. Jamal looses Latika 00:33:48 00:36:05 00:02:17 00:36:05
Salim lets go from Latikas hand.

21 Surdas is the correct answer 00:36:05 00:36:30 00:00:25 00:36:30

22 Police station: end of Act 1 00:36:30 00:36:53 00:00:23 00:36:53
ACT II 00:55:42
3. sequence - Raising Action 00:11:55
6. TESTS, ALLIES, ENEMIES
23 Jamal and Salim live on trains. Musical 00:36:53 00:40:16 00:03:23 00:40:16
editing. Time goes by while they are kicked
out of the train.
24 Life in Taj Mahal. Jamal makes the tour. 00:40:16 00:43:07 00:02:51 00:43:07

25 Boys steel shoes and sell them. 00:43:07 00:44:15 00:01:08 00:44:15
26 Car incident Real India .. Here it is / Real 00:44:15 00:45:49 00:01:34 00:45:49
America … Money
27 Jamal gets beaten in the eye. Boys steal Jamal listenes opera and thinks 00:45:49 00:47:18 00:01:29 00:47:18
tourists during the opera. back to Latika. Flashbak of Latika
as grown up - the girl Jamal loves

28 TV Show: Who is on the 100 dollar bill? C: Benjamin Franklin. 00:47:18 00:48:00 00:00:42 00:48:00

29 Officer questions Jamal: He does not know Won 1 million Rupis 00:48:00 00:48:48 00:00:48 00:48:48
Gandhi on the 1000 Rupia
4. sequence - First Culmination 00:14:29
30 Boys Return from Bombay to Mumbai. Jamal searches Latika. 00:48:48 00:50:00 00:01:12 00:50:00

31 Boys work in Kitcen. There are 19 million people in 00:50:00 00:51:19 00:01:19 00:51:19
this city. Forget her. She is
history…
32 Jamal meets blind Arvind and gives him 100 He tells where Latika is. 00:51:19 00:53:06 00:01:47 00:53:06
dollars with Benjamin Franklin face on it

7. APPROACH TO INMOST CAVE

33 Jamal and Salim go to find Latika. 00:53:06 00:54:47 00:01:41 00:54:47
34 Salim kills Maman and they escape 00:54:47 00:57:35 00:02:48 00:57:35
35 TV SHOW: Who Inventer the Revolver- 00:57:35 00:58:21 00:00:46 00:58:21
Samuel Colt
36 Jamal, Salim and Latika escape to the Hotel 00:58:21 00:59:35 00:01:14 00:59:35

37 Salim goes to gangster Javed and tells he 00:59:35 01:00:58 00:01:23 01:00:58
killed Maman
38 Jamal and Latika are together It is our DESTINY 01:00:58 01:01:39 00:00:41 01:01:39
8. THE SUPREME ORDEAL
39 MIDPOINT: Salim threathens Jamal and Jamal looses Latika second time 01:01:39 01:03:17 00:01:38 01:03:17
takes away Latika.

5. sequence - Emotionally slower episode 00:14:23

40 Police Station. Emotionally slower episode Transition scene 01:03:17 01:05:13 00:01:56 01:05:13
begins. How Jamal managed to get into the
show?
41 Jamal works in Call Center 01:05:13 01:06:13 00:01:00 01:06:13
42 and finds out his Brother Salim number. 01:06:13 01:09:40 00:03:27 01:09:40

43 TV SHOW: Jamal wins 5 mil and looses the Emotional release. 01:09:40 01:10:41 00:01:01 01:10:41
tension a bit.
44 Jamal meets Salim and tells him that he will 01:10:41 01:12:10 00:01:29 01:12:10
never forgive him
45 Brothers calm down and talk. They watch 01:12:10 01:13:39 00:01:29 01:13:39
their slum to bocome a business district.
Salim tells that he works for Javed.

46 Salim prays in his place and goes out 01:13:39 01:14:07 00:00:28 01:14:07

9. THE REWARD
47 Jamal follows Salim to Javed house and 01:14:07 01:15:50 00:01:43 01:15:50
finds Latika again.
48 Jamal and Latika meet in kitchen Who wants to be a millionaire TV 01:15:50 01:17:40 00:01:50 01:17:40
show is like en escape to another
life.
6. sequence - Second Culmination 00:14:55
49 Javed comes home. Jamal pretends to be a 01:17:40 01:18:20 00:00:40 01:18:20
cook.
50 Jamal watches the cricket on TV and throws Come away with me. We live on 01:18:20 01:20:00 00:01:40 01:20:00
Jamal out LOVE
51 Jamal tells Latika he loves her and will wait 01:20:00 01:21:05 00:01:05 01:21:05
in the train station.
52 TV SHOW: Question about the cricket 01:21:05 01:21:50 00:00:45 01:21:50
player. Jamal decides to continue.

10. ROAD BACK

53 Jamal waits Latika in train station. 01:21:50 01:23:55 00:02:05 01:23:55
54 PLOT POINT #2: Latika is captured. Salim Jamal looses Latika third time 01:23:55 01:25:07 00:01:12 01:25:07
again betrays Jamal. Latika's face is scarred
by the knife
55 TV SHOW: Time for Commercial break. Host tells: Meybe it is written 01:25:07 01:26:26 00:01:19 01:26:26
Jamal in toilet. Show's host Prem Kumar that you win
tells Jamal the wrong answer.

56 Second culmination in TV Show story line. 01:26:26 01:30:30 00:04:04 01:30:30

Jamal uses 50:50 and wins 10 million

57 Jamal is arrested. Police captures him 01:30:30 01:31:30 00:01:00 01:31:30

58 Police Station. Officer believes that Jamal is 01:31:30 01:32:35 00:01:05 01:32:35
not lying. Jamal went to TV show hoping
that Latika is watching.

ACT III 00:15:24

7. sequence - The False resolution 00:09:37
11. THE RESURRECTION
59 Latika is wathing Tv News about Jamal in 01:32:35 01:33:50 00:01:15 01:33:50
Javed place.
60 Latika and Salim talk. Salim givs Latika car 01:33:50 01:35:26 00:01:36 01:35:26
keys and asks forgivenes
61 Police Station. Jamal is back on the show. 01:35:26 01:35:30 00:00:04 01:35:30

62 Jamal is taken back to the show. Latika Musical montage 01:35:30 01:37:44 00:02:14 01:37:44
drives to the city.
63 TV Show continues. Jamal calls to friend. 01:37:44 01:40:40 00:02:56 01:40:40

64 Latika answers but does not know the 01:40:40 01:42:12 00:01:32 01:42:12
answer
8. sequence - The True Resolution 00:05:47
65 Jamal answers the final question correctly. Parall editing of three stories. 01:42:12 01:44:00 00:01:48 01:44:00
Salim gets killed saying "God is great"

66 Jamal is the winner. Latika runs to the train 01:44:00 01:45:15 00:01:15 01:45:15
station.
12. THE RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR
67 Jamal and Latika meet. MEMORIES It is our DESTINY It is written. 01:45:15 01:47:59 00:02:44 01:47:59
FLASHBACKS montage
68 Epilogue: CREDITS Sequence in Bollywood 01:47:59 01:51:40 00:03:41 01:51:40
style

69 Ending Rolling credits 01:51:40 01:55:12 00:03:32 01:55:12

 Acts and Sequences
„Slumdog Millionaire“ Act and Sequence Breakdown

Length Length Story time

ACT I - EXPOSITION 00:36:53 00:00:00
Prologue 00:05:25 00:00:00
1. sequence - Status Quo 00:15:09 00:05:25
2. sequence - Raise of Problem 00:16:19 00:20:34

ACT II - CONFRONTATION 00:55:42 00:36:53

3. sequence - Raising Action 00:11:55 00:36:53
4.
5. sequence
sequence -- First Culmination
Emotionally Slower 00:14:29 00:48:48
Episode 00:14:23 01:03:17
6. sequence - Second Culmination 00:14:55 01:17:40

ACT III - RESOLUTION 00:22:37 01:32:35

7. sequence - The False Resolution 00:09:37 01:32:35
8. sequence - The True Resolution 00:05:47 01:42:12
Epilogue 00:03:41 01:47:59
Ending Credits 00:03:32 01:51:40

TOTAL 01:55:12 01:55:12 01:55:12

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 HERO's Journey

Hero's Journey
Worksheet

Stage in the Hero’s Journey

Act I
1. The Ordinary World

2. The Call To Adventure

3. The Refusal of the Call

4. The Meeting With the Mentor

5. Crossing the First Threshold

Act II
6. Tests, Allies, Enemies

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave

8. The Supreme Ordeal

9. The Reward

Act III

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 HERO's Journey
10. The Road Back

11. The Resurrection

12. The Return with the Elixir

Worksheet based on:

Analyzing animated films with The Hero’s Journey.
The Hero’s Journey was developed by Chris Vogler, based on the work of Joseph Campbell.
http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/00800/worksheet.htm

Stuart Voytilla, Myth and the Movies: Discovering the Mythic Structure of 50 Unforgettable Films, Michael Wies
http://www2.hoover.k12.al.us/schools/hhs/faculty/ccooley/Documents/Hero's%20Journey%20Arch.pdf

Vogler, Christopher. The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. 3rd ed. Michale Wise Production, 2007.

Archetypes in Film

Archetype

Hero

Herald

Mentor

The Shadow

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 HERO's Journey
Shape-shifter

Trickster

Treshold Guardians

Allies

JAMALs happy life at home ends because his Mother is murdered. Whilst in the slum he encoun
He is forced to leave and travel around India. The rival Salim (his brother) eventually kills Mama
peace with Javed and Jamal tried to legitimate in Call Centre until Salim betrays him. Finally, Sal
which means killing Javed. Jamal and Latika live happily ever after.

http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html

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 HERO's Journey

Description

The hero’s normal world before the story begins. The hero, uneasy, uncomfortable or
unaware, is introduced sympathetically so the audience can identify with the
situation or dilemma. The hero is shown against a background of environment,
heredity, and personal history. Some kind of polarity in the hero’s life is pulling in
different directions and causing stress.

The hero is presented with a problem, challenge or adventure to undertake.

Something shakes up the situation, either from external pressures or from something
rising up from deep within, so the hero must face the beginnings of change.

The hero refuses the challenge or journey, usually out of fear. The hero feels the fear
of the unknown and tries to turn away from the adventure, however briefly.
Alternately, another character may express the uncertainty and danger ahead.

The hero meets a mentor to gain confidence, advice or training to face the
adventure. The hero comes across a seasoned traveler of the worlds who gives him
or her training, equipment, or advice that will help on the journey. Or the hero
reaches within to a source of courage and wisdom.

The hero crosses the gateway that separates the ordinary world from the special
world. At the end of Act One, the hero commits to leaving the Ordinary World and
entering a new region or condition with unfamiliar rules and values.

The hero faces tests, meets allies, confronts enemies & learn the rules of the Special
World. The hero is tested and sorts out allegiances in the Special World.

The hero has hit setbacks during tests & may need to reorganize his helpers or
rekindle morale with mentor’s rally cry. Stakes heightened. The hero and newfound
allies prepare for the major challenge in the Special world.

The biggest life or death crisis – the hero faces his greatest fear & only through
“death” can the hero be “reborn” experiencing even greater powers to see the
journey to the end. Near the middle of the story, the hero enters a central space in
the Special World and confronts death or faces his or her greatest fear. Out of the
moment of death comes a new life.

The hero has survived death, overcome his greatest fear and now earns the reward
he sought. The hero takes possession of the treasure won by facing death. There
may be celebration, but there is also danger of losing the treasure again.

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 HERO's Journey
The hero must recommit to completing the journey & travel the road back to the
Ordinary World. The dramatic question is asked again. About three-fourths of the
way through the story, the hero is driven to complete the adventure, leaving the
Special World to be sure the treasure is brought home. Often a chase scene signals
the urgency and danger of the mission.

Hero faces most dangerous meeting with death – this shows the hero can apply all
the wisdom he’s brought back to the Ordinary World. At the climax, the hero is
severely tested once more on the threshold of home. He or she is purified by a last
sacrifice, another moment of death and rebirth, but on a higher and more complete
level. By the hero’s action, the polarities that were in conflict at the beginning are
finally resolved.

The hero returns from the journey with the “elixir”, so everyone in the world can use
to heal physical or emotional wounds. The hero returns home or continues the
journey, bearing some element of the treasure that has the power to transform the
world as the hero has been transformed.

ms with The Hero’s Journey.

developed by Chris Vogler, based on the work of Joseph Campbell.
t.org/03oct/00800/worksheet.htm

nd the Movies: Discovering the Mythic Structure of 50 Unforgettable Films, Michael Wiese Productions, 1999
12.al.us/schools/hhs/faculty/ccooley/Documents/Hero's%20Journey%20Arch.pdf

e Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. 3rd ed. Michale Wise Production, 2007.

Description

Usually the main character – a person who needs to learn something in the story.

Issues challenges and announces coming of significant change – gets the story rolling.

A wise person or animal who provides guidance to the hero – usually giving him
magical gifts or advice for the journey ahead.

Represents our darkest desire, untapped resources, or rejected qualities (Darth

Vader)

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 HERO's Journey
A character who “changes appearance” to disrupt the adventure.

The “wise-fool” – someone who uses tricks and jokes to guide the hero

Protects the special world and its secrets from the hero – provides tests for hero to
prove worth.

Characters who help the hero through the change. Sidekicks, buddies, girlfriends
who advise the hero through the transitions of life.

t home ends because his Mother is murdered. Whilst in the slum he encounters has to overcome Maman
e and travel around India. The rival Salim (his brother) eventually kills Maman. Jamal finds Latika. Salim ma
nd Jamal tried to legitimate in Call Centre until Salim betrays him. Finally, Salim settles teh Family business,
Javed. Jamal and Latika live happily ever after.

/index4.html

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 HERO's Journey

Film Component

Life of young JAMAL ans Salim in Juhu slum.

Killing of Jamal's mother. Jamal and Salim are left

alone. They meet Latika. They are picked up by
gangster Maman.

Training of the children. They live in fear. But they

respect Maman. Latika and Jamal dream about
they future.

Maman could be seen as a mentor (father figure)

at first. But he is actually a shadow. In one way
also Salim is Jamal's mentor (elder brother). Salim
organizes the escape and saves Jamal.

Escaping from gangster Maman. But Latika is left

back. Jamal promisses to find Latika.

Jamal and Malik grow up travelling around India.

Boys return to Mumbai to meet gangster Maman

and rescue Latika.

MIDPOINT: Killing of Maman. Salim threathens

Jamal and takes away Latika. TV show host Prem
Kumar feed Jamal the wrong answer n toilet.

Jamal answers corretly to the 10 million question

but gets arrested. Jamal finds Latika again. He tells
that he loves her and will wait at the train station.

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 HERO's Journey
Latika comes to train station but is recaptured by
Salim and Javed's men. Jamal gets back to TV
show

Jamal gets back to the TV Show to answer the final

question. Even Jamal does not know the last
answer and calls to "friend". It is not Salim but
Latika who answers.

Jamal answers the last question correctly and

meets with Latika

s, Michael Wiese Productions, 1999

oduction, 2007.

Primary function Film Component

to serve and sacrifice JAMAL

to warn and challenge Police Inspector

to guide Salim

to destroy (Salim), Maman, Javed

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 HERO's Journey
to question and deceive Salim

to disrupt TV show host Prem Kumar

to test Police Inspector

to help

um he encounters has to overcome Maman.

lly kills Maman. Jamal finds Latika. Salim makes
m. Finally, Salim settles teh Family business,

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