The A-plot is the central, primary storyline of a film, focusing on the protagonist's pursuit of an external goal and driving the main narrative action.
Storytelling
Storytelling & Screenwriting Terms, A to Z
Explore the tools and techniques that writers and directors use to craft compelling movie narratives. This category covers screenwriting terms, narrative structures, pacing methods, plot devices, and storytelling conventions used across genres. Whether you're studying story arcs like the hero’s journey or curious about twists, flashbacks, or nonlinear storytelling, you'll find it all here.
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All 293 Storytelling & Screenwriting Terms
Listed alphabetically, each with its one-line answer first. This page runs from A-Plot to Crossover. S is the busiest letter here, with 53 entries. Jump to a letter to see only the storytelling & screenwriting terms that start with it.
Storytelling & screenwriting terms starting with A
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The A-vs-B story weave is a structural technique where the external plot is interwoven with a character's internal, emotional journey.
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An act is a major division in a screenplay's structure, composed of multiple sequences, that represents a distinct phase of the story's development.
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An act break is a major turning point in a screenplay that concludes one act and propels the story into the next.
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Act One is the foundational first section of a screenplay that introduces the characters, establishes their world, and sets the central conflict in motion.
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An act summary is a focused synopsis that describes the main narrative movement and key turning points within a single act of a three-act structure.
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Act Three is the final act of a film that brings the story to its dramatic climax and provides a resolution to the central conflict.
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Act Two is the long, complex middle section of a film where the protagonist confronts escalating obstacles in pursuit of their goal.
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The process of transforming existing works into motion pictures.
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A screenplay that transforms existing source material such as novels or plays into a film format.
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An AI-Generated Script is a screenplay or teleplay created in whole or in part by a generative artificial intelligence model that has been trained to understand story structure, dialogue, and character development.
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A sci‑fi genre depicting extraterrestrial forces threatening or interacting with humanity.
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The All Is Lost is a structural beat near the end of Act Two where the protagonist suffers a major defeat, seemingly losing everything they have fought for.
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A narrative technique using symbolic characters and events to convey abstract themes.
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An alternate ending is a variant conclusion filmed but not used in the official release, offering different narrative outcomes.
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An anti-war film critiques the human cost and futility of armed conflict through narrative and imagery.
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Previously recorded film material used in new productions for historical or documentary purposes.
Storytelling & screenwriting terms starting with B
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The B Story, or subplot, is a secondary plotline in a screenplay that runs parallel to the main A Story, often used to explore the film's theme and develop character relationships.
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The B-plot is a secondary storyline, typically relationship-focused, that explores a film's theme and develops the protagonist's internal character arc.
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Background information about characters or events that precede the main narrative.
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A backstory dump, or info-dump, is a narrative technique where a large amount of exposition about a character's or world's history is delivered all at once.
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A beat is the smallest unit of a story, representing a single, distinct moment of action, reaction, or emotional change within a scene.
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A beat change is the specific moment of transition within a scene where the emotional dynamic or the balance of power between characters is altered.
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A beat change summary is a micro-level analysis that describes the moment-to-moment shifts in power, emotion, and objective within a single scene.
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A beat sheet breaks a screenplay into its essential plot points in chronological order.
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The Big Damn Heroes trope refers to a dramatic moment when allies arrive at the last possible second to save the protagonists from certain doom.
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A biographical documentary is a factual film that explores the life, personality, and achievements of a real individual.
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A bloodline prophecy is a narrative trope where a prophecy's fulfillment is tied to a specific character's ancestry, making their lineage the key to their destiny.
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Bookend scenes are two scenes, one at the beginning and one at the end of a film, that are structurally, thematically, or visually parallel.
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A boss battle is a climactic confrontation in a video game where the player must face a single, uniquely powerful enemy known as a 'boss.'
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A branching narrative is a storytelling structure where key decisions made by the audience dynamically alter the plot, leading to multiple possible storylines and endings.
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The break into three is the turning point at the end of Act Two where the protagonist, armed with new insight, creates a final plan to resolve the conflict.
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The break into two is the major turning point at the end of Act One where the protagonist leaves their ordinary world and commits to the central conflict.
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A narrative technique where characters acknowledge the audience's presence.
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The broken pedestal is a narrative trope where a character discovers that their hero, role model, or cherished ideal has a significant, disillusioning flaw.
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The 'broken record' is a screenwriting technique or acting choice where a character repeats the same line of dialogue multiple times to convey overwhelming emotion or a refusal to be ignored.
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The buddy cop film is a subgenre of action-comedy centered on two mismatched law enforcement officers who are forced to work together.
Storytelling & screenwriting terms starting with C
23 of 27 on this page · all C entries
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A C-story is a minor subplot in a screenplay that revolves around secondary characters or a running gag, adding texture and depth to the narrative.
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A C-Plot is a tertiary narrative thread that complements the main and secondary storylines.
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The call to adventure is an early plot event that disrupts the protagonist's ordinary world and presents them with a challenge, a goal, or a quest.
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A catchy hook is a short, memorable musical or lyrical phrase in a song designed to grab the listener's attention and be easily recalled.
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A character exit is the narrative event in which a character is permanently or temporarily written out of a story.
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A character introduction is the scene or sequence in which a major character is first presented to the audience, establishing their personality, status, and core traits.
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Character purpose is the specific narrative function a character serves within a story, such as driving the plot, embodying a theme, or influencing the protagonist's journey.
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Character Turns and Redemption
A character turn is a narrative event where a character switches their moral allegiance, while a redemption arc is the journey an antagonist takes to atone for their past.
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A character-driven story is a narrative where the plot is advanced primarily by the choices, motivations, and internal conflicts of its characters.
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A ChatGPT story pass involves using a large language model to review and generate suggestions for a screenplay's plot, structure, and character arcs.
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An interconnected set of films and series sharing characters, settings, and overarching storylines.
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A dramatic ending leaving the story unresolved to entice continuation.
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A cliffhanger is a narrative device where a story ends on a moment of high tension and unresolved crisis, compelling the audience to return for the conclusion.
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The climax is the story's peak moment of tension and conflict, where the protagonist faces their final and most decisive confrontation.
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The closing image is the final shot or sequence of a film that provides a sense of narrative and thematic resolution, often acting as a mirror to the opening image.
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A co-pilot draft refers to a screenplay created in close collaboration with an AI, where the human writer guides the language model to generate and refine scenes, dialogue, and structure.
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A narrative device that thrusts viewers into the action before any titles or credits appear.
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A narrative device centering on hidden plots and secret agendas that drive suspense and intrigue.
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A reality series where chefs or amateurs compete in culinary challenges for prizes.
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A courtroom drama is a film genre where the justice system itself is a primary character, with the narrative centered on a legal trial or hearing.
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A genre centered on criminal acts and their moral and social consequences.
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A crisis is a decisive moment in a story where a protagonist must make a difficult choice that will irrevocably alter the course of the narrative.
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A crossover is a story that brings together characters, settings, or elements from two or more separate and distinct fictional universes into a single narrative.
Other categories
The Other Seven Categories
The rest of the glossary, each with its own A to Z index: filmmaking craft, genres and styles, characters and tropes, industry and awards, pop culture and fandom, general terms, and the odd ones out.
