A storytelling model where external events and narrative twists take precedence over character introspection.
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 Plot-Driven to Story Arc. 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 P
11 of 23 on this page · all P entries
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A plot-driven story is a narrative where the characters primarily react to and are defined by a series of external events, intricate situations, and a high-concept premise.
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A screenplay iteration that has undergone extensive refinement to achieve narrative clarity and technical precision.
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A political thriller is a suspense genre in which the protagonist must contend with a conspiracy and power struggles within the world of government and politics.
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A genre exploring survival and society in worlds devastated by catastrophic events.
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A post-credit scene is a sequence of footage shown after all the closing credits have finished rolling.
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A short sequence that appears after a film’s end credits to reward attentive viewers.
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Analytical lens interrogating how cinema represents empire, identity, and power after colonial rule.
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A film that depicts events occurring before those of an existing work.
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A prefatory narrative section that provides essential context before the main story begins.
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A punch-up is a focused rewrite of a script with the specific goal of making the dialogue funnier, sharper, and more impactful.
Storytelling & screenwriting terms starting with Q
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A sequence of four films linked by narrative or thematic continuity.
Storytelling & screenwriting terms starting with R
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A reality TV subgenre where participants compete in challenges for prizes or titles.
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A television subgenre where singles participate in romantic challenges and elimination rounds.
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A film that restarts an existing franchise, often with new continuity.
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A recap video summarizes a film’s plot and themes for viewers.
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A red herring is a deliberate misdirection that diverts audience suspicion away from the true culprit or twist.
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A new version of an earlier film, retaining core plot but updating elements.
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The resolution is the conclusion of the story where the central conflict is settled and the primary dramatic question is answered.
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A reversal is a pivotal moment in a story where a character's situation dramatically and unexpectedly shifts from good to bad, or vice versa.
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Rising action is the series of escalating events and conflicts that build tension and suspense on the way to a story's climax.
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Runners, or running gags, are recurring lines of dialogue, props, or situations in a script that gain new meaning or effect with each appearance.
Storytelling & screenwriting terms starting with S
38 of 53 on this page · all S entries
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A safe word is a pre-arranged word, phrase, or signal used to immediately stop an activity, frequently appearing in films as a potent narrative device.
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Save the Cat is a beat-driven story model focusing on likable heroes.
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A save-the-cat moment is a scene early in a film where the protagonist performs a small act of kindness to make them likable to the audience.
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A scene is a unit of story that takes place in a specific location and continuous time, built from a series of beats to advance the plot or develop character.
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The scene climax is the turning point of a scene where the conflict reaches its peak and the character's pursuit of their goal results in a definitive success or failure.
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Scene conflict is the obstacle or opposition that prevents a character from easily achieving their scene goal.
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A scene goal is the specific, tangible objective that a character is actively trying to achieve within the confines of a single scene.
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A scene hook is a narrative device used at the beginning of a scene to immediately capture the audience's interest and create a compelling question.
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A scene number is a sequential number assigned to each scene in a screenplay, used to track and organize all elements of a film's production.
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The scene purpose is the fundamental reason a scene exists within a narrative, typically defined by how it advances the plot or reveals character.
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The scene resolution is the brief moment following the scene's climax that shows the immediate consequences of the outcome and sets up the next scene.
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A scene summary is a one- or two-sentence description of the essential action and outcome of a single scene.
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A preliminary version of a screenplay that outlines story structure and dialogue before revisions.
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A revised screenplay version incorporating feedback to refine plot, character arcs, and pacing.
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A secret identity is a narrative device where a character lives a double life, concealing their extraordinary abilities, activities, or true nature behind a mundane public persona.
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A film that continues the narrative or themes of a preceding movie.
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A sequence is a series of interconnected scenes that work together to tell a larger, unified part of the story, culminating in a significant turning point.
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The sequence approach is a screenwriting technique that structures a film as a series of eight distinct, self-contained mini-stories.
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A sequence number identifies a series of related scenes that together form a distinct, continuous narrative unit within a film.
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A Series Bible is a comprehensive reference document used by writers and creators to maintain consistency in a television series or film franchise.
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The concluding episode of a television series that resolves overarching storylines.
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The core narrative engine—promise of premise—that sustains audience interest across seasons.
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The setting is the specific time and place in which a story's events unfold, which provides context and directly influences the plot, characters, and mood.
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A narrative framework where multiple stories coexist within the same fictional world.
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A source of dramatic tension arising from competition or animosity between siblings.
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A Slow Burn Romance is a narrative trope where the development of a romantic relationship between two characters is gradual, filled with tension, and occurs over a long period.
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The Snowflake Method is a progressive outlining technique for expanding story detail.
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A subgenre prioritizing character‑driven narratives and speculative ideas over technical precision.
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Speaking thoughts aloud to the audience breaks diegesis, offering privileged insight.
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The Soulmate Trope is a romantic narrative device where two characters are destined to be together, sharing a profound and often mystical connection that transcends ordinary love.
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A screenplay written on speculation without studio commission to showcase writing talent and originality.
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A new film derived from characters or elements of an existing movie.
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A new series derived from characters or settings of an existing show, expanding its universe.
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A spy film is a genre that focuses on the world of espionage, secret agents, and intelligence agencies, often involving adventure, action, and suspense.
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Stakes are the significant consequences or what is at risk for the characters if they fail to achieve their goals.
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A romantic trope depicting lovers doomed by external forces or fate.
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A genre blending Victorian‑era aesthetics with retro‑futuristic steam‑powered technology.
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A story arc is the complete chronological journey of a story, encompassing the overarching changes in plot, characters, and theme from the beginning to the end.
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.
