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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Storytelling & Screenwriting Terms Starting With B
The storytelling & screenwriting terms that begin with B, in alphabetical order.
1–20 of 20 entries
Definitions of Storytelling & Screenwriting Terms Starting With B
Open any entry for the full definition, where the term comes from and the films that show it best.
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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.
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