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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Storytelling & Screenwriting Terms Starting With C
The storytelling & screenwriting terms that begin with C, in alphabetical order.
1–27 of 27 entries
Definitions of Storytelling & Screenwriting Terms Starting With C
Open any entry for the full definition, where the term comes from and the films that show it best.
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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.
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A crossover event is a narrative in which characters, settings, or universes from previously separate fictional properties interact in a single story.
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A 'crunchy cut' is film editing slang for a rough, jarring, or rhythmically awkward edit that draws attention to itself.
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Cutting on action is an editing technique where the cut occurs as a subject is in motion, creating seamless continuity between shots.
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The 'cutting room floor' is an idiom that refers to all the footage that was shot for a film but was ultimately removed during the editing process.
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