Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Wiki search

Storytelling & Screenwriting Terms Starting With H

The storytelling & screenwriting terms that begin with H, in alphabetical order.

1–10 of 10 entries

Definitions of Storytelling & Screenwriting Terms Starting With H

Open any entry for the full definition, where the term comes from and the films that show it best.

  • Hallucination

    A film sequence depicting a character’s sensory perceptions that defy objective reality.

  • Hanging a Lantern

    'Hanging a lantern' is a storytelling technique where the writer openly acknowledges a plot hole, a cliché, or a particularly unbelievable element of the story to diffuse audience skepticism.

  • Hard science fiction

    A subgenre emphasizing scientific accuracy and technical detail in futuristic settings.

  • Heavy Carry

    A 'Heavy Carry' refers to a scene or a significant portion of a film that relies almost entirely on one actor's performance to succeed and maintain audience engagement.

  • Hero’s Journey

    The Hero’s Journey is a monomyth framework mapping universal story stages.

  • Heroes–Villains Rivalry

    A heroes-villains rivalry is a central, recurring conflict between a protagonist and antagonist who are often thematically or personally connected.

  • Heroic Sacrifice

    A narrative device portraying a character’s selfless death to save others.

  • Historical film

    A historical film is a narrative motion picture set in a past era, aiming to depict historical events and figures.

  • Hook Point

    Precise moment—often within seconds—when a narrative secures viewer commitment or loses it.

  • Hostage thriller

    A hostage thriller is a suspense subgenre that revolves around a tense standoff between criminals, their captives, and the authorities in a confined location.

By category

Or Browse by Subject

Eight subject indexes, each with its own alphabetical list: filmmaking, genres and styles, characters, storytelling, industry, fandom, general terms and the rest.

All categories