Dramatic Elements

of a StorySCRIPTWRITING – SEYMOUR B. SANCHEZ

THEME

The larger cultural meaning, message or significance of a story

PLOT

A scheme, plan or

method to

execute the

premise

The execution of

the story

The HOW of the

story

SAMPLE PLOT: CINDERELLA

SAMPLE PLOT: THREE LITTLE PIGS

SUBPLOT

Mini-stories that may or may not be related to the

main story

Generally involves incidents surrounding some

character(s) other than the main characters

SAMPLE: THE HUNGER GAMES

CONFLICT

Dramatic structure that is important for the story

“man versus self”

“man versus nature”

“man versus man”

OBSTACLE

A barrier or impediment to reaching a goal – something that

the main character(s) must bypass or overcome

CRISIS

A challenge, threat, or problem for the protagonist

Developed in the middle section of the story through a series

of crisis

The largest crisis usually comes just before the climax

CLIMAX

The emotional and often physical high point of the story

Resolves the suspense of the storyline

DENOUEMENT

Short wind-up of the story that occurs after the climax

STORY

ELEMENTS

BACKSTORY

Events that happen

before a script begins

that are important to

the story

A character’s previous

history

EXPOSITION

Information given to the audience

about something that happens off-

screen or before the story begins

(backstory)

It is most commonly given in

dialogues because this is the

easiest way to communicate

information

Other ways are through flashback,

a narrator, or even a title (“A long

time ago in a galaxy far away…)

PREPARATION

Technique to set up the audience for something that will be

important later

It prepares us for certain actions or events, or for the

appearance of a special object or person in the story.

Later occurrences no longer seem overly coincidental or

contrived

PLANT

(Preparation Technique)

Preparation technique in which an

object or person is presented so

that it may be used later

To paraphrase Chekhov, if you’re

going to use a gun in Act III, show

it in Act 1

FORESHADOWING

(Preparation Technique)

Setting up events to come

Used both in suspense and

preparation

Suspense foreshadows – the

audience is cued to expect

something, and anticipates

the payoff

HOOK

A plot twist or development that

grabs the audience’s attention

and compels them to keep

watching

JEOPARDY

A character in physical or emotional danger

Typical way to end a television or radio drama act (cliffhangers)

REVERSE

A twist in the plot

A turnaround of a character (as from bad to good) or character

fortune

FLASHBACK

Scenes that go back in time to

reveal prior events in the story

Is a cinematic technique where

we are transported back in time

to see some event visually take

place

For this technique to work well,

audiences need to know this is a

flashback and that they are

seeing something out of the past

so it is not confused with the

present

SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF

The audience’s deliberate withholding of their expectations of

reality in a story’s plot

ON THE FLY

A story that begins quickly with lots of actions

WITH ADAGIO

A term for a story that begins with a subtle, often slow opening

GENRE

GENRE

Genres identify

similar film and

television types. This

is because of plot

similarities, typical

characters, themes,

settings, or even the

“look” of the film

Examples: westerns,

action/adventure,

romance, comedy,

science fiction,

gangster, horror,

disaster films, etc.

GENRE

To write within a genre, it is necessary to study the form.

Who are the heroes and how are they portrayed?

What is ritualistic elements are usually present?

Remember.

Producers buy genres.

COINCIDENCE,

CONVENIENCE,

and the

CONTRIVED

COINCIDENCE, CONVENIENCE, and the CONTRIVED

Using incidents that seem coincidental, convenient, or

contrived strains credibility and makes the audience feel

manipulated. The audience is inclined not to believe these

things.

Coincidences happen by chance rather than logical plotting.

They include overheard conversations, chance sightings, and

items forgotten or found

One type of blatant convenience is the IDIOT PLOT in which

the plot develops as a result of a character’s doing something

completely stupid and idiotic