Scriptwriting Story Structure and Plot 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'B-story' in screenplay structure?
- A secondary storyline, often a relationship, that mirrors or contrasts the main plot (Correct answer)
- The antagonist's point-of-view story
- A flashback sequence in act two
- A subplot involving minor characters only
Correct answer: A secondary storyline, often a relationship, that mirrors or contrasts the main plot
The B-story is a secondary narrative thread, often a relationship subplot, that thematically reinforces or contrasts the main A-story.
Question 2: What is 'narrative tension' in a screenplay?
- The uncertainty about whether the protagonist will achieve their goal (Correct answer)
- A conflict between two screenwriters
- Scenes where characters argue loudly
- The pacing of action sequences
Correct answer: The uncertainty about whether the protagonist will achieve their goal
Narrative tension is the suspense created when the audience is uncertain about the outcome of the protagonist's struggle.
Question 3: What is the 'climax' of a screenplay?
- The decisive confrontation that resolves the story's central conflict (Correct answer)
- The midpoint twist of the story
- The scene with the most dialogue
- The first major obstacle the protagonist faces
Correct answer: The decisive confrontation that resolves the story's central conflict
The climax is the peak dramatic moment where the protagonist faces the ultimate test and the story's central conflict is resolved.
Question 4: What is a 'plot hole' in a screenplay?
- A logical inconsistency or gap in the story that undermines believability (Correct answer)
- A scene that was cut from the final draft
- A subplot that is left unresolved intentionally
- An unexplained character decision
Correct answer: A logical inconsistency or gap in the story that undermines believability
A plot hole is an inconsistency in the story's logic—an event or character action that contradicts established rules or facts within the narrative.
Question 5: What does the term 'foreshadowing' mean in screenplay writing?
- Planting hints early in the script that anticipate later events (Correct answer)
- Describing weather conditions at the start of a scene
- A flashback to the protagonist's childhood
- Introducing the antagonist before the protagonist
Correct answer: Planting hints early in the script that anticipate later events
Foreshadowing places subtle clues or hints in earlier scenes that prepare the audience for significant events that occur later.
Question 6: What is the 'status quo' in the context of a screenplay's opening?
- The protagonist's ordinary world before the story's conflict disrupts it (Correct answer)
- The social hierarchy between characters
- The genre conventions of the script
- The protagonist's daily schedule before act two
Correct answer: The protagonist's ordinary world before the story's conflict disrupts it
The status quo is the established 'normal' world the protagonist inhabits at the story's start, before the inciting incident disrupts everything.
Scriptwriting Story Structure and Plot 2
What is a 'B-story' in screenplay structure?