Screenwriting 101: Lesson 6

Plot

Apr 15, 2025

What is plot?

Plot is the specific series of events that take place within a story. This happens…which causes this to happen…which causes this to happen…and so on. You can think of plot as the how, the when, and the why things happen in the story.

Premise does not equal plot

Premise is the broad concept of the story. Often this includes the who, the what, and the where.

It bears repeating…a premise is not the plot!!! A premise is only the basic concept…the plot is the actual details of what happens in the story.

Plot combines structure and character arc

The plot is directly related to your story’s structure and your character arc(s). The sequence of events that take place in your story should propel the narrative forward moving from introduction to conclusion and transform your character(s) along the way.

Characters drive plot

Your characters should be the main driving force behind creating your plot. After all, it is their decisions and reactions—particularly those of the protagonist and the antagonist—that dictate how the story unfolds. One of the best ways of looking at this is through intention and obstacle.

Intention and Obstacle

Aaron Sorkin explains the concept of intention and obstacle best: somebody wants something…and something is standing in their way. He goes on to qualify that the ‘want’ needs to be important (at least to the character) and the ‘obstacle’ needs to be formidable.

You can think about intention and obstacle both on a grand scale (what is the character’s overall goal in the story and what things stand in their way of getting it) and on a small scale (what does the character want in this particular scene and what is preventing them from getting it).

What is a subplot?

A subplot is an additional storyline that runs through the script alongside the main plot. Subplots should always serve a purpose. Often this purpose is to complement or contrast the main plot. Other times subplots may exist to add depth to specific characters, explore different (yet similar themes), or push the main story in a new direction.

A story may have just one subplot…or it may have many!

Plotlines are often labelled to help differentiate them. The ‘A Story’ is the main sequence of events and the primary focus of the story. A ‘B Story’ is the subplot most closely related to the main plot. A ‘C Story’ is a subplot that is a bit further distanced from the main plot line. And so on…and so forth.

B and C storylines can be a great opportunity to utilize (and feature!) your secondary characters.

Stakes

Simply, stakes are the consequences of your character failing to reach their goal. Or, in other words, what happens if they don’t succeed?

The supervillain takes over the world. Their ex (who they still love) marries someone else. They don’t get the big promotion at work. Etc.

Stakes can either be big and overreaching (e.g. the destruction of the world!) or small and personal (e.g. the protagonist’s first love breaking up with them)…but the stakes should always be impactful and important for your character.

Assignments:

1. Read 1 full length TV or movie script (from Script Slug or the BBC Script Library)

2. In the script you’re reading for this lesson:

Identify the protagonist.
- What is the protagonist’s intention/want?
  - List at least 3 obstacles in the protagonist’s path to obtaining their goal.
- What is the protagonist’s need?
  - What obstacle(s) does the protagonist face in obtaining their need?
Does the script feature any subplots? If so, how do the subplots relate back to or inform the main storyline?
What are the stakes? Do the stakes change over the course of the script?

3. Write a short script (no more than 10 pages) where one character is attempting to obtain something…and another character is actively preventing them from doing so.

4. Write a short script (no more than 10 pages) in which the stakes escalate over the course of the script

WIP: A Peer Guided Introduction to Screenwriting

Discussion about this post

Ready for more?