How to Write a Subplot in a Screenplay — Adding Layers to Your Film

a protagonist has a goal and they overcome obstacles to achieve it that is the essence of a story but seldom are plots so simple even the most basic Blockbusters typically have secondary storyl lines to enhance their primary plot these secondary story lines are called subplots and they are a tool every screen Rider has to master explain it all to me now this is how to write a subplot before we begin weaving together story lines subscribe to studi binder and enable notifications to stay up to date on all our videos we will be spoiling the following

movies this subplot is complete onto our main narrative a subplot is a story line that receives less emphasis than a primary narrative it is used to underscore or enhance the central story subplots typically connect to the main narrative but they should never overpower it even though they occupy less screen time subplots often have their own beginning middle and end in screenwriting subplots are sometimes referred to as B stories if there are multiple subplots they can become C or D stories ranked in order of their connection to the a story this terminology is also popular in

television where subplots are very common subplots can include the protagonist or they can focus on secondary characters subplots are not to be confused with multi-plot stories which follow several narratives but don't prioritize any of them these are films like Magnolia or Love Actually in less conventional narratives the line between plot and subplot can be blurry in breathless for example the crime plot is subsumed by the Romantic subplot which dominates the middle of the film subplots can vary wildly but there are a few common types many subplots take one of four forms arguably the most common

is the romantic subplot where characters develop a relationship while focused on a larger Journey these subplots are typically used to add a human element to the Larger than Life Adventures in the mummy for example Rick and Evelyn's primary goal is to find treasure in a hidden city are we talking about the honra yes the City of the Dead where the earliest pheras was said to have hidden the wealth of Egypt initially they get on each other's nerves well well personally I think he's filthy rude a complete scoundrel I don't like him one bit anyone I

[Music] know but as the stakes get higher in their a story the B story sees them slowly fall in love no don't no he still has to take me to honap to perform the ritual she's right live today fight tomorrow [Music] a romantic subplot doesn't need to include the protagonist in The Empire Strikes Back the memorable romantic story line is between Han and Leia I love you I know another common bees story is the expository subplot this is a minor Arc that explains a key element of the primary narrative of it can take the form

of a character's backstory in Harry Potter in the Deathly Hallows part two a major subplot revolves around Snape revealing why he treats Harry the way he does and whose side he's really on you must be the one to kill me S it is the only way only then will the Dark Lord trust you completely this drastically Alters our perception of the long running subplot between Harry and Snape which was assumed to be adversarial in Inception meanwhile a subplot involving Cobb's backstory slowly unfurled explaining his true motivation do you think you can just build a prison

of memories to lock her in do you really think that that's going to contain her there is also the parallel subplot which is a secondary story that mirrors the main plot mcloven what kind of a stupid name is that fog what you trying to be an Irish R&B singer super bads mcloven embarks on a lengthy parallel subplot going on a wild night of his own as Seth and Evan do the same this structure allows for more jokes and characters to be fit into the single night empty the clip empty the clip on it man bail

bail bail shotgun on the other end there's the contrasting subplot a secondary story that goes in a significantly different direction than the primary story line this can be a difference in tone Arc or theme in The Princess Bride for example the a plot is the Love Story between Wesley and Buttercup the B story meanwhile follows Nigo montoya's search for Revenge my name is Nigo Montoya you kill my father prepare to die the two stories have contrasting themes the Redemptive power of love and the corrosive effect of Revenge just as a subplot can take many forms

it can also serve many purposes so why use a subplot even though a subplot is typically separated from the primary narrative it should still serve a function in the story as a whole a subplot can be a great place for characterization you never heard of the curse of the Von Erics no really no in the iron claw Kevin's romantic subplot with Pam allows us to see how the tragedy hitting his family is affecting his relationship with the family he's trying to start of his own he is becoming paranoid and depressed I don't want him to

get it I don't want you guys to catch it Kevin you can't serious I'm sorry just I'm sorry come home I can't okay subplots are also often used to build secondary characters in Twisters jav's business venture storm par gives his character depth the most perfect scan of a tornado ever Kate we can use this data to save lives back home he's well-meaning but has made a moral compromise in his work is profiting off of people's tragedy part of your business plan why are you doing this this allows him to play sidekick antagonist and Suitor all

at once a subplot can also inform a story's theme look Sully Sully just find out what the blue monkeys want in Avatar Jake Sully's slow immersion into the na'vi community is the primary plot line the environmentalist themes of the film are underscored by the subplot of humans mining unobtanium out get back back writers will often use B stories to heighten the stakes of their a stories whether the subplot is completely separate from the main narrative or interwoven I'm offering you a psychological profile at Buffalo Bill based on the case evidence in Silence of the Lambs

Hannibal Lecter is involved in the primary story I'll help you catch him Clarice but his relationship with Clarice and his quest for Freedom are a b plot to clarice's search for Buffalo Bill Hannibal's subplot however heightens the threats around Clarice his Escape means that she is surrounded by danger connected to two different serial killers good afternoon um sorry to bother you I'm looking for Mrs litman's family there's no one here Jack Clarice Starling well Clarice have the Lambs stopped screaming after [Music] lect in Punch Drunk Love meanwhile the scam Barry gets tied up in is

nearly entirely separate from his relationship with Lena maybe I should call back and talk to your girlfriend maybe it'd be better to ask her for the money could be really easy you know Barry I have all your information I have your credit card information all of your billing no thank you but it adds an urgency and an underlying tension to all of their interactions are you okay yes I'm fine are you okay yes I'm sorry what is this it's okay it's okay while a subplot can be useful a writer must be deliberate in how they

work it into a larger story so how does one structure a subplot how a subplot fits within a narrative is a vital consideration too much time away from the primary story line can remove narrative momentum but too little time on a subplot can make it feel tacked on I got the results of the test back I definitely have breast cancer answer look don't worry about it everything will be fine no matter what however a subplot must remain secondary to the primary plot Shon hey hey hey baby in Moonlight for example Chron's relationship with his mom

is a b story her presence in the story colors who shyron is and has multiple lengthy scenes but it never overpowers Chon's Journey rather it adds to it I love you baby I mean you ain't got to love me Lord knows I did not have love for you when you needed it I know that so you ain't got to love me but you going to know that I love you even though subplots are secondary they should still have their own arc with a beginning middle and end in Challengers Tashi tennis career is a prominent Beast

story with its own rise and fall in the beginning she's a highly sought-after youth player in the middle she makes the controversial decision to play at college and it ends with her injury the climax of this subplot also acts as the midpoint turn in the film allowing the rest of the story to focus on the careers and relationships of Patrick and art I'm sorry OU list Tashi Tashi Tashi listen please out Patrick get the out as these examples show us it's important to consider how the subplot influences and connects with the primary plot how dare

you kiss me in Indiana Jones in the Last Crusade Indy's romantic subplot with Elsa ends up complicating the a story indie please do what he says and don't listen to her wait wait as she is actually working for the antagonists this realization serves a structural purpose as a turning point in the story and because of their relationship it carries more emotional weight but you should have listened to your father when a sum plot is introduced is also [Applause] important in Akira's high and low the Beast story following the criminal isn't introduced until halfway through the

[Music] film this allows the first half of the movie to have a more mysterious and seemingly all powerful antagonist in the second half to Pivot into a cat and mouse Chase on the other hand tash's subplot in in glorious bastards begins in the very first scene you're Sheltering enemies of the state are you not yes this allows her tragic story to underg the a plot while reminding us of the human toll of the occupation throughout the film a subplot also plays a crucial role in pacing a well time be story can slow down a narrative

to create tension or add lightness if the main story is methodical and dark we are sitting on a field of Victory enjoying a few well and comfort the Lord of the Rings trilogy expertly uses subplots to manipulate pacing Peter Jackson and his team cut between storylines to create a dynamically timed narrative this technique can perhaps be best seen in the series big battle sequences rather than run through a battle in one go Jackson gives the audience a breather by cutting away to other subplots so it begins in the Battle of Helms Deep which itself is

a b story Jackson cuts to the Sea story Mary and Pippen negotiations with tree beard this both adds tension as it's unclear if the humans will overcome the orc Onslaught and also humor we have just [Music] agreed as Lord of the Rings shows us subplots can deliver some of the most memorable and beloved sequences in a movie G KN calls for eight and Rohan will answer Master the RAR him a great subplot elevates its primary narrative without outshining it and feels like a logical extension of the story that interweaves seamlessly so the next time you

sit down to write consider the side Journey the romance the secondary characters mishaps they're not a distraction from your narrative they're in addition and speaking of sitting down and writing why not get started on your next project with Studio binder pre-production software from screenwriting to storyboarding that's all for now may all your story threads intertwine [Music] oh [Music]