Script

B story

Also called B-plot, Subplot

What is b story in film production?

A B story is the secondary storyline in a screenplay, usually a relationship, that runs alongside the main plot and carries its theme. It often begins just after the first act break and gives the protagonist the lesson or support they need to resolve the A story.

In TV, scripts commonly carry A, B and sometimes C stories in each episode, cut together so each scene advances one of them.

The B story earns its place when it pays off in the climax — when what the hero learns in it is exactly what they need to win the A story.

Reviewed 2026-10-09

Related terms

Midpoint

A midpoint is a turning point near the middle of a screenplay that changes the direction or stakes of the story — a false victory, a false defeat, or a revelation. In a feature it falls around page 50 to 60 and keeps the long second act from sagging.

Beat sheet

A beat sheet is a list of the major story events in a screenplay, in order, each written as a short line or paragraph. It lays out the structure — where the inciting incident, midpoint and act breaks fall — so the story can be tested and rearranged before scenes are written.