StoryTable
Storytelling Elements for Filmmakers
176 elements · 11 categories · Select an element to explore
Prefer a list? Browse the directory →Find the pattern.
Make it your own.
Explore the original table’s arrangement. Combine a character, a conflict, and a plot device to start a new scene.
Numbers are historical kilowicks: thousands of wiki links at the time of the source chart.
From a pattern to a scene
The Periodic Table of Storytelling organizes recurring narrative ideas into 176 elements. Use it to name a pattern you recognize in a film, explore a character’s role, or find a new direction for your screenplay. A trope is a starting point: the specific choices, images, and consequences make the story yours.
Find a storytelling trope
Search every element, read its definition, and follow the original TV Tropes reference.
02 / CRAFTBuild a better film story
Practical guides to short films, character arcs, and setup and payoff, with writing exercises.
03 / WORKBENCHPut your idea to work
Shape a logline, map a three-act outline, or plan a shot list. Free, with no sign-up.
The filmmaker’s field kit / Free download
Less blank page.
More first draft.
A small set of practical worksheets to take your film from an idea to a planned scene. Get the kit and occasional notes on filmmaking.
- ✓ Short-film planning checklist
- ✓ Scene objective & conflict worksheet
- ✓ Printable and editable shot lists
- ✓ Logline worksheet