A list of tropes that depict the making of In-Universe film, TV, or theater productions. These also often appear in a School Play or Amateur Filmmaking Plot. See also Show Business and Production Process for trivia tropes about the making of actual films; some of those may be used In-Universe. See also Metafiction Demanded This Index.
For tropes about musicians, see Music Tropes. See also Costumes and Props. For tropes about the in-universe watching of movies and other media, see "Going to See a Show" Index.
Subindexes:
Characters
- Classically-Trained Extra
- The Diva
- Depraved Kids' Show Host: The host of a children's television show is far from being a pleasant person off-camera.
- Former Child Star: An adult used to be a celebrity when they were a kid.
- Hates the Job, Loves the Limelight
- Large Ham
- Luvvies
- Mean Character, Nice Actor: A mean character is played by an actor who is much nicer in real life.
- Nice Character, Mean Actor: A mean actor plays a character who is nicer than they actually are.
- The Prima Donna
- Prima Donna Director: A director who acts bossy and demanding.
- Smooth-Talking Talent Agent: An actor's agent who pretends to be friendly but is phony
- Starving Artist
- Straw Critic: Critics are stereotyped as being perfectionist and impossible to please.
- White-Dwarf Starlet
- Writers Suck
Plots
- Amateur Film-Making Plot
- All Part of the Show: The audience mistakes circumstances that weren't under the performers' control to actually be part of the performance.
- Bad Impressionists
- Casting Couch: An actress gets a part by sleeping with the director.
- Celebrity Is Overrated
- Failed Audition Plot
- Film Felons: Criminals pretend to be filmmakers so that they can commit crimes with the pretense that they are making a movie.
- Hey, Let's Put on a Show
- Le Film Artistique
- Making the Masterpiece
- Movie-Making Mess
- One-Line Anxiety
- Proscenium Reveal
- Pushed in Front of the Audience
- Reading the Stage Directions Out Loud: An actor reads from a script and misinterprets stage directions as lines.
- The Show Must Go On
- The Show Must Go Wrong
- Show Within a Show: A work of fiction within a work of fiction.
- Terrible Interviewees Montage: A montage is shown where people are interviewed and every potential applicant proves that they are very unqualified for the available job.
- You Just Ruined the Shot: The hero thinks someone is in trouble but ends up getting yelled at by the director for ruining the scene they're trying to shoot.
