What does a "character arc" describe in film?

A "character arc" refers to the transformation or inner journey of a character throughout a film. This concept is essential to storytelling, as it illustrates how a character evolves in response to events in the narrative or personal experiences.

Typically, a character arc showcases changes in a character’s beliefs, values, motivations, or emotional state, highlighting their growth or decline by the film's conclusion. It's a vital component that helps viewers connect with characters on a deeper emotional level, making the story more impactful. By following a character's journey, audiences can appreciate the challenges they face and the lessons they learn, making for a more engaging and relatable narrative.

The other options do not encapsulate the essence of a character arc as they focus on different aspects of filmmaking such as physical transformation (which pertains to actor performance rather than character development), budgeting (which relates to production finance and logistics), and geographical setting (which deals with the location context of the story rather than character development).