Opening Scene/Main Character Introduction

Question

Can anyone point me to an example or offer suggestions on how to best distinguish the main character in an opening scene when that scene involves a number of characters (a family setting, for example)?

Is it even necessary to do so, or is it okay if the main character emerges in the course of the first few pages of the script?

Thanks!
-ksharp

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Can anyone point me to an example or offer suggestions on how to best distinguish the main character in an ... or is it okay if the main character emerges in the course of the first few pages of the script?[/nq]
You might look at The Godfather, Dead Poet's Society, and *******.

Gene

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What I'd recommend is that you find a problem for the main character to solve.
It doesn't have to be much, but simply put them in a position where they want something which they're having difficulty getting. We can then engage with them in the drama of their struggle (which could be something minor) while waiting for the main drama of the story to develop.
-Ron

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[nq:1]Can anyone point me to an example or offer suggestions on how to best distinguish the main character in an ... or is it okay if the main character emerges in the course of the first few pages of the script?[/nq]
For me it's all about theme. You're developing your theme from FADE IN forward.
Your hero assuming it's the sort of script that has a hero is the vehicle for expressing your theme. I don't mean that in some mechanical way, but from a story point of view; you've chosen THIS person to go through THIS dramatic sequence for a reason, and that reason is your theme. If you want to sidle up to your hero by presenting an opening vignette that doesn't include him, or makes him just a face in the crowd, and it serves your story purpose, then you should do that. If the scene serves a purpose, and it eventually becomes clear why you ignored your hero for the opening bit, then it will work.

That said, if you open on, say, a family dinner party that includes the hero and you don't in some way differentiate him from everyone else, the audience will be pretty much floating through the scene, wondering who and what to care about. And why do that?
And that reminds me of the opening of "Closer", which is just a couple minutes of Jude Law and Natalie Portman walking toward each other in a crowd of London pedestrians. There are a dozen people in each frame, but you only really look at them (because they're beautiful, centrally-positioned and well-lit. Plus Natalie Portman has great legs.) The scene couldn't have looked like anything at all on the page, but it serves the story well; two people lift each other out of the ordinary by nothing more than the power of their attention. It's a perfect expression of the theme (as I see it).
Alan Brooks
~~
A with an Underwood
PhD., HeadOfPinDancingAngelsology

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Ken,
Think about showing the others from your lead's POV - that is, introducing your lead character first, then introducing the others as they relate to the lead (Jack's mother, Jack's drunk uncle, etc), and have the lead as the "conduit" for the other characters (Jack watches his uncle sneak a shot from his flask). The reader knows who the lead character is, even in a crowd.
- Bill

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[nq:1]Can anyone point me to an example or offer suggestions on how to best distinguish the main character in an ... is it okay if the main characteremerges in the course of the first few pages of the script? Thanks! -ksharp[/nq]
Shouldn't the real question be is it okay to hold off introducing all those other characters until after we've clearly been introduced to your main character and had the central premise of your movie established?
To which I believe the obvious answer is "yes."
Now, if that opening scene, with the whole family gathered is doing that introducing the main character and, just as importantly, establishing the central premise the central problem of your movie, then that's fine.
But if it's not, if you've opted for what amounts to a "let's introduce all the characters" scene for your opening ***** that. Who needs it?
If you look at something like the opening sequence of "The Godfather" we are introduced to a lot of different characters in fact, we meet, to a greater or lesser degree, virtually everyone of significance in the story. Yet clearly, that sequence focuses on two figures of critical importance. The Father, Vito the Godfather, the head of the family and his Son, Michael. So we don't have any doubt that these are the people that we're supposed to be paying attention to.

And likewise, in that whole story about Luca Brasi and the band leader and Michael insisting to Kate "That's my family that's not me" and yet he's there. He clearly loves his family, loves his father and that is the heart of what this story is ultimately going to be about. On the one hand, he resists being involved in what they do, but on the other, his love for them pulls him in. And ultimately, it is that love for his family that dooms him.
Meeting characters, establishing characters that stuff you can always find a way to do. You can do it in the first scene, the third, the tenth.
But you only have one scene in which you can begin the movie and you shouldn't waste it. You want it to be optimally powerful, involving, intriguing.
The only reason why you would want to use scene one to introduce ten people is if you absolutely positively need to know every single one of those ten people, for an irreducible story reason in scene two.

NMS

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Can anyone point me to an example or offer suggestions on how to best distinguish the main character in an ... it okay if the main character emerges in the course of the first few pages of the script? Thanks! -ksharp[/nq]
I'm not going to comment on a right or wrong way to intro your main character. Others have given really good advice on that.

I just wanted to interject that I'm of the opinion that all story questions can ultimately be reduced to being either structural or thematic in nature.
There can certainly be some overlap, but one or the other will dominate.
By looking at your question, first through the lens of theme, and then through the lens of structure, you will be in a better position to see the relative merits of your story choices for intro'ing your main character.
I would just keep going from thinking thematic to structual, structural to thematic. Keep asking questions of your characters and of your theme. Answers will come.
I find the process much like the old way of developing film in a darkroom. Clarity takes some time and some work.
But that's development for ya.
Good luck on your movie story!
Doug
"Sometimes you gotta say goodbye to the things you know, and hello to the things you don't."
Steve McQueen in "The Reivers

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Can anyone point me to an example or offer suggestions on how to best distinguish the main character in an ... it okay if the main character emerges in the course of the first few pages of the script? Thanks! -ksharp[/nq]
One of my favourite "little" movies is "Intermission", which has about
40 characters (actually feels like all of Dublin is in there at sometime). Yet the opening scene is a pretty gripping scene of banter and violence by the main antagonist. It's only later that we get to meet the rest of the cast, including the protag.
Not sure if that helps any, perhaps not!

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Can anyone point me to an example or offer suggestions on how to best distinguish the main character in an ... it okay if the main character emerges in the course of the first few pages of the script? Thanks! -ksharp[/nq]
Another classic is Casablanca, where everyone we meet is talking about Rick, and we absorb info about both him and the other chars through the focus of being amused and intrigued by the mystery of Rick, which is part of the theme of casablanca (just what is a man? Can he be an island or must he participate?).
So, as others have suggested, you could perhaps find a way to use the theme to focus the "view" of the opening scene?

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Can anyone point me to an example or offer suggestions on how to best distinguish the main character in an ... it okay if the main character emerges in the course of the first few pages of the script? Thanks! -ksharp[/nq]
Clarifying note on last post note that the scene for opening of Casablanca (if I remember right) didn't stay static. If you can build emotional or physical movement into the opening, that might help?

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[nq:1]Can anyone point me to an example or offer suggestions on how to best distinguish the main character in an ... it okay if the main character emerges in the course of the first few pages of the script? Thanks! -ksharp[/nq]
Thanks, everyone, for the illuminating replies. What a terrific group we've got here!
The opening scene I have in mind is a lot more than just introducing characters, and without going into specifics here, I think I'll be able to solve my problem using Bill's suggestion of maintaining my main character's point of view during the scene. We'll see how it goes.

-ksharp

Opening Scene/Main Character Introduction

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