character descriptions screenplay examples

Introduce him in the middle of a dangerous adventure.A Fairy God mother helped her go to a fancy ball where the Prince fell in love with her. Introduce him alone in his computer dungeon of an apartment. My advice is to use a setting that perfectly encapsulates your character. If you’ve done the prep work with regard to theme, plot, setting, and character development, it will make your character descriptions easier. Now… if you’re waiting until page 25 to introduce the main character in your script, you’ve waited far too long. Each and every one of these character introductions worked really well despite being spaced out. It not until the end of the scene that we meet Shosanna, and only after it ends do we get to meet Lt. In the screenplay for Inglourious Basterds, we meet a French farmer and one of his daughters before we meet Col. Some will say the first character we meet should be your main character, but in some cases, you’re actually better off building some anticipation.

There are some pretty common sense guidelines for when and where you should introduce the main characters in your screenplay.

Script Character Description When and where do you want to introduce characters in a screenplay? This is all laid out in a matter of two action lines, which means it will be robust, fun to read, and touch on important production details. The description above includes an age range, physical description, costume, hair & makeup, light psychology, and narrative implications. He adjusts his cufflink, surveys the casino floor… Tailored Tom Ford suit, a cigarette hangs from his lips. Often, screenwriters will begin with the character description before the formal introduction, and this can be done either with dialogue from a previous scene, or through action in the lines running up to the intro.Īn urbane man in his late 30’s enters the room.

‘ A man who has written more books than he’s read.’ We can’t see certain concepts like ‘being in control of his world’ or even ‘a man in almost constant motion’, but they build some character.įor the description, you can include physical character descriptions, emotional descriptions, or some concept that provides context.

You’ll notice that there are a few non-visual character descriptions in this character introduction that, in other sections of the screenplay, would be considered a screenwriting faux pas.

Character descriptions screenplay examples