character intro

here's my prob...i have a character who is minor..i'call him Sour Cop for a couple of lines of dialog. Later in the script he is given a name...problem....how do I intro him from then on...by his now known name, or by Sour Cop as I had in the previous scene? I hope this is not confusing....

i'd name him.

name him when we first see him

first time we see the character is in a flashback....10 years prior...no name there either....in fact he's known as pretty boy then...trying to show how ten years has changed him, hence Sour Cop.....now what?

If you insist on the label, you could effect a name transition with something like,

LIEUTENANT
And what's on your mind?

SOUR COP/LANCE STUD
There's something not right about
this case, Loo.

LIEUTENANT
Meaning?

LANCE STUD
Those clothes the John Doe's wearing,
the frilly shirt and cuffs. They
ain't been in fashion for decades.

-Derek

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One of the many reasons you should never listen to dpat ~PipeWriter

i have the next batman script and they have 3 character names for him: Bruce - when he's a boy, Wayne - as a man, not in costume, Batman - as batman
but of course, you have to make it very clear that all 3 are the same person. we already know that Bruce Wayne is Batman.

Name him unless the secret of his real name is integral to the plot. Sounds like it isn't so why bother confusing the issue with three names?

Name him unless the secret of his real name is integral to the plot.

I agree with that. If it's not a mystery as to who the sour cop is, then give him a name. You don't have to call him by any name until it's necessary.

And you could always say "Young Officer Johnson" and "Old Officer Johnson" or something like that. Especially if he is just a minor character. I assume that X-Files scripts are available, and they use the old man/younger man in the story all the time.