Mysterious Character

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  • Mysterious Character

    Okay, in my script, I'm at a part where a character is introduced in the story but he's unconscious and doesn't speak for a while.

    My question is, I have him in the script as just "MAN from pod" at the moment (script is a space story and the other characters find "MAN" unconscious) but he becomes a key character later on, so do I leave his name as "MAN" until he wakes up, then introduce his character (name, age, looks etc.) in the script, or do I write his real name, age, looks etc. when he first pops in to the script?

    I did see a thread answering this a while ago but I can't find it now and I can't remember what it said.

    Thanks in advance guys

  • #2
    Re: Mysterious Character

    After your initial intro of him, I'd personally refer to him as Pod Man in subsequent scenes until we learn his actual name, at which point I'd transition using NAME (Pod Man) and then call him by his name after that.

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    • #3
      Re: Mysterious Character

      Originally posted by chan09 View Post
      Okay, in my script, I'm at a part where a character is introduced in the story but he's unconscious and doesn't speak for a while.

      My question is, I have him in the script as just "MAN from pod" at the moment (script is a space story and the other characters find "MAN" unconscious) but he becomes a key character later on, so do I leave his name as "MAN" until he wakes up, then introduce his character (name, age, looks etc.) in the script, or do I write his real name, age, looks etc. when he first pops in to the script?

      I did see a thread answering this a while ago but I can't find it now and I can't remember what it said.

      Thanks in advance guys
      I've seen this answered both ways. For me, it comes down to whether there is any reason not to fully introduce him at this point. First, describing him gives the reader a clue that this guy is an important character. Second, it cuts down on the clutter (different names for the same character; introducing him later and having to remind the reader that this is podman). My .03.

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      • #4
        Re: Mysterious Character

        You're fine doing it your way. You'll know when the reader needs to know his name.

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        • #5
          Re: Mysterious Character

          Thanks for your help guys.
          For now, I'm just going to refer to him as "Pod Man" until he awakes.
          I remember that the thread I saw a while ago, about the same thing, had differing answers, so I may change it after subsequent rewrites, as it seems it just boils down to a writer's taste.

          Cheers

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          • #6
            Re: Mysterious Character

            The script is the movie. If the character's identity is a big reveal, something that will make the audience gasp, hide it so that reveal is on the page and the *reader* gasps.

            - Bill
            Free Script Tips:
            http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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            • #7
              Re: Mysterious Character

              Agree with the above comments. Write so the reader experiences the movie.

              The only folks who might have a complaint are the writers at Breakdown Services.

              They read and break down scripts for Casting. The job is much easier when every character is given a name and description at their first intro.

              But it's not your job to make that job easier, and if it gets to that point... you will be to busy celebrating to care.

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              • #8
                Re: Mysterious Character

                The breakdown thing shouldn't be too difficult - how many times are you going to have a reveal of some character in the same script? They just need someone to flag that MAN is also GEORGE.

                (It would be funny if every character were a big reveal)

                - Bill
                Free Script Tips:
                http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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                • #9
                  Re: Mysterious Character

                  Definitely more descriptive than MAN.

                  Podman works.

                  But yes I believe if you introduce a character, and they aren't like the main characters, you don't introduce them, until you reveal who they are. If that makes any sense.

                  Originally posted by chan09 View Post
                  Okay, in my script, I'm at a part where a character is introduced in the story but he's unconscious and doesn't speak for a while.

                  My question is, I have him in the script as just "MAN from pod" at the moment (script is a space story and the other characters find "MAN" unconscious) but he becomes a key character later on, so do I leave his name as "MAN" until he wakes up, then introduce his character (name, age, looks etc.) in the script, or do I write his real name, age, looks etc. when he first pops in to the script?

                  I did see a thread answering this a while ago but I can't find it now and I can't remember what it said.

                  Thanks in advance guys
                  Screenplay Questions & Answers - http://screenplayqa.com

                  Comment

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