New characters introduced mid-Late in script

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  • New characters introduced mid-Late in script

    My space opera has a HUGE story and I have new characters being introduced on pages 80, 100 and 101 (out of 130).

    Is there anything necessarily fatal about this? I've gotten a BL score of 7 for character, but also a 4, so I'm starting to worry.
    I'm never wrong. Reality is just stubborn.

  • #2
    Re: New characters introduced mid-Late in script

    I'd be surprised if a low character score was because of late introduction. If that's a problem I'd chalk it up to plot/structure.

    Hard to tell without knowing the details of the story, but maybe if these characters are mentioned or known about in advance, just not shown, then it would make it feel less deus-ex-y. Lando appears fairly late in Empire, but IIRC Han mentions him earlier in the film, saying he could help them out. In fact, if you view the Star Wars films as a single story, the Emperor is held back as significant character until very late (midway through the final film). But crucially he's mentioned, known about, feared throughout all three films.

    So perhaps this could be remedied by slipping in a few mentions of Dr X or whoever, try and build a little suspense. Then for extra flavour if this person appears and is not what we expected - all the better. (In Manhattan, Diane Keaton keeps talking about this lover she had who 'taught her everything' - then they bump into him near the end and it's Wallace Shawn...)

    Just an idea.


    JJ.
    My stuff

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    • #3
      Re: New characters introduced mid-Late in script

      There are substantial characters introduced late in THE WIZARD OF OZ, FORREST GUMP, SE7EN, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, 12 YEARS A SLAVE, THE SIXTH SENSE, NETWORK, etc.

      It all depends on the dramatic purpose of introducing a new character late in the narrative. Sometimes we've been anticipating the character, sometimes the character arrives as part of a surprise revelation.

      So long as your narrative is strong and the dramatic purpose for a new character is warranted, there's no reason why a late introduction of a new character in and of itself is a problem.

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      • #4
        Re: New characters introduced mid-Late in script

        Originally posted by FoxHound View Post
        My space opera has a HUGE story and I have new characters being introduced on pages 80, 100 and 101 (out of 130).

        Is there anything necessarily fatal about this? I've gotten a BL score of 7 for character, but also a 4, so I'm starting to worry.
        It's really hard for us to say without knowing more about the context.

        In general, you don't want to introduce a character whose journey particularly matters at that point - although examples like Saving Private Ryan do that, the character has really been part of the story already. We haven't met him, but we know who he is, and his role in the story, already.

        That sort of thing happens all the time. Some character we're aware of existing in the world, hovering just outside the frame, for a long period of time ... who we finally meet.

        More challenging is a situation where a key part of the narrative is carried by someone we haven't met, whose existence we were largely unaware of. This can make it feel like the story is fragmented or scattered, that your leads aren't driving the story like they should.

        I also agree that, were I a judge, this wouldn't affect my character score but rather a structure one if handled poorly.

        Tell us more about the story.

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        • #5
          Re: New characters introduced mid-Late in script

          Originally posted by TheKeenGuy View Post
          There are substantial characters introduced late in THE WIZARD OF OZ, FORREST GUMP, SE7EN, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, 12 YEARS A SLAVE, THE SIXTH SENSE, NETWORK, etc.

          It all depends on the dramatic purpose of introducing a new character late in the narrative. Sometimes we've been anticipating the character, sometimes the character arrives as part of a surprise revelation.

          So long as your narrative is strong and the dramatic purpose for a new character is warranted, there's no reason why a late introduction of a new character in and of itself is a problem.
          Bingo

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          • #6
            Re: New characters introduced mid-Late in script

            Originally posted by Ronaldinho View Post
            Tell us more about the story.
            Basically, it's in the lead-up to the final battle. You know how in Star Wars, we went to Yavin and met General Dodanna? It's like that.

            Though in my case, we meet an Admiral, President & Vice President.
            I'm never wrong. Reality is just stubborn.

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            • #7
              Re: New characters introduced mid-Late in script

              Originally posted by FoxHound View Post
              Basically, it's in the lead-up to the final battle. You know how in Star Wars, we went to Yavin and met General Dodanna? It's like that.

              Though in my case, we meet an Admiral, President & Vice President.
              Fair enough.

              I think that's a good example. I've probably seen that film 50 times. If you had asked me who "General Dodanna" was, I couldn't tell you. That's a very minor character, who doesn't really make any decisions that drive the plot. They're there (they made such a little impression that I'm not even sure its a he) because there has to be a general in that scene. They have a trivial amount of dialog.

              Adding a character like that? No problem at all.

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              • #8
                Re: New characters introduced mid-Late in script

                Originally posted by TheKeenGuy View Post
                It all depends on the dramatic purpose of introducing a new character late in the narrative. Sometimes we've been anticipating the character, sometimes the character arrives as part of a surprise revelation.

                So long as your narrative is strong and the dramatic purpose for a new character is warranted, there's no reason why a late introduction of a new character in and of itself is a problem.
                Yes, this. It covers the more general principle that if something is necessary that works for the story then use it regardless of what might be stipulated by a rule or theory. Dramatic purpose, effective narrative.
                "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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