Character Intros That Make Readers Fall in Love
Character introductions are a prime opportunity to impress readers and hook them into your story. But well-written character introductions, like those in most professional screenplays, have a lot more going on than it might appear at first glance.
So let’s take a closer look at what makes a great character introduction, so you can make good use of them in your screenplay.
What’s in a character introduction?
Character introductions can be thought of in two components: character description and character entrance.
Character description is the pithy line or two that announces the character the first time we see them in the script. Examples:
From 10 Things I Hate About You, written by Karen McCullah & Kirsten Smith
KAT STRATFORD, eighteen, pretty — but trying hard not to be — in a baggy granny dress and glasses, balances a cup of coffee and a backpack as she climbs out of her battered, baby blue '75 Dodge Dart.
From Promising Young Woman, written by Emerald Fennel
Across the club, sprawled on a damp leather sofa is CASSANDRA, late-20s. She is hammered, her hair plastered to her face, mascara under her glazed eyes, the skirt of her pinstriped work suit riding up.
From Arrival, screenplay by Eric Heisserer
IAN DONNELLY (late 30s), Oxford shirt, wild hair, fierce eyes, and a smile in the corner of his mouth that makes it hard to tell what he’s thinking.
From Gran Torino, screenplay by Nick Schenk
Walt Kowalski looks young for his age. He has slate blue eyes, physically fit and has had the same buzz cut hairstyle since getting out of the military in 1953.
From Erin Brockovich, written by Susannah Grant
ERIN BROCKOVICH. How to describe her? A beauty queen would come to mind — which, in fact, she was. Tall in a mini skirt, legs crossed, tight top, beautiful — but clearly from a social class and geographic orientation whose standards for displaying beauty are not based on subtlety.
Character entrance is the scene or set of circumstances surrounding the character the first time we meet them in the screenplay. Basically, what are they doing when they enter the story?
It’s Jack Sparrow sailing into port on a sinking ship in Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl.
It’s Marge Gunderson being woken in the middle of the night, slipping her winter coat over her very-pregnant belly and leaving her loving husband, to go out and represent the side of good in Fargo.
It’s Daniel Plainview, covered in sweat and dirt at the bottom of a mine, driven by an almost psychotic ambition in There Will Be Blood.
Character description and character entrance. These are the two components of a character introduction. Obvious, right? Every beginning screenwriter figures out the need to include these elements, otherwise they wouldn't have a character in their screenplay.
But how much heavy lifting is being done? How well are these elements being utilized? That's what separates the beginner from the master.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression
Character introductions have the explicit purpose of introducing us, the reader or audience, to the characters.
Done well, they:
Focus readers' attention on what's important
Hook readers into the character
Establish a character's emotional starting point
Let’s look at those one at a time.
Focus readers' attention on what's important
Clarity is maybe the most important aspect of screenwriting, and one of the toughest to master. We all have amazing stories in our heads. The challenge is figuring out how to convey all that great stuff on the page so when someone else reads it, what they have in their head is something close to what you imagined.
Skillfully directing a reader's attention is a necessary part of creating a clear, intended effect. You're like the conductor of an orchestra. You don't just let every instrument play at full volume all the time; the audience would have no idea what to listen to, where to focus their attention. As the conductor, you create a specific effect by controlling how much of each instrument we hear, and when.
A good character intro gives weight to characters in appropriate proportion. So major characters are usually given full introductions — a moment in time that conveys to us their importance in the story. Minor characters are given just enough to help orient us to their place in the story, but their very lack of elaborate introduction tells us not to invest our mental energy unnecessarily.
28 Days Later is a good example. In the script, the first five pages act as a teaser. This teaser sets the tone and creates the world, without featuring any of the main characters. The characters in these first five pages are named “Activist”, ”Chief Activist”, “Scientist”, etc. This lets us know that even though this sequence is action-packed and dramatic, we don’t need to invest in any of these characters; that's not the purpose of the scene.
They don’t have names? We don’t need to remember them. It’s screenplay shorthand, the good version of "directing on the page." It effectively focuses our attention and it's a sign that we’re in strong, capable storyteller hands.
Hook readers into the character
Characters are our way into stories. We're compelled to watch characters whom we admire, or fear, or fall in love with, or care about, or are intrigued by. A good character intro creates this hook — the admiration or fear or intrigue, enticing the reader to follow this character into the story.
The idea of what hooks a reader in, what connects a reader to the character in that first moment, is maybe inextricably linked to the next function of a character introduction...
Establish a character's emotional starting point
A good character intro also provides the yardstick by which we'll measure that character's emotional states over the course of the story. It's their emotional resting heart rate, if you will.
That's not to say we should always meet characters in a state of rest. No, that would be boring. It means that however a character appears to us first sets the tone and our expectations for what’s to come.
The best introductions show us a moment that encapsulates the character, one that defines them. Exhibit A of who they are.
Why professional scripts are bad examples of character introductions
Character introductions in a lot of professional scripts don’t directly describe the character as much as aspiring screenwriters are instructed to do. The character description component, sometimes, is only a word or two. Often simply because a longer description would interrupt the flow of the scene.
And that's perhaps what gets lost on newer writers: the importance of that first scene, the opportunity it offers. In professional scripts, that's often where the impact happens.
It's easy to overlook how much more is going on in the character entrance component of professional scripts, at least in part because good writing doesn't call attention to itself. It just pulls you into the story.
How to write an amazing character introduction
How can you make sure your character intros are doing as much heavy lifting as possible?
Get specific
If your character description needs to be short enough so as not to disrupt the flow of the scene, then each word needs to be as impactful as possible. Specificity in word choice will do that. It’s a challenge, packing a succinct line or two with description that comes alive in a reader’s mind – but it can be done.
As Michael Hauge says:
“The most common weakness of character descriptions I read or hear is that they generalize. The details are broad, vague or not visual at all. They neither create a specific image, nor do they reveal anything important or emotionally involving about the character. Sometimes storytellers provide visible descriptions that create an image, but the details are unimportant to the story and reveal nothing of what’s inside the character.
I’ve read countless screenplays which introduce characters in this way: “JOHN, 29, tall and thin,” or “MARY (mid 40’s) an attractive brunette.” As you read those two descriptions, did you get any kind of clear image of John or Mary? Neither will your reader or your audience.
Your goal must be to reveal two or three clear, succinct and vivid details that create a picture in the minds of your reader or audience, and that convey something of the essence of that character.”
He hits on a couple of important points here:
Relevance: Remember, you’re trying to show us what’s important about the character in relation to the story we’re watching. Nobody cares about lists of characteristics unless they are relevant to that character's place in the world and the story.
Concrete details give the audience something to visualize, which makes a character more memorable. And we need to remember who the important characters are if we’re going to follow the story easily. So plant an image in the reader's mind with specific and tangible detail. And if we can meet the characters while they're doing something that defines them, even better.
2. Editorialize judiciously
A common note I see given by readers is, “Only write what you can see and hear on screen.” In the case of character introductions, I disagree.
Most readers – whether execs, producers, whomever — love a little authorial intrusion. Assuming it's done well and done sparingly, those two caveats being key.
As John August says:
“Most good screenwriters cheat a little, particularly when introducing a character. Keep in mind that an audience watching the movie has the benefit of seeing the actor playing the role, and all the specifics that come with a flesh-and-blood person.
Since the screenwriter has mere words, it’s generally okay to throw an unfilmable sentence or two at a particularly important moment. And there’s no more important moment in the script than the introduction of a key character. The best character introductions tend to include both a sense of what you see (the character’s physical appearance) and an intriguing tidbit about their personality and/or situation.
Look for details that have an iceberg quality: only a little bit sticks above the surface, but it represents a huge mass of character information the reader can fill in.”
3. Use the scene to reveal what's compelling about your character
What they’re doing, how they’re reacting and interacting, what choices they make in the scene – these are all ways to show us who the character is, and to set up how we can expect them to behave in the story.
Giving us this starting point, this yardstick to measure them by, means that we can anticipate how they'll react to future story events. And when they change their behavior we’ll either understand right away why and how the story has affected them, or our curiosity will be piqued and we'll lean in to see why they're reacting the way they are. Setting an expectation is what allows you to subvert an expectation.
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Looking at Hell or High Water with these three points in mind:
TOBY HANSON, late 30’s, a kind face marked by years of sun and disappointment, rides shotgun. It’s not the face of a thief, it is the face of a farmer.
Behind the wheel is TANNER HANSON, 40, his brother’s opposite in every way: mustache, shaggy hair, an air of danger that attracts as many women as it repels.
Succinct and specific with just enough editorializing to convey something vital about how they'll interact in the world. There's very much an "iceberg quality" to these descriptions. If you take the scene as a whole, we see a moment that's iconic of the characters and their relationship with each other.
Make that first impression count
Character introductions aren’t just formalities — they’re foundational. They shape how we see each character, how we feel about them, and how much we’re willing to invest in their story. When done well, a character’s first appearance can do more than just identify them; it can intrigue, captivate, and emotionally anchor the audience.
So as you revise your script, ask yourself:
Have I given major characters a memorable entrance?
Are my descriptions vivid, concise, and relevant?
Can a reader picture this character in their mind?
Does the scene itself reveal something essential about who they are, or show us how the character operates in the world?
The goal isn’t to be flashy. It’s to be intentional. Use your character introductions to signal that the reader is in good hands — that you know how to tell a story, and that this one is worth paying attention to.
Because in screenwriting, the best first impressions don’t just introduce characters — they invite us into the world of the story and make us want to stay.