Screenwriting : The Art of Introducing Characters by Erik Jacobsen
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Best Tom Cruise into...
https://youtu.be/kej50wWCMTs
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Best Hitman Intro
https://youtu.be/VZecgAe4pEg
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Best Brando intro: https://youtu.be/IZPqkeWnlTw
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Best intro of all time:
General "Buck" Turgidson https://youtu.be/E1NV0MDXw7o?t=35
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This isn't an intro. But this is SURELY the best Power Nap scene ever filmed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29byfYNuuUM&fbclid=IwAR3fUSFnCRgOnh90-Xw...
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If adventure has a name .. it must be Indiana Jones. Talk about one heck of an awesome character intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLZ-JUct1yk
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They talk about the Indiana Jones intro in the OP video above. They call it the "Introduction by Parts".
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All of the CineFix videos are educational and fun: https://www.youtube.com/user/CineFix
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Do writers not create characters Owen? Are their introductions not as a result of excellent writing that a director translate to film?
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I hazard a conjecture that every character is introduced in a script via a scene written by a writer.
Of course a director can write or rewrite a script too.
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Owen, the intro of Indiana Jones in the OP video is an example of "Introduction by Parts". It most likely was devised by director Steven Spielberg. Other examples are also directing/editing techniques.
The #1 intro of Willy Wonka in video was actually Gene Wilder's idea. "Wilder said he would make the film under one condition: He wanted to do a somersault in the scene when he first meets the children. When asked why, the actor said that having Willy Wonka start out limping and end up somersaulting would set the tone for that character. He wanted to portray him as someone whose actions were completely unpredictable. His request was granted."
You get the picture.
Film making is collaborative work. Write creative and revealing intros for characters. It's a good thing.
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I partially agree with Owen. It's a combination of writer-director-actor-and everybody else, which is what makes filmmaking truly a collaborative medium.
As a side note, Gary Oldman has probably the most great intro scenes of any actor. Just five off the top of my head:
The Professional - oh man...the neck crack...the waltz into the room...the great lines...Mozart....Stansfield even gets to look into the camera!
Bram Stoker's Dracula - oh man...not one, but two introductions - as the young Dracula and the old Dracula!
Sid and Nancy: He hardly says a word in the first three minutes. He doesn't have to - he's bloody Gary Oldman!
State of Grace - don't mess with Jackie!
Romeo Is Bleeding: - oops...I forgot what he did in that opening scene. I couldn't take my eyes off of Mona Demarkov.
True Romance: even though Drexl is not a main character, and is killed off quickly, he still got everything from a diddle-eyed Joe to a damned if I know.
So many more....Immortal Beloved....The Darkest Hour....Prick Up Your Ears....Hannibal...The Fifth Element...etc., etc., I really don't think any actor has as many great opening scenes as the great Gary Oldman.
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https://youtu.be/ojgy7kyNp5g
In the case of CineFix videos on youtube the so called "best lists" are arbitrary. They are all about education.