# Character introduction > The first time a speaking (or important) character appears on the page: name in caps, plus a short visual or behavioral hook that makes them legible before they talk. Also known as: character intro, first appearance, introducing a character **On the page** ``` MAYA CHEN (30s) shoulders in. ``` ## In practice A strong introduction does three jobs fast: names the role for production, gives the reader a picture, and hints at attitude or contradiction. "MAYA (30s), rain-soaked, already mid-argument with the parking meter" beats a résumé of traits. Age bands help casting; novels of backstory in the intro line do not. Caps on first appearance are the convention that feeds breakdowns and cast lists. After that, ordinary sentence case in action is normal. Re-capping the name every entrance creates false "new character" noise. Keep the cue spelling identical to the introduction so tools and coordinators never invent twin roles. Introductions are also tone. A comedy intro can land a joke in the first image; a thriller intro can withhold a face and still define threat through behavior. When notes say characters blur together, rewrite first appearances before polishing late dialogue — the room decides who matters in those opening lines. ## See it formatted - [Should sound effects be in all caps in a screenplay?](https://www.inkwell.software/resources/screenplay-formatting/sound-effects-and-capitals): Capitalize a sound, prop, or action only when it has to jump off the page, and a speaking character's name at first appearance, so capitals still mean something. ## Common questions ### Should every character get a full paragraph intro? No. Speaking leads and story-critical figures need a clear hook; day players may need only a function and a vivid detail. Length should match narrative importance. ### Do I put age in the character cue? Prefer age or age range in the action introduction, not inside the cue. The cue stays a stable production name; the intro carries casting and first-impression detail. ### Must the name stay in ALL CAPS after the first time? No. Standard practice capitalizes the name on first appearance in action, then uses normal case afterward. The character cue above dialogue stays uppercase throughout. ### What if I rename a character mid-draft? Normalize every cue, introduction, and alias before sharing. Mixed names fracture breakdowns and cold reads. A global rename pass is cheaper than explaining "Maya/Maya2" in the room. ## Related terms - [Character cue](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/character-cue): The speaker’s name above a dialogue block, conventionally in uppercase — the label that tells the reader who is talking. - [Action](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/action): The descriptive prose of a screenplay — what the audience sees and hears, written in present tense. Also called description. - [Dialogue](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/dialogue): Spoken lines under a character cue. In Plot, a dialogue pass proposes changes you can accept or reject line by line while keeping the surrounding action. - [Sides](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/sides): Excerpt pages of a script prepared for a specific day, audition, or work session -- usually only the scenes and lines the actors or crew need, not the full book. --- Canonical page: