: Re: How do I introduce a room of 4 new characters? Do I start by describing each character before they speak? Each one of these characters are important. One of them is the lead. So, their

@Kaufman555

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Since you're editing the question, I assume you’d like more input. (Did not realize this was screenwriting, should perhaps delete this.)

I’d say, don’t throw us a laundry list of traits. Interweave it with action. I am going to assume you have only four people in a room, and the reader knows none of them, and we need to come up to speed on all of them quickly. Those sorts of details make a difference to how you do it.

I will assume omniscient is OK. Here is how I would do it, but this is a hasty bit of … drek – and would not be my final draft.

It was a small room, barely large enough for the group. But it served
their purpose.

Frank said to Eva, “Did you bring the money?” Frank got
right to the issue, a habit from growing up on the wrong side of the
tracks.

“No way. No way would I risk that. This isn’t a safe house,
for fuck’s sake.” Eva knew what she was talking about – she had grown
up on these streets. She was overly cautious, but it had gotten her
and Louie out of more than one scrape (perhaps insert specific example
here somehow.)

Louie looked out the window. It was set high in the
wall, but that wasn’t a problem for him. The streets were clear.
“She’s right. What’s your damage, dude? We’re not going to bring you
the goods on the first meeting.”

Through the conversation, Jonah was
in the corner, rocking back and forth on a stool, not saying a word.
God, I need the drugs. How are we going to buy them without the money?
We are in hell’s gateway here, there could be a drive-by at any moment
– and we still aren’t getting the dough! God Frank, make this work!

Frank saw Jonah’s distress. He reached into both jacket pockets.
Pulled out a pistol from one, and the packet from the other. “This is
what we got. We thought you’d have the money. No way do you get this,”
he indicated the packet, “without it.” He put the packet back in his
pocket, but kept the pistol out. “We need the cash, tonight.”

I'd flesh out everything as the story progresses.

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