Show, don't tell -- on introductions

“Don't say the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream.”  ― Mark Twain

How are you introducing your character?  You know - the first time we see him or her?  What is she doing?  Can you accomplish more in that one scene?  What are they arguing about - what are they doing -- what are they IN THE MIDDLE OF.

Remember William Goldman?  Start Late.  Get out early.  Start a scene as late as possible, get out of it as soon as possible.

So, when you introduce your hero -- what character revealing thing are they doing?  Layer it up.  What character revealing piece of clothing, argument, action, everything - try and cram as much as you can in there.  Make every scene, every moment a thick, juicy bit of a dramatic moment.  Remember... this isn't real life.  It's a movie.  Movies, like love stories, go tell stories of the ordinary -- in a nice casing of the extraordinary.

Show, don't tell.