Screenwriting : First appearance by Les Collins

What about doing a cameo of the mystery character early on? We see him/her in the background and because the camera sites him, we know he is going to play a part later on. Then when we see him again, his name comes forward.

The reader needs to know the name and have a brief visual - so will the Casting Director and the character Actor. Don't hide it just to be clever. Kathaleen has suggested an interesting twist. I've read several scripts in which a characters name is never spoken in the script.

I need a little bit of context. But here is what I Have done in previous stories.

I had a bar scene. The woman serving the drinks I called PENNY. She had no line for the first 15 pages, just action. There was also a cook, I just referred to him as “THE COOK”. I think this hinted to the reader that PENNY was going to become part of the story, remember her.

I've heard the rule is, and I always name my characters. It's not for the audience it's for casting and reading (the reader). If the character is unknown to the other characters that should be obvious in the action. Is the character known by the audience?

The character is not known by the audience either

If the plot line requires intrigue and mystery up to mid point, the name can be a mystery.

Les Collins, then I would just make that known in the action, remember the character always knows who they are. "JAKE SMITH (20s) a mysterious character, a man with no name".... The script isn't for the audience (the finished product is) it's for the production crew however; you still want to make it clear that no one knows who they are, yet.

I used "Abandoned Baby" and then his name when he was given one. Was told to use the name from the beginning, too confusing.