"Secondary characters who interact with your lead throughout the plot should ideally bring out some inner quality in your hero we might not see otherwise."

I like this approach. In a sense making the secondary characters be a part of the puzzle to the main character.

First off, HUGE fan of Barney Lichenstein. Went to one of his sessions at a Screenwriting Expo event a couple years ago, and LOVED what he had to say.
So... if any of the peanut gallery is going to the Expo, I highly suggest you attend one of Barney's sessions.

Of those 5, I like # 2, "Setting the Tone" the most. Let the reader, and audience know what they're in for early on.

One of my favorite tone setting intros suprisingly takes place in the horror flick "28 Days Later." Where the animal rights people break into a disease lab, and inadvertently kick-off a plague. What I liked about it was the tone setting frenzy put in the audience's mind. The lab attendant knew what could happen, but the animal rights people didn't. But then once that first lady got infected you got a taste of the choas that gripped London. THAT was important because then for next 15 or so minutes the action slows considerably, as you're in the world of a man waking up in the hospital unaware of what's devistated London. Then throughout the rest of moive I found myself extrapolating that inintal event over the canvas of London as the main character experiences it. That tone setting sequence paint the shade of horror on everything the characters experience. BRILLIANT -- as applies to horror.

For my money, that initial sequence is CRITICAL to everything that follows. A far better intro then the one "I Am Legend" emplored.

The previews of "Pandorom" make me wonder if it's "28 Days Later" in space. We'll see...

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA