False protagonist

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In film, television, or literature, a false protagonist is a technique for making a scene more jarring or a character more notable. It involves presenting a character at the start of the film as the main character, but then disposing of this character, usually killing them.

A character is made to seem like the main protagonist based on a number of techniques. Star power is a very effective one. Close-ups are also used. Generally the star of a film will get more and longer close-ups than any other character.

The most notable example of this is Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho in which the film opens with superstar Janet Leigh as the main character. When she is killed partway through the film the murder is far more unexpected and shocking and builds Bates up to be a far more fearsome villain.

Another notable example of this technique where it is used to somewhat different effect is in Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West. That film opens with a ten minute scene in which three men wait for a train. The camera examines the men and their preparations in close detail. When at the end of the scene Charles Bronson's character arrives and quickly dispatches the three it serves to build up Bronson's character as a potent force.

In George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, Eddard Stark is a false protagonist.

A recent film which uses the technique in another different manner is Runaway Jury which opens with Dylan McDermott portrayed as the protagonist as he begins a seemingly normal day of work. When, a few minutes into the film, he is gunned down in an attempt to make the crime seem far more villainous.

Another recent film which may use the technique is Scream: in the opening scene of the film, Drew Barrymore's character is killed. This surprised audiences, who didn't expect to see such a superstar get killed off in the opening scene.

A humorous use of the technique can be seen at the beginning of the film Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood, at the beginning of which a character walks on screen claiming to be the narrator of the story; however, he is gunned down by gang members shortly after beginning his narration, and another character takes his place. He too is shot before the story finally begins with the true narrator

The Zero Game by Brad Meltzer also uses this technique. The book begins with Matthew Mercer as the protagonist, who dies just six chapters into the book. The book continues in the third person until Harris Sandler -- Matthew's best friend -- takes over the role of protagonist two chapters later. Using this technique makes the death of Matthew more jarring and helps us to empathise with Harris when he finds out about his friend's death.