Thomas Harper Ince (November 6, 1882-November 20, 1924) was an Americanfilm director. He invented many mechanisms of professional movie production, like the usage of a detailed "shooting script", which also contained information on when who was in the scene, and the "scene plot" which listed all interiors and exteriors, cost control plans and so on. He helped create a standardized and mechanized mode of production. He also was one of the first who had a separate writer, director and cutter (instead of doing everything himself).
His movies were mainly early Westerns, which were successful because of their beautiful images and their rhythm.
1910: director at I.M.P.
1911: Bison Life Motion pictures (merged with Universal 1912)
1912: "Studio Inceville" and the Bison 101 movies (as projects for Bison Life Motion Pictures)