technical question

[Englishmaninhouston]

Anybody who has ever watched Family guy knows that they change scenes alot when they do those little flashbacks. How do u write that?

[Joe Calabrese]

Are you asking how to do a flashback? Not sure what you meant.

[Writer1]

Like any other flashback...

FLASHBACK - INT./EXT. WHEREVER

Blah, blah, blah

END OF FLASHBACK - BACK TO SCENE - INT./EXT. WHEREVER

Blah, blah, blah

[Englishmaninhouston]

Cheers!

[J. Sims]

I have an offshoot question to this.

(And hello everyone, by the way, I'm new here. I joined because there are a wealth of very knowledgable, very insightful, and very helpful people here.)

Once your flashback begins, can you have more than one scene, i.e.

FLASHBACK - INT./EXT. WHEREVER

Blah, blah, blah

INT./EXT. WHEREVER

Blah, blah, blah

INT./EXT. WHEREVER

Blah, blah, blah

END OF FLASHBACK - BACK TO SCENE - INT./EXT. WHEREVER

Blah, blah, blah



Can you do it like this? Or should it be like this??



FLASHBACK - INT./EXT. WHEREVER

Blah, blah, blah

FLASHBACK - INT./EXT. WHEREVER

Blah, blah, blah

FLASHBACK - INT./EXT. WHEREVER

Blah, blah, blah

END OF FLASHBACK - BACK TO SCENE - INT./EXT. WHEREVER

Blah, blah, blah


In my screenplay, my first, I have someone who suddenly remembers a whole series of scenes, and I'm trying to figure out how best to write it. The idea is that someone says something that triggers a whole big series of memories for the character, and we see these memories in flashes.

I hope that makes sense.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

[Writer1]

Just string them all together....then END FLASHBACK -

[J. Sims]

Thank you very, very much.

[scripter1]

oh, and the rules that go along with it.

Whenever you change times you need to highlight it in some way.
If you flashback and then return to normal time then you must write BEGIN FLASHBACK, RETURN TO SCENE

If we remain in the flashback (meaning past) then no, each new scene does not need to be marked as a new flashback.
If you are dealing with several situations over a span of years then you will have to highlight them in some way, setting up the time frame descriptivly in action lines is best or you can use SUPERs. (Though that is a grey area between writing and directing.)

The key to "Flashes" is to have a visual que of them, something the viewing audience can see that informs them it is a flash and something out of the ordinary in the story.
A character reacting to the flash of camera lights is the most obvious.
Every time a flash goes off the character "sees" something.
Other things can trigger it like sounds, places, things, or names.

[JustinoXXV]

I hope you aren't going to send off a script with lots of flashbacks to a producer.

That's basically not looked at too well, because unless you're extremely experienced all your flashbacks are likely to throw the reader offtrack. Basically, if at all possible, avoid using flashbacks in script.

[write4details]

Another way to handle flashbacks is not to name them, just slug a new scene and go to it.

This is especially true when the past event involves several people from the cast.

[nganok]

I recently rewrote a script becuase it had too many falshbacks and surprisingly its now easier to read and understand, My opion is that you don't need them unless absolutely necessary

[boyd]

"A whole series of flashbacks ..." I'd write it like this:

SERIES OF FLASHBACKS


[then, I would write the flashbacks in a series the way I want them. Nothing difficult at all about this.]

[scripter1]

Boyds suggestion is pretty good as long as all the flashbacks really do happen back to back.

Justin makes a good point but didn't really take it far enough.

Unfortunately flashbacks DO send up a red flag for almost any reader because they are so often used to fill plot holes and spackle up story problems.

Many inexperienced writers think "well, I'll just flash back and the problems solved."
Easy isn't always best.

Problem is, flashbacks are confusing, most of them end up being boring exposition and they come off as fake and unnatural.

There is a time and proper way to use flashbacks and unique ways to set them up. ALL of Saving Private Ryan is a flashback. Knights Tale has a wonderfully done flashback. While I thought Daredevil was a badly flawed movie it did use flashback correctly.

Hulk had a flashback within a dream, within a flashback, something or other.

Now THAT one I found really annoying.

Really the best way to answer these types of questions is to look at produced scripts and see how the pros handled it.

Many people here really know their movies and should be able to give one or two titles of movies that did this type of thing.