Spec Script has "B&W" in one of the slugs, because it's a flashback. Delete it?

yeah - delete the flashback entirely
i know, not what you wanted to hear but it's much better advice

I'd maybe include (FLASHBACK) in the slugline for clarity's sake and let the director choose how to show this, via B&W, RIPPLE INTO, or whatever ends up on screen.

-Derek

I have a flashback which I specify as being "SOUNDLESS," which is my subtle way of imitating the flashbacks used in "CSI" and "Crossong Jordan." Now I amit that the true grit and gristle of the flashbacks in those two TV shows is they have distorted/faded color, sometimes even scratchy film stock (or the appearance of scratchy film stock). The lack of sound in them (sometimes it's only a selective muffling/filtration of certain sounds as opposed to a total absense) enhances the already weired surreal feeling they have via the odd visual efects. But I'd feel like I was treading on the director's toes if I specified "scratchy film stock" or "washed out colors" and I would also be potentially dating myself and/or dating the script because those visual tehcniques might very well be passe in another year. So I suppose just labelling them as "soundless' is the least offensive way to go about stipulating that the "feel" of the flashback needs to somehow be different than the feel of normal footage. After all, the writer IS given leeway to get a smidge picky about sound effects -- it's camera directions that raise an eyebrow.

Ignore people who say not to use FLASHBACK of VO.

But do listen to the idea that you establish a special segment in your script, but leave it to the director to decide how to handle it visually.