Question:

I'm writing a scene where it's just a quick flash of somebody's face.  Seems like a waste of space to do the standard flashback modus operandi.

Can I just write...

QUICK FLASH - Sara's face.

Or

INSERT - A quick flash of Sara's face.

or...?

And do I really have to put-
BACK TO SCENE

(Which also seems like a waste of space)

Thanks in advance

I'm not sure why you have to write it as a camera direction. There are ways to write things so the reader gets the idea. Maybe do it in short action lines.

Something happens.

Sarah's eyes widen or whatever her expression is.

Back to whatever we were looking at or whatever comes next.

And the quick flash is of someone who isn't in the scene, right?

So, say, character A kills character B, then keeps having flashbacks, seeing character B's face wherever they look?

If so, I'd personally go down the 'INSERT' route.

Thanks Marnie

Toby - right, the person is not in the scene.   Just a quick flashback of a face.  That's all I need.

There used to be a site called Script toolbox I referred to for this kinda stuff.  Now it's gone.  Dude went all Twitter or something.

Last time I checked - INSERTS - are more for photos, news articles or whatever.

Dreamscale, you out there?

Yes, you gorilla, I'm here.

Problem is that it's a tough question without knowing exactly how it fits in the scene.

I think what you're wanting to do falls outside what you'd standardly want in your Spec script, cuz it sounds like it's not story related, right?  You want to show something to have an effect on your viewers - probably not your readers, because if I read something like that, I'd probably say, What the Fuck?

But again, I don't knnow the details.

If you're leaving the scene, you know what you should technically do.  BUT, I'm sure it would be fine if you used something like "QUICK FLASH - Sarah's bare ass" and then just continue on in your scene as if this didn't even happen.

Make sense, or am I missing the question?

^Thanks, ski bum.

It's a ultra-quick flashback from my character's memory.  But it's just a face. So...

I'm willing to bet you did it in "Unforgettabe"

Quoted from NickSedario I'm willing to bet you did it in "Unforgettabe"

I'll take that bet!  

No, I didn't have any quick flashes - they were all full flashbacks.

You've got to understand though, that in a filmed version, you'd haev to make it clear what the quick flash is..is it in someone's mind and if so, whose?  You have to make that clear.  That's the key.

Yeah I just skimmed  Unforgettble.  Nada.  You go strictly by the book.

And yes, it's a mental flashback.  So the question still remains, script guru.  What say ye?

Just write it like this. If that adds too many lines, I hope you're writing a 5 page short.

QUICK FLASH

Sarah's contorted dead face.

BACK TO SCENE

Quoted from Grandma Bear Just write it like this. If that adds too many lines, I hope you're writing a 5 page short. QUICK FLASH Sarah's contorted dead face. BACK TO SCENE

You killed Sarah  

Thanks  

Pia's way...or if you are inserting a bunch of these in the scene

QUICK FLASH: Sarah's contorted dead face.


No need for back to scene IMO since you wouldn't want to clutter with a bunch of back to scenes.

Nick, if you use quick flash or whatever, trying to save lines, you'll have to set it up properly so it's apparent what it is and where it's coming from.

You can't write something like,

Jack walks across the room to a very naked Debbie.

QUICK FLASH - Carol's bare ass cheeks

Debbie smiles, hugs Jack.

QUICK FLASH - A dead bloody horse head

blah blah blah

Quoted from NickSedario You killed Sarah   Thanks

Could be worse.

Code QUICK FLASH Dead Sarah's bare @ss. BACK TO SCENE

Got it, thanks all.

And it's PG rated, btw.  No bare asses or dead bodies.

Well, maybe one dead body.

You can have a bare ass in a PG movie.  Maybe even a few of them...but only if they're already dead.

Quoted from NickSedario And it's PG rated, btw.  No bare asses or dead bodies. Well, maybe one dead body.

Here's a dead bare @ss: http://cdn0.lostateminor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Donkeys-playing-dead-1.jpeg

Can you work that into the story?

Quoted from RayW Can you work that into the story?

  Ray you're a gilly soose

If you're using a lot of them, you need only mention 'INSERT' once.

After that, simply placing 'Sarah's face' on its own action line would suffice. So long as your flow is good, it'll make sense to most readers. Just watch out for other writers, as they are the more easily confused IME.

Jeff stands in the middle of the food court at the shopping mall, wearing a raincoat.

QUICK FLASH

Everyone screams at the bedraggled giblets on display

That's strange, I was going to ask this same question as I was wanting to use one in my script. I'm glad I looked at the threads beforehand!