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How do I start and end a flashback? (currently 2251 views) |
usaking |
Posted: October 31st, 2009, 11:47am |
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New hi
LocationUSA Posts147 Posts Per Day 0.02 |
I tried searching the entire website, but could not find an answer to this. I used the search key and it found no thread about flashbacks at all. Maybe it is not that reliable for searches, I don't know.
Anyway, can anyone help me on how to use flashbacks (start and end them). I have read a few scripts with flashbacks and still do not quite know how to start and end a scene in a flashback. Help would be nice, thanks. |
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Mr. Blonde |
Posted: October 31st, 2009, 11:51am |
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AdministratorWhat good are choices if they're all bad?
LocationNowhere special. Posts3064 Posts Per Day 0.56 |
I tried searching the entire website, but could not find an answer to this. I used the search key and it found no thread about flashbacks at all. Maybe it is not that reliable for searches, I don't know.
Anyway, can anyone help me on how to use flashbacks (start and end them). I have read a few scripts with flashbacks and still do not quite know how to start and end a scene in a flashback. Help would be nice, thanks. |
The way I learned was to have a normal slugline with (FLASHBACK) after it. Example: EXT. PARKING LOT - NIGHT (FLASHBACK). Might be good to get a second opinion, too, though. |
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usaking |
Posted: October 31st, 2009, 11:53am |
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New hi
LocationUSA Posts147 Posts Per Day 0.02 |
Yes, I have seen that way, but how would I end the flashback?
Would it be
EXT. PARKING LOT - NIGHT (END FLASHBACK)
I don't quite understand. |
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JonnyBoy |
Posted: October 31st, 2009, 11:54am |
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January Project Group
LocationLondon, England Posts994 Posts Per Day 0.18 |
A few ways of doing this. I'll give one example:
EXT. PARK - NIGHT
FRANK Cast your mind back, Sarah. Think...
Sarah closes her eyes, screws them shut...
INT. CLASSROOM - DAY - FLASHBACK
[Blah blah blah - stuff happens]
INT. PARK - NIGHT - PRESENT DAY
SARAH Oh my God, Mr. Jenkins is my real father!
Use the slugs to help indicate the flashback and return to the present to the reader. |
| Guess who's back? Back again? |
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Revision History (3 edits; 1 reasons shown) |
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Reply: 3 - 20 |
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usaking |
Posted: October 31st, 2009, 11:55am |
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New hi
LocationUSA Posts147 Posts Per Day 0.02 |
Okay thanks. If anyone has anymore ways of doing a flashback, I would appreciate you posting it. |
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Mr. Blonde |
Posted: October 31st, 2009, 12:09pm |
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AdministratorWhat good are choices if they're all bad?
LocationNowhere special. Posts3064 Posts Per Day 0.56 |
Okay thanks. If anyone has anymore ways of doing a flashback, I would appreciate you posting it. |
Jonny's way seems best, but I've seen another way. EXT. PARKING LOT - NIGHT (FLASHBACK) [Stuff happens] (as Jonny said) INT. SCHOOL - DAY (END FLASHBACK) I think it's one of those things where you're not really wrong either way. You just have to do the one that's most comfortable with you, as I'm sure there's probably 5 other ways to deal with flashbacks. |
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usaking |
Posted: October 31st, 2009, 12:11pm |
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New hi
LocationUSA Posts147 Posts Per Day 0.02 |
Thanks, Mr. Blonde. I prefer JonnyBoy's way of doing flashbacks. Yours is good too, but his is much more easier for me to follow. Thanks again though. |
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Mr. Blonde |
Posted: October 31st, 2009, 12:18pm |
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AdministratorWhat good are choices if they're all bad?
LocationNowhere special. Posts3064 Posts Per Day 0.56 |
Thanks, Mr. Blonde. I prefer JonnyBoy's way of doing flashbacks. Yours is good too, but his is much more easier for me to follow. Thanks again though. |
I like his way better, but I learned mine first, so it's kind of implanted in there, now. Lol. But, like I said, there's no real wrong way to do it. Do what's easiest. =) |
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rendevous |
Posted: October 31st, 2009, 12:26pm |
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Old Timer Away
LocationOver there. Posts2354 Posts Per Day 0.43 |
USAKing,
There's loads of ways of doing them. You can use dates.
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT - PRESENT DAY
Bob & Tim sit on the sofa staring at the TV. They looks bored stupid.
BOB Remember that day Fat Freddie wet himself?
INT. SCHOOLROOM - DAY - 1982
Young Bob & Tim watch a yellow stream leak out from Fat Freddie's trouser leg
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT - PRESENT DAY
Bob grins. Tim chuckles.
BOB Yeah man.
That's another way. If it's clear in your regular scenes what the date is you can lose 'present day'. I made up that scene bearing in mind your unusual tastes. Nice to see you not getting a hammering on V.
I'm sure there's a thread on this in the screenwriting class section.
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Dimitris |
Posted: October 31st, 2009, 12:30pm |
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New
LocationGreece, Crete. Posts136 Posts Per Day 0.02 |
I think mr. Blonde's is the most common way , i have see it many times. When i make a flashback scene i never write flashback, i do it like this ( if this is wrong please correct me) INT. CLASSROOM - DAY- 1984 INT. PARK - DAY - PRESENT I Just mention a year or something else time-relate. P.S. Rendevous just beat me ... |
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Reply: 9 - 20 |
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usaking |
Posted: October 31st, 2009, 12:32pm |
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New hi
LocationUSA Posts147 Posts Per Day 0.02 |
Thanks rendevous. I have another question about flashbacks that I forgot to ask.
If my character is entering a shop or place in a flashback, would I have to continue putting the FLASHBACK in my sluglines? For instance, let's pretend I am in a flashback and my character enters a store. Would it be:
INT. STORE - DAY - FLASHBACK
or
EXT.. STORE - DAY
Would I need to continue putting FLASHBACk in my slugline? |
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rendevous |
Posted: October 31st, 2009, 12:51pm |
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Old Timer Away
LocationOver there. Posts2354 Posts Per Day 0.43 |
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Reply: 11 - 20 |
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Ron Aberdeen |
Posted: October 31st, 2009, 7:33pm |
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New
Posts91 Posts Per Day 0.02 |
You just place (FLASHBACK) at the end of the slug line and either write:-
END FLASHBACK at the end of the Flashback (right justified) or write (PRESENT) at the end of the following slug line.
No big deal. |
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Reply: 12 - 20 |
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George Willson |
Posted: November 1st, 2009, 1:13am |
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Of The Ancients Doctor who? Yes, quite right.
LocationBroken Arrow Posts3591 Posts Per Day 0.50 |
As long as it s perfectly clear what's going on, any of these method will work. You can have FLASHBACK in parenthesis or after a dash following the time of day. It doesn't matter. However, you should place END FLASHBACK at the end of the sequence to make it crystal clear that sequence is over. It's too easy to overlook PRESENT DAY since flashbacks can span several slugs. |
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Reply: 13 - 20 |
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usaking |
Posted: November 1st, 2009, 8:13am |
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New hi
LocationUSA Posts147 Posts Per Day 0.02 |
Okay, I'll make sure to have END FLASHBACK instead of PRESENT.
Thanks. |
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