In writing flashbacks that are just replays from a line from a scene earlier in the script, is there anything different? Or just a regular flash?

Sorry if this has been covered, but "flash" search reveals a month's worth of reading.

Thanks

Regular flash, I'd expect.

Just don't cut and paste anything from the original scene, even if nothing's supposed to have changed. People notice. It looks lazy. Rework your wording some.

I included the word in the header:

EXT.  CEMETERY - DAY

Stan stands in front of Helen's tombstone, squeaky toy in hand.

INT.  CAR - DAY (BEGIN FLASHBACK)

Stan and Helen in in the front seat of a car, yelling at each other (MOS).

EXT.  CEMETERY - DAY (PRESENT)

He stares at the tombstone and squeezes the toy.  It SQUEEKS!


Phil

Ok, Thanks guys. Just checking.

My first script, here, had seven flashbacks in it.  I don't think anyone had any problems following it.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe My first script, here, had seven flashbacks in it.  I don't think anyone had any problems following it. Phil

I think Jeff has the record with twenty something flashbacks in his 7WC script. "Unforgettable" - I never finished it, but the flashbacks were formatted properly.

James

I've used Flash, but the issue was flashes that are a repeat from something earlier in the film. I didn't know if that had to be indicated in some way. I just used regular flash.

What does (MOS) mean?

~Zack~

(MOS) means silent or without sound, Zak - as in when two people are talking up on screen, and their mouths are moving, but you don't hear them.

The legend is that a German director (I forget who) used to say "Mit out sound!" and it got abridged to MOS.

So would you use (MOS) at the start of the scene?

~Zack~

I've never used it but I believe you use it in ( ) at the end of the slug. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

You don't even need the ().

You could just say:  "They speak MOS" (or fight, or sing, or whatever) and that is enough.

It does not need to occur in the slug, but I suppose it can if the whole scene is MOS.

You use it when you show the characters talking.  And the Cole/Haig book does not mention the parenthesis when using it.  My bad.


Phil

Alright. Thanks guys. :)

~Zack~

Quoted from ajr The legend is that a German director (I forget who) used to say "Mit out sound!" and it got abridged to MOS.

Erich Von Stroheim :)

Although some people say Fritz Lang...fun little legend, anyway.

Kevin, I don't understadn what you're asking exactly with a Flashback "that is a repeat from something earlier in the film".  What are you asking exactly?

Meaning it is a replay of an earlier piece of the film. This should be self evident, I think, but I didn't know if it was required to site the fact. Take the movie Usual Suspects(great movie!) At the end, when the customs agent is putting it together, he has flashbacks from statements made earlier in the interview by Kaiser Sose.

OK, yeah, simple Flashback...however you write Flashbacks.