Hello everyone, I'm Stefan. I had a question about flashbacks. If I wanna insert a flashback halfway through a scene I figured I'd have to write INTERCUT in the script and then describe the flashback, is this right? Also once the flashback is over how do I indicate that the story is going back to the current scene. I'm new and not yet a pro on formatting a script, clearly.

Thank you everyone, though, for all the comments and the helpful criticism on my first script. I see now how bad it was. Thanks in advance

Stefan

INT. PALM SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL (CLASSROOM) - DAY (1965)

blah and blah and blah and lade da

INT. PALM SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL (CLASSROOM) - DAY (PRESENT)

la and de and blah and blah and lade da

--

That's how I do it and that's all I got to say about it.  

But what I would do, if I was you, would be to get as much info from these people as you can and form your own style.  Use the best bits of what they say to your advantage and make it clean and doable.  Make it seem like this is the format and there is no other rule of thumb.

Be assertive in your writing and your worth.  If you're not then you're going to get your feelings hurt a helluva lot.

I wouldn’t use INTERCUT unless you’re going back and forth.


FLASHBACK  - INT.  LOCATION - DAY

Action.

BACK TO PRESENT


Or if there are several flashbacks,


FLASHBACK 1 - INT.  LOCATION - DAY

Action.

END FLASHBACK 1


Example:


INT.  TOM'S HOUSE - DAY

Jane flinches at the sight of the loaf of bread.

                    Tom
          What’s wrong, Jane?

Jane drifts back...

FLASHBACK - BREAD INCIDENT

INT.  JANE’S CHILDHOOD HOME - DAY

Jane’s father beats her profusely with a loaf of bread.

                    JANE’S FATHER
          I’ll get the sin out of you!

BACK TO PRESENT

Jane shakes out of her trance.

                    JANE
          Nothing, Tom.  It’s nothing.  
          I’ll be all right.

Quoted from Breanne Mattson Jane flinches at the sight of the loaf of bread.                     Tom           What’s wrong, Jane? Jane drifts back... FLASHBACK - BREAD INCIDENT INT.  JANE’S CHILDHOOD HOME - DAY Jane’s father beats her profusely with a loaf of bread.                     JANE’S FATHER           I’ll get the sin out of you! BACK TO PRESENT Jane shakes out of her trance.                     JANE           Nothing, Tom.  It’s nothing.             I’ll be all right.[/face]

Screw how to write flashbacks. I want to know more about this loaf wielding parent.

I agree with Bre and her examples.  INTERCUT is more for cutting back and forth like in a phone conversation.

Another alternative for a FLASHFORWARD style quick flash which I sometimes use is:

INT.  LOCATION - DAY

Something happening.  Character looks at an object.

FLASHCUT: The same object somewhere else.

Character looks elsewhere, to another object.

FLASHCUT: The same object again elsewhere.

etc

Or you can use substitute FLASHCUT with FLASHBACK.  Just as long as it's clear.