I'm currently working on a feature and I want to include one flashback, but I'm not sure if I should. My story is a post apocalyptic tale that picks up an unknown, but obviously lengthy amount of time after this "thing" happened.

I'm currently 60 pages into the planned 100 or so screenplay. I want to show what happened, not the how or why it happened. There is a primary antagonist I'd like to include in this flashback, kind of killing two birds with one stone. Showing how he came to be the way he is now, and following him when this thing happens.

The antagonist dies in the halfway point of the story, so I'm thinking I have to include the flashback before he's dead, right? I'm confused on how I should do this.

How long and detailed will the Flashback be?

Is it necessary to the script, or will it seem out of place?

Ok, here's the skinny:

In this recently dilapidated city, our heroes are trying to find some sort of refuge. Problem is that there is a small group of men, led by an older gentlemen, who are taking advantage of the situation in every way possible. They break into houses and steal what they can, if there are people squatting, they're dead.

At about the half way point, our group of heroes finally gets the better of this man and his little crew.

The back story that I've built for him is that he's an older veteran, I'm going with Vietnam since it fits with the age of this guy. He's been homeless for years, with his only solitude being the local Veterans of Foreign War (VFW).

The flashback is going to take place the day of the catastrophe...so I get to reveal what happened AND give a backstory for the antagonist. His frustration with the people in the area and what caused him to become violent was going to be revealed in the VFW during a new scene I'm writing and inserting just after the scene where he first shows up and kills someone.

The flashback scene will just take place in one location and MAYBE sprawl across two pages, at the most.

There really is no right or wrong answer here. If you think the flashback enhances the script then do it.  As a note, your Antagonist can be dead.

Someone who knows the Antagonist tells the story. Let's say this guy's name is Ed. Your Protag asks him something akin to: (note - just blowing out words here)

PROTAG
What made Antangonist such an asshole?

ED
It happened during the catalytic event

The Flashback is Ed's as he retells the story of the Antagonist. Could be done with ED in VO as he describes the event. AND - Your Antagonist does not have to be alive for this to work since Ed is telling the story.

I like Dave's example.  That would work just fine.

Quoted from eldave1 There really is no right or wrong answer here. If you think the flashback enhances the script then do it.  As a note, your Antagonist can be dead. Someone who knows the Antagonist tells the story. Let's say this guy's name is Ed. Your Protag asks him something akin to: (note - just blowing out words here) PROTAG What made Antangonist such an asshole? ED It happened during the catalytic event The Flashback is Ed's as he retells the story of the Antagonist. Could be done with ED in VO as he describes the event. AND - Your Antagonist does not have to be alive for this to work since Ed is telling the story.

Awesome, thanks for this. I have the exact moment where I can insert some type of flashback where I can explain both the event as it happened, along with the reasoning for how the antagonist ended up the way he did.

Glad it helped

I posted an introductory scene for Ed in my "Work in Progress" thread.

I'm actually thinking of negating the entire secondary antagonist and making Ed more of a threat.