How do you write flashbacks?

CeSu Pro

CeSu Pro

Active member
Do you explicitly write them as flashbacks? or do you just try to convey the fact that it is a flashback in the character descriptions? "He looks younger" for example. And if so, do you do that everytime you jump back to the flashback time frame?

For example, if you keep going from 'present' to one flashback timeframe, everytime you go back, do you have to restate, "he looks younger....again"

Just curious what you guys do about that?
 
You put it in the scene heading. eg. FLASHBACK - INT. HOUSE - DAY, and then write it like a normal scene.
 
There's a couple of ways to accomplish this...

The one I've seen the most is like this...

EXT. LAS VEGAS STRIP - DAY [FLASHBACK]

Then write the flashback and when completed, write a new
slug:

PRESENT DAY

or

BACK TO PRESENT

Then you're back inside the previous scene.

I've also seen the same location slug with the word FLASHBACK underlined instead of in brackets like this:

EXT. LAS VEGAS STRIP - DAY FLASHBACK

or in parentheses...

EXT. LAS VEGAS STRIP - DAY (FLASHBACK)

All the above work as long as it's OBVIOUS what you're trying to accomplish...

The other way that I've seen used less is to throw in a transition after your current scene:

INT. COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT

Unk leans back in his chair -- sips his Americano.
FLASHBACK TO:
​
EXT. LAS VEGAS STRIP - DAY (THREE DAYS EARLIER)

Then go ahead and write your flashback... Inside the parentheses
could be a date, number of seconds, minutes, days, months, or
years earlier.

When complete, simply end with a new slug like:

BACK TO PRESENT

or

PRESENT DAY

Now you're back inside the previous scene.

Unk
 
Okay, what if the flashback is more than one location? just keep putting flashback in the slug line until you are no longer "flashing back"? Maybe what I am doing isn't really a "Flashback" if I'm doing it for more than one scene. Also, when I come back from the flashback, it's not always to the same scene. Basically, what I have is a story with 4 characters and two timelines. One that is six months before the "present day" story. So, i continually intercut between 6 months ago and now. As I have it written now, I just have the characters look different (the men haven't shaved or something) and describe that each time I go to the "past" timeline.
 
David Jimerson said:
There's no one right way to do it. Just indicate it so that it's clear and understandable.
Click to expand...

Yup. Everyone has their own style. For example, I will write "BEGIN FLASHBACK SEQUENCE" and then proceed to pencil in the action/dialogue. Once I am finised I note "END FLASHBACK SEQUENCE" and continue on my merry way.
 
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