This one... it bugs me. Flashbacks can be advantageous. I've used them. Sometimes you have to use them to help move a story along. And to make matters worse... there are several "acceptable" ways to write them. I've found that if you have one, stick with that one because consistency counts when you're shooting for professionalism!
Here's an excerpt from The Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier (I won't lie, every screenwriter (unless you're Paul Haggis) should have this. The action paragraph is unformatted.): Method 1 (The Montage Label) FLASHBACK - TRAIN ACCIDENT David sees the train coming and jumps on the train tracks. He laughs; he's playing chicken with the train. With the train nearly upon him he tries to leap from the tracks, but his foot catches on a rail tie. BACK TO PRESENT DAY Method 2 (This method draws attention to the fact that it's a flashback.) FLASHBACK - EXT. TRAIN TRACKS - NIGHT Method 3 EXT. TRAIN TRACKS - NIGHT - FLASHBACK or EXT. TRAIN TRACKS - NIGHT (FLASHBACK) Remember... you must somehow end the flashback. So, if you use Method 2 or 3 try END OF FLASHBACK (or END FLASHBACK) flush to the right margin. In Final Draft I use Transition to get it to the right spot. Any questions, let me know!
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These posts were from the Writers Room in the Legion M Forum. "Screenwriting 101" is written by Nikki Ackerman. Don't know what Legion M is? It's the world's first fan-owned entertainment company. Want to know more? Visit Legion M at legionm.com Archives
January 2021
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