How to Make Your Flashbacks Count
A flashback is a storytelling tool that adds depth by revealing key details from the past. It takes us back in time to uncover something we didn’t know before. When used well, flashbacks can reframe what we’ve seen or give insight into a character’s backstory. The most effective ones drive both the narrative and character development forward.
“You wanna tell me now or wait for a third act flashback?" - Deadpool & Wolverine, 2024
Flashbacks have ardent fans and rabid critics. Used wisely, they can add depth and complexity, but overdo it and they can derail your story. They’re a bit like Marmite: you either love them or you hate them.
Today, we’re diving into all things flashback - when to use them, best practice for formatting them, and tips for making these storytelling techniques as effective as possible.
What is a flashback?
A flashback, simply put, is a brief jump back in time to reveal something that happened before the current events of the story - or to recontextualize a scene we’ve already witnessed. While common in novels, flashbacks are especially powerful in visual mediums like comic books, stage plays, and, of course… screenplays.
Unlike a novel, where a flashback needs careful setup, a screenplay - and subsequently, a film - can use visual cues to transport us back in time instantly. With the evolution of film editing into the digital age, non-linear storytelling has never been more accessible or popular. This opens the door for more creative narratives, offering fresh ways to reveal character development and advance your plot.
Why would I want to use a flashback?
There are many reasons you may want to be integrating flashbacks in a screenplay. You leverage the flashback to enhance emotional stakes (Arrival), add depth to a character by revealing their backstory (Manchester by the Sea), or expose a sympathetic side to your antagonist (Ratatouille).
Read More: Using Empathy in a Screenplay
A flashback serves two main purposes: adding context to what we've already seen or building suspense and mystery for what's to come. At its heart, it’s all about context; either reinterpreting the past or preparing us for the future.
How do I know it’s a flashback?
Okay, your mind is made up - we’re warping back in time. What is the proper screenplay flashback format used to convey this temporal leap? Begin by labelling it as such in your slugline. Include ‘flashback’ after you designate the time of day. Alternatively, you can use ‘BEGIN FLASHBACK’ in an action line.
INT. KINOLIME OFFICE - DAY - (FLASHBACK)
Since film is all about visuals, use every tool at your disposal. If the scene takes place in a house we know was built twelve years ago, consider setting it on a construction site to ascertain the time period.
If you’re showing characters as younger versions of themselves, provide context to help us place the time. If your character is 26 in the present, specify that they are 6 in the flashbacks, so we can gauge that this took place 20 years prior. This doesn’t need to be explicitly stated in dialogue, the visual details should tell us everything we need to know.
If we find out that the protagonist unwisely styled her own bangs after a nasty breakup, show her with long, meticulous hair to suggest it happened before she and her sweetheart called it quits. Visual cues like these can effortlessly convey time without saying a word.
Write your scene as normal. When you get to the end of the flashback, begin the subsequent scene with a slugline that specifies ‘END FLASHBACK’ so we know we’re back to the present.
EXT. BROOKLYN - DAY - (END FLASHBACK)
Check out this example I whipped up below for recommended formatting.
See the scene above for the recommended formatting.
Now… you’ll recall earlier when I said of flashbacks ‘They’re a bit like Marmite: you either love them or you hate them.’ With the additional context of this flashback, you can now get a sense of how I might feel about the gross tarry stuff, how it played a pivotal role in my tragic origin story, and therefore - how I feel about flashbacks. This, my friend, is a perfect example of how to use this device (he said, ever-so-humbly). It recontextualizes what you already know.
Read more: Screenplay Format - A Step By Step Guide
But I heard you have to…?
Contrary to frequent advice, you do not need to DISSOLVE TO or CUT TO a flashback. This is a shorthand used by some writers to suggest a dreamlike time-jump, but it’s not necessary, and in fact, they’re becoming less common as modern film editing techniques take over. The more seamless your transition, the more digestible the abrupt time jump will be, so economy of language is more important than formatting etiquette.
Some schools of thought tell you to superimpose a timestamp. Unless it’s essential information or aligns with the presentation craft of your screenplay, it’s better to leave this out. If you use superimposed times and places in the present, maybe these examples prove a preferable approach.
SUPER: 10 YEARS EARLIER
SUPER: DECEMBER 1941
Remember - formatting is a suggestion, not a rule. So long as the story is easy to follow, that’s all that really matters.
Where does a flashback go in the script?
I’m glad you asked. Finding the right place to implement a flashback isn’t an exact science, but that won’t stop me putting on a lab coat and giving it a go. It’s easy for a time jump to feel out of place, disrupting your pacing and throwing off the flow of your writing. You want them to feel seamless and organic.
Some basic rules I try to follow:
Avoid putting flashbacks in Act One.
The earlier the flashback, the less story there is to recontextualize.
Don’t disrupt intense scenes or climaxes with a flashback.
If you drop one in the middle of a fight or while a character is pouring out their heart, the reader will skim through it to get back to the action. Save it for before or after something significant, never in the middle.
Use act breaks to your advantage.
They often signal a new ‘chapter’ of the story, and this tiny lull in the pace can be a checkpoint for your reader. Pause, give the reader a moment to absorb, then release them into the next act like a greyhound.
Keep flashbacks brief.
Even if you find a perfect spot to place it, if it overstays its welcome, you’re in trouble. Keep them concise and breezy. We want to see the effects in the present rather than in the past.
And, please, for the love of all things cinematic, don’t place a flashback inside a flashback. That’s a recipe for confusion unless you’re a seasoned pro - and even then…
When does a flashback stop being a flashback?
There is no formal answer to this question, but I have a hypothesis. If a flashback or sequence of flashbacks contains an independent arc, I feel that it stops being a flash and becomes more of a glow.
In Little Women (any adaptation, but let’s focus on Greta Gerwig’s 2019 version), Jo March’s story is split between her younger and older years, highlighting the contrasts between her youth and adulthood. Half of this screenplay isn’t a flashback, despite functioning similarly. It contains its own arc and developments, so I don’t consider it to constitute the necessary flash.
Gerwig brings her unique style to the film by using red font for the 1867 flashbacks and standard black for the 1869 present. While unconventional, it works perfectly for the story. Her sluglines also clearly indicate the year and time frame, leaving no room for confusion.
What’s a good flashback?
I’m a little insulted you didn’t like my childhood Marmite experience, but fine, I understand. You want to see something on paper and how it translates to the screen. Some writers love using flashbacks and some won’t be caught dead with a non-linear story. Nolan and Tarantino are notable advocates.
Whenever I discuss flashbacks with friends and writers, Memento is one of the most commonly lauded examples. However, I would instead like to draw attention to Nolan’s The Prestige, which uses non-linear storytelling techniques throughout - but has a third act filled with reveals and some of the most effective use of flashbacks in film. SPOILER ALERT for a film you really should have seen by now.
Notice how Angier’s dialogue from the present flows as a voiceover during the past sequences, effortlessly blending the two timelines. This technique gives us a literal backstage pass, revealing details that we, as the audience, wouldn’t normally have access to, like we’re privy to a hidden layer of the story.
Read more: The Anatomy of a Scene Structure
A less formulaic example chosen to exhibit emotional impact - check out Taylor Sheridan’s Wind River. In this case, the character of Natalie is already dead by the time the story begins. We spend 90 pages wondering what happened to her before we’re granted our first flashback.
To now be presented with Natalie as a living, breathing woman instead of a tragic story - this is extremely confronting for the audience. Sheridan rewards our patience with the answer we’ve been waiting for. The scene is haunting and disturbing, but we’re afforded an answer to a question we’ve been investigating alongside the protagonists. The formatting might be unconventional, but it’s unimportant. Seeing Natalie alive tells us enough.
Lastly, I want to highlight Brad Bird’s Ratatouille. Another example with only a single flashback in the entire screenplay, we are granted a brief glimpse into the antagonist’s childhood.
This very brief scene recontextualizes the villain as a man just looking to recapture the magic and whimsy of his childhood, with a handful of pages to go, granting him an unexpected depth and empathy. Pay attention to the formatting and the use of the em-dash (--) for brevity and smooth transitions.
Read more: How to Write a Great Villain
What NOT to do
I read hundreds of screenplays a year, and I find that amateur (and even professional) screenwriters often encounter similar pitfalls when implementing flashback sequences.
Overuse - Like Marmite, if you have to use it, make sure you use it sparingly. You don’t want to overwhelm your story with time jumps. An overabundance of time jumps can make it hard for the audience to fully connect with either the past or the present.
Poor Screenplay Structure - Ensure that you clearly label your flashback, and that every flashback is properly identified as such. If your audience has to pause and reread a scene just to figure out when it takes place, it disrupts their experience and pulls them out of the story.
Disrupting Scene Flow - Be deliberate with flashback placement. A poorly timed one can wreck your pacing, drain suspense, and pull your audience away from key emotional moments.
Unnecessary Use - If you’re using a flashback, make sure it’s essential. Don’t include one just for the sake of it. Try removing it - if the story still works without it, cut it.
Premature Use - Like a first date, don’t overshare too much too soon. Personally, I don’t want to see a flashback until Act Two - by then, I at least know your mom’s name and your favorite color. Dumping too much information early on often signals a writer who doesn’t fully trust their own storytelling.
For examples of films that fail to utilize flashbacks effectively, see The Man from U.N.C.L.E (inserted during the climax, insulting to the audience) or The Snowman (damages an already convoluted structure, flashbacks within flashbacks).
In David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, which utilizes an eye-watering 21 flashback sequences, see how Ayer attempts to make an organic transition into a flashback by using an object in the present (a random motorcycle on the street) to prompt a flashback presented as a memory. This is a masterclass on what not to do - it feels disingenuous and wastes the audience’s time.
Takeaways & Conclusion
If you take one thing away from this article, let it be this: if you’re using a flashback to patch a hole in your story, you’re going about it the wrong way. Create a need for a flashback to answer a question the audience is already asking. You’re the puppet master - pull the strings with intent.
In conclusion, flashbacks can be a powerful tool when used sparingly and with purpose. Less is often more. Be strategic about when and where you place them, and don’t be afraid to experiment. When executed thoughtfully, a flashback can elevate your story and enhance your narrative technique.