Film Courage: What do some writers get wrong with flashbacks?
Jen Grisanti, Speaker/Story/Career Consultant, Author: That’s an excellent question, that is something that many writers struggle with is the flashback sequence. You have to recognize when you have a flashback you are interrupting the flow of story. If you’re going to interrupt the momentum in the present moment, it has to be something that is advancing the plot in the present by going to the past. Many writers will make the mistake of not understanding that for the first thing and then they’ll have flashbacks where there’s not an arc of the flashback. When you have flashbacks you need to go through the thinking of:
–How is this advancing my plot?
–Is this going to take the audience out of story?
-Is it paralleling the arc in a way that there’s a value in going to the past?
This is a way to better understand and add depth to the present so the character can get to the future.
Film Courage: If I remember correctly I know we were talking about Emily The Criminal off camera. We don’t really see flashbacks of what her life and initial dilemma was? I think that makes it so interesting, it really keeps you hooked.
Jen: It does. The interesting thing…(Watch the video interview on Youtube here).
BIO:
International speaker Jen Grisanti is an acclaimed Story/Career Consultant at Jen Grisanti Inc., a 13-year Writing Instructor for Writers on the Verge at NBC, and a former 12-year studio executive, including VP of Current Programming at CBS/Paramount. Jen is the author of three books, Story Line: Finding Gold in Your Life Story, TV Writing Tool Kit: How To Write a Script That Sells, Change Your Story, Change Your Life: A Path To Your Success.
Grisanti started her career in 1992 as an assistant to Aaron Spelling. He served as her mentor for 12 years. She quickly climbed the ranks and eventually ran Current Programs at Spelling Television Inc., covering all Spelling’s shows, including Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, and Charmed. In 2004, Grisanti was promoted to Vice President of Current Programs at CBS/Paramount, where she covered numerous shows, including Medium, Numbers, NCIS, 4400, and Girlfriends.
In January 2008, Grisanti launched Jen Grisanti Inc., a highly successful consulting firm dedicated to helping talented writers break into the industry. Drawing on her experience as a studio executive, where she gave daily notes to executive producers/showrunners, Grisanti guides writers to shape their material, write from their emotional truth, hone their pitches, and focus their careers. Since launching the consulting firm, Grisanti has worked with over 1000 writers specializing in television and features. Due to her expertise and mentorship, one hundred and six pilots have sold, including ten that went to series, and one hundred fifty-two writers have staffed.
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