flashback research

I look at other media's portrayal of flashbacks, the screenwriting needs to have a clear timeline. I have found the 'flow of logic' of the timeline needs to be accurate, so the plot makes sense. There needs to be enough clarity through the whole script. I think it would be used full to write the storyline to the most film. 

For most film flashback should only be used if there is need for the context of the story, or used instead of the character speaking about past experiences which explains the way there are to an audience, its shown. For example Ratatouille. 

Flashbacks can easily confused an audience if not done right. Most films may have a couple used to give a background of an idea. But some films whole concept is the flashbacks telling the whole story through flashbacks and different people such as "The Hours" which has flashes back from the perspective of three different women. 

Flashbacks that has been well executed, 

Ratatouille - 

How it's shown: The sound goes very quiet, as only can hear the bites, then the sound zooms (like a car zooming past or comupter restarted). The editing makes the camera zoom out around the man. Which the zooms to the man as a child, then when the flashback ends it zoom back out into the start. 

There is no dialogue but the flashback displays what is happening clearly 

The flashback helps give context to the character and adds to the story

Eternal sunshine of the Spotless Mind -

The flashback in the film are taken to a literal sense in the film. The flashback are of the lead interacting with past memories.  The flashbacks change by a shot, there is a whole scene of him talking to his ex girlfriend, she goes to kiss him from an OTS shot and then it cut to a wide shot of him alone, no transition, she just disappears. 

The social network - 

The scenes are key in the story of what actually happened. The film jumps back and forth to what happening in actual time and what had happen before. The scenes just cut through conversation, if the side text of what actually happened is needed. The story has more fluidity with flashbacks, they do not make you focus on the fact there is a flashback but more on whats happening.  As the film is about other people view on to what happened, the flashback help the audience to clarify to what is happening and who side with like.