Saturday, 6 February 2016

Major Project- Constructing Flashbacks

Something I have found difficult is using flashbacks to effectively tell a story. In the first episode of "Ascension", each character has a flashback sequence (besides Mitch, who merely appears in Alex's flashback) but I have found that this only really works in the first episode, as they are used to introduce some of the character's initial traits and characteristics.
I feel that having multiple characters flashbacks in other episodes would cause some confusion as to what is happening. So many flashbacks in different time periods, telling different stories for different characters could be incredibly confusing for viewers.
I have found a potential solution to this though.
The television program "Lost" uses flashbacks to effectively tell the stories of character's pasts, and does so by only showcasing one particular character's flashbacks per episode. This means that a viewer understands that one particular character's story is being showcased, and they can follow the progression of said story easily, without confusion.

My original idea was to simply have multiple character's flashbacks in each episode, but after writing down the "Moments" that would appear in each episode in a style that involves every characters flashbacks, even I found it difficult to follow what was going on.

I feel that one particular character having flashbacks per episode mean that the character's backstory will be easier to follow, and as such, I think this is the route I shall take with my writing.

Flashbacks could be structured in accordance with each episode and done in a way such as this-
Episode 1- Contains flashbacks introducing each character.
Episode 2- Contains Alex's flashbacks explaining how he became a drug addict, and his motivation for wanting to have a get-together at the mansion (part of a self-rehab process).
Episode 3- Contains Cindy's flashbacks explaining how she was treated in her workplace and her motivation for leaving for the lodge. (Had enough of being mistreated, decided to quit and left for the lodge to prolong having to explain her quitting to her father.)
Episode 4- Contains Jairo's flashbacks explaining why he was so unhappy after leaving school. (Couldn't connect with people in the workplace, felt like an outcast due to his race etc. And why he wanted to visit the lodge- Lonely and wanted to reconnect with friends)
Episode 5- Contains Mitch's flashbacks showing why he is racist, how his dreams of being a footballer were broken, and why he turned to being a drug dealer (and in particular targeting Alex as a potential client.)
Episode 6- Contains Stanley's flashbacks explaining how he was wrongly accused of a massacre in the Falklands, and how he decided to take Alex up on his offer to come and stay at his lodge in Scotland,in an attempt to lay low and avoid the law.

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