{"id":33,"date":"2025-07-08T22:19:46","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T22:19:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.palomar.edu\/candacerose\/chapter\/chapter-7-manipulating-time\/"},"modified":"2025-08-05T21:07:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T21:07:07","slug":"chapter-7-manipulating-time","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.palomar.edu\/candacerose\/chapter\/chapter-7-manipulating-time\/","title":{"raw":"Chapter 7: Manipulating Time","rendered":"Chapter 7: Manipulating Time"},"content":{"raw":"
\r\n

The manipulation of time is one handy tool that screenwriters can use to span hours, days, years or even decades in a screenplay. The run-time of the movie might be 10 min or 2 hours, but the plot-duration can take place over any amount of time imaginable.<\/p>\r\n

When writing a short screenplay, it\u2019s best to limit the plot duration to a shorter amount of time. I recommend no more than a few days, or even better, see if you can get your story to take place over a few hours or less. This will keep your story compact and energized.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

<\/a>Narrative devices to manipulate time:<\/h2>\r\n

<\/a>Flashback<\/h3>\r\n

The flashback is a device to give the audience information to clarify a character\u2019s motives and actions and move the story along. Nonlinear screenplays, such a Charlie Kaufman\u2019s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) <\/em>or Tarantino\u2019s Pulp Fiction (1994)<\/em> use flashbacks to either reflect the mental and emotional state of a character or to reveal details of clever set-ups and payoffs that keep the audience guessing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

<\/a>Flashforward<\/h3>\r\n

Similar to a flashback, a flashforward gives us a glimpse of \u201cwhat is to come\u201d for a character. It hooks the audience, by showing us a scene from later in the movie - and of course, we\u2019re along for the ride to figure out how she gets there.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

<\/a>Set-Up\/Payoff<\/h3>\r\n

This device introduces a subtle character trait, line of dialogue, object, clue, or story point that later returns with an \u201cah-ha\u201d moment or reveal for the audience that has a significance to the storyline. It\u2019s a great tool to add mystery, suspense, humor, and intrigue to your screenplay.<\/p>\r\n

It\u2019s the moment when the audience says \u201cI didn\u2019t see that coming\u201d but upon further reflection (and usually after rewinding or re-watching the movie) realizes that this \u201cclue\u201d was there in plain sight all along.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

<\/a>Montage<\/h3>\r\n

A montage is a series of short scenes, with no dialogue, that play out over a musical background. It\u2019s a useful device to span a period of time in a matter of seconds or minutes on the screen.<\/p>\r\n

Typically a montage expresses a single concept or idea, such as falling in love, getting a new job, searching for a missing person, training for the big fight, etc.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

<\/a>Series of Shots<\/h3>\r\n

Although typically you want to limit camera direction in your screenplay and leave that to the director and cinematographer, using a Series of Shots, similar to Montage, can relay a great deal of exposition (necessary information to move the story along) in a very short amount of time.<\/p>\r\n

It differs from a Montage in that it is a rapid series of shots - usually much shorter in duration - meant to quickly inform the audience with some new information so they can get on with the story.<\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"

\n

The manipulation of time is one handy tool that screenwriters can use to span hours, days, years or even decades in a screenplay. The run-time of the movie might be 10 min or 2 hours, but the plot-duration can take place over any amount of time imaginable.<\/p>\n

When writing a short screenplay, it\u2019s best to limit the plot duration to a shorter amount of time. I recommend no more than a few days, or even better, see if you can get your story to take place over a few hours or less. This will keep your story compact and energized.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Narrative devices to manipulate time:<\/h2>\n

<\/a>Flashback<\/h3>\n

The flashback is a device to give the audience information to clarify a character\u2019s motives and actions and move the story along. Nonlinear screenplays, such a Charlie Kaufman\u2019s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) <\/em>or Tarantino\u2019s Pulp Fiction (1994)<\/em> use flashbacks to either reflect the mental and emotional state of a character or to reveal details of clever set-ups and payoffs that keep the audience guessing.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Flashforward<\/h3>\n

Similar to a flashback, a flashforward gives us a glimpse of \u201cwhat is to come\u201d for a character. It hooks the audience, by showing us a scene from later in the movie – and of course, we\u2019re along for the ride to figure out how she gets there.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Set-Up\/Payoff<\/h3>\n

This device introduces a subtle character trait, line of dialogue, object, clue, or story point that later returns with an \u201cah-ha\u201d moment or reveal for the audience that has a significance to the storyline. It\u2019s a great tool to add mystery, suspense, humor, and intrigue to your screenplay.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the moment when the audience says \u201cI didn\u2019t see that coming\u201d but upon further reflection (and usually after rewinding or re-watching the movie) realizes that this \u201cclue\u201d was there in plain sight all along.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Montage<\/h3>\n

A montage is a series of short scenes, with no dialogue, that play out over a musical background. It\u2019s a useful device to span a period of time in a matter of seconds or minutes on the screen.<\/p>\n

Typically a montage expresses a single concept or idea, such as falling in love, getting a new job, searching for a missing person, training for the big fight, etc.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Series of Shots<\/h3>\n

Although typically you want to limit camera direction in your screenplay and leave that to the director and cinematographer, using a Series of Shots, similar to Montage, can relay a great deal of exposition (necessary information to move the story along) in a very short amount of time.<\/p>\n

It differs from a Montage in that it is a rapid series of shots – usually much shorter in duration – meant to quickly inform the audience with some new information so they can get on with the story.<\/p>\n

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