100 Flashback and Flash Forward Prompts

When writers use flashbacks and flash-forwards as tools for nothing more than exposition, they risk these scenes becoming nothing more than story cheats and expositional filler by interrupting the natural flow of a story and stalling any narrative momentum. However, integrating flashbacks and flash-forwards seamlessly into your stories can create a more complex, stylistic, and engaging storyline.

This narrative structure technique offers a dynamic way to reveal character backgrounds, motives, and transformations over time. It also allows the audience to experience the story on multiple temporal levels, deepening their understanding and emotional connection to the characters and the plot.

More info coming soon  |  Remind Me

Flashbacks and flash-forwards have been utilized for decades—the best of which match the approach of using them as effective storytelling styles. Oscar-winning movies like Forrest Gump, American Beauty, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Amadeus, Titanic, Fight Club, The Usual Suspects, and Citizen Kane have used flashbacks masterfully.

With that in mind, here are one hundred prompts that showcase how you can use flashbacks and flash-forwards in your stories! You can also use these examples as story prompts for potential new ideas and concepts!

Note: Because we’re all connected to the same pop culture, news headlines, and inspirations, any similarity to any past, present, or future screenplays, novels, short stories, television pilots, television series, plays, or any other creative works is purely coincidental.

100 Flashback and Flash Forward Prompts

1. A character looks at an old photograph and the scene transitions to their childhood in a sunny countryside.
2. A detective touches an item, leading to a flashback of a crime scene from decades ago.
3. A character uses advanced technology to revisit key moments from their past.
4. A character reads a letter and flashes back to a dramatic farewell during wartime.
5. A mother rocks a baby, transitioning to a future where the child has become an astronaut and is floating in space.
6. A character walks through an abandoned high school, reminiscing about their teenage years filled with friendship and love.
7. A story showing a soldier on a battlefield until we flash forward showing them peacefully teaching in a classroom years later.
8. An elderly person’s reflection in a mirror transitions to their younger self preparing for their first dance.
9. A scene in a bustling 1920s speakeasy suddenly flashes forward to a quiet, modern-day museum exhibit of the same place.
10. An antique store where we flashback to the stories behind various items.
11. A graveyard where we flashback to the stories of various people buried there.
12. A museum where we flashback to the stories of various historical military items.
13. A character’s first day at work, with a flash-forward to their retirement party decades later.
14. A protagonist finds an old diary, leading to flashbacks of forbidden romance.
15. A flashback to a character's childhood Christmas contrasted with their present-day loneliness.
16. A scene showing a couple breaking up, then flashing forward to their reconciliation years later.
17. An archeologist finds pieces at a dig site as we flash back to their origins.
18. A paleontologist uncovers dinosaur bones at a dig site as we flash back to their origins.
19. A flashback of a character learning to ride a bike, juxtaposed with a future scene of them in a professional cycling race.
20. An inventor's eureka moment, followed by a flash-forward to the global impact of their invention.
21. A scene at a train station in the 1950s, flashing forward to the same spot in the future, now a bustling modern hub.
22. A character's memory of a rainy day leads to their life-changing decision.
23. A flashback showing a young artist painting, and a flash-forward to their artwork in a famous gallery.
24. A character reads a history book as we flashback to the historical moments they are reading about.
25. A character visiting their old home, leading to flashbacks of growing up with siblings.
26. A scene showing a young entrepreneur's humble beginnings, flashing forward to their success.
27. A climactic moment where a character recalls their mentor's advice.
28. A protagonist's flashback to their first encounter with their lifelong rival.
29. A flash-forward showing the ecological impact of a character’s environmental actions.
30. A flashback to a memorable summer vacation that defines a character’s present-day dynamics.
31. A character flashes forward to potential disasters that their actions may incur.
32. A character looking at a fading theater, reminiscing about its heyday.
33. A scene showing a young musician's struggle, with a flash-forward to their grand concert.
34. A character recalling their first day in a new city contrasted with their eventual adaptation and success.
35. A flashback to a pivotal moment in a courtroom drama.
36. Flashbacks reveal motives for various people inside a courtroom scene.
37. Flashbacks reveal the crimes committed by various prisoners in a prison setting.
38. A character’s dream sequence flashes forward to an imagined utopian world.
39. A flashback in a sci-fi story shows the protagonist's discovery that changes the course of humanity.
40. A flash-forward revealing the long-term outcome of a political decision.
41. A flashback to a family gathering that holds a secret affecting the present.
42. A scene where a writer’s imagination takes them to a future scenario of their story.
43. A character's flashback to overcoming a challenge that is later revealed as a life-altering lesson.
44. A flashback showing a character's first brief encounter with a mystical creature.
45. A scene in a dystopian future flashes back to the pivotal event that led there.
46. A flashback revealing the origin of a superhero’s powers.
47. A character’s vision of a potential apocalyptic future.
48. A flashback to a romantic first dance, leading to a future wedding scene.
49. A flashback showing the formation of a lifelong friendship in childhood.
50. A flash-forward to an elderly couple reflecting on their life together.
51. A dog reflects on their past lives with different owners.
52. A cat reflects on each of their nine lives as they try to deal with their new owners.
53. A flashback to a character’s moment of triumph in a sports competition contrasted by their current situation.
54. A character in the future recalling the moment they first met an alien species.
55. A scene where a character’s childhood fear flashes forward to them conquering it as an adult.
56. A flashback of a family's traditional festival celebration.
57. A character envisioning a future where their current struggles are resolved.
58. A character hangs from the side of a mountain cliff as they flashback to how they got into this predicament.
59. A singer revisits their childhood stage, triggering flashbacks of their first performance.
60. A character looking at an ancient artifact, leading to a flashback of its creation.
61. A flashback to a pivotal childhood birthday party impacts the character’s current life.
62. A character recalling their first failed business venture, contrasted with their later success.
63. A character in a war zone flashes back to peaceful moments with their family.
64. A flashback to a character's first encounter with the love of their life, leading to a future anniversary when they are elderly.
65. A character recalling a moment of betrayal that shaped their current mistrust.
66. A scene showing a character’s humble beginning in sports, flashing forward to their Olympic triumph.
67. A flashback of a character's first day at school, juxtaposing their current career as a teacher.
68. A character looking at an old picture of a lost love, leading to a flashback of their first meeting.
69. A flashback to a character’s adventurous road trip in their youth as they drive the same route with their own children.
70. A flashback to a character facing the cause of a current fear.
71. A flashback to a couple’s first winter holiday together as they currently drive to an in-laws’ gathering.
72. A scene of a character in old age looking at kids, triggers a flashback to a day of youthful rebellion.
73. Flashbacks to a character's moments of inspiration that define their life’s work.
74. A character revisiting an old house, triggering memories of family life.
75. A flashback to a character's experience in a historic event as they revisit the site of where it happened.
76. A character drowning in the waters as the story flashes forward to them swimming in a triathlon.
77. A scene of a character reflecting on a past mistake that changed their life.
78. A character flashbacks to a secret childhood adventure in a magical land.
79. A character in a post-apocalyptic world flashing back to life before the catastrophe.
80. A flashback of a character's first encounter with a now-extinct animal.
81. A flashback to a peaceful moment before a natural disaster struck.
82. A character walks through a toy collector store and flashes back to playing with various old toys in their youth.
83. A flashback to a character's first discovery in their scientific career.
84. A character reminiscing about their childhood dreams and how they differ from their current reality.
85. A scene where a character revisits an old battleground, remembering fallen comrades.
86. A character’s premonition of a future natural disaster.
87. A song triggers a character’s traumatic memory.
88. An assassin waiting to kill a target with a sniper rifle flashes back to the moments that led to him becoming a killer.
89. A character learns an important life lesson from a grandparent as they flashback to their earlier days.
90. A flashback scene shows a character’s transformation from a skeptic to a believer in the supernatural.
91. A flash-sideways scene where we see alternate scenarios based on a character’s different choices.
92. A character flashes back to a moment in their past life when they see a strangely familiar stranger.
93. Someone writing their memoirs flashes back to various points in their life they are writing about.
94. A character about to die flashes back to pivotal parts of their life.
95. A character flashes back to moments in their life as they are trapped in a flooding cave.
96. Characters tell different versions of the same story as they flashback to each of their perspectives.
97. A son holds his dying father’s hand as he remembers key moments of his life with him.
98. Flashbacks to key moments of witness testimony during a trial.
99. An astronaut remembers his life on Earth as he travels to Mars.
100. A couple on a first date each flashes back to previous relationships as they struggle to make sure they don’t make the same mistakes as they did in previous relationships.

'The Usual Suspects' (1995)

How To Use Flashbacks and Flash-Forwards

A perfect example of effective flashbacks and flash-forwards—as well as flash-sideways—can be found in the iconic television series Lost. The show exemplified the creative use of these narrative devices.

In the series, the flashbacks, flash-forwards, and flash-sideways become integral parts of the storytelling structure. The series masterfully interweaves these elements into the primary narrative. Each episode typically begins with a present-day situation that introduces key thematic and character-driven elements. The narrative then seamlessly transitions into flashbacks or flash-forwards, which are used not merely for explanatory purposes but to enrich and expand upon the story themes and character arcs introduced in the present timeline.

Each transition is marked by a pertinent question or a thematic cue. These past or future glimpses don't exist in isolation either. They are meticulously connected to the ongoing events, ensuring that each return to the present timeline carries added significance and depth. This narrative strategy effectively creates a multi-layered story, where the past, present, and future are constantly interacting, providing viewers with a richer and more immersive experience.

By adopting this approach, flashbacks, and flash-forwards can transcend their conventional roles. They become powerful storytelling mechanisms that enhance character development, thematic exploration, and narrative complexity. This method of storytelling encourages viewers to engage with the story on multiple levels, making the narrative experience more profound and impactful.

Read More: Everything You Need to Know About Flashbacks

'Lost'

---

Use these prompts for your stories or as inspiration for your next ones!

WANT MORE IDEAS? TAKE A LOOK AT OUR OTHER STORY PROMPTS!

Read More: Screenwriting Basics: How to Make Dream Sequences and Flashbacks Work

Get actionable Drama Notes from a professional reader with real industry experience!

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries Blackout, starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller Hunter’s Creed, and many Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies and Instagram @KenMovies76