How Do You Best Convey the Passage of Time in Your Screenplay?

It’s rare that you would find a script without any significant passage of time whatsoever. It’s often a vital part of how a script develops and keeps its audience engaged. Thus, it is important to consider the different ways in which you can portray the changing of time.

In this article, we will explore the different ways in which you can incorporate and utilize the passage of time in your screenplay. This is both in terms of format and content. How do you convey the passage of time literally within your screenplay? And how do you make sure it is dynamic, cinematic and interesting too?

Passage of Time Depending on Structure

Before you can understand how to show the passage of time in your screenplay, it is firstly vital to know the two key ways that time can form within the structure of your screenplay.

• Linear – The story takes place chronologically and in a specific order. eg. CODA, Linklater’s Before Trilogy, When Harry Met Sally.
• Non-Linear – The chronology of the story is muddled and disjointed and takes place out of order. eg. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Pulp Fiction, Memento.

Once you are clear which of these structures you will use, passage of time will be easier to consider.

In a linear story like When Harry Met Sally, for example, time is shown progressing through inter-titles such as “Five Years Later”. But there are also changes conveyed in the characters’ appearances and through expositional dialogue.

However, in a non-linear story, an inter-title stating the time progression is not as simple. Other clues may be necessary to maintain clarity. For example, In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Clementine’s hair colour is used to indicate different timelines. This makes the passage of time more distinct to the audience.