Screenwriting : Screenwriting by Diane Sutherland

The most critical element you need is 'connective tissue' we can see, i.e., something visual that tells the audience in a clever and concise way why that earlier period is essential to the current period with regards to the main character.

To illustrate my point: say your character in 1890 had psychic abilities that people attributed to his one blue eye and one brown eye. At the end of your opening 1890 scene you could end on his eyes --- and then pull back out to reveal those same eyes now belong to someone who looks like them but living in 2019. The audience would then assume that character in 2019 is a descendant and also possibly psychic.

Anyway, there are many ways to transition between then and now. Just make sure you establish why you showed us that scene from 1890, and do it quickly, so audiences aren't left wondering ...wtf!

Saving Private Ryan does something similar to what I've described above.

Good one Phil. P.

It's not a flashback if you open the script on that time period since you aren't flashing back from any future time. You could start it in that time period and get what you need out there and then Flash forward if you will to present or whenever the opening affects the future. You would just insert the dates/time periods. So start with a scene and Include: INSERT: 1890 or w/e under the slugline and then once you want to come to the present Just have: INSERT: Present Day or whatever date before those scenes.

I don't use flashbacks anymore. I switch between time periods by using SUPER, as Kay suggested.

SUPER:

TEN YEARS EARLIER

INT. CHURCH - DAY

People like that because it's abundantly clear to the reader.

Thanks for all your words of advice. I will check everything out!