The formatting of montages in a script is not subject to any rule. The goal is to reflect what’s happening on screen as clearly as possible without interfering with the flow of the screenplay or pulling the reader out of the script.
Now that we have understood how to format a montage in a script, it is time to show you how to write one.
The steps below in this article will explain all you need to know.
What Is A Montage?
A montage is a collection or sequence of still or moving images used to build a sequence.
A montage is “a technique in film editing in which a sequence of short shots is edited into to condense space, time, and information,” according to Wikipedia.
The term has been used in a range of circumstances. Sergei Eisenstein was mainly responsible for introducing it to the cinema industry, and early Soviet directors used it synonymously with innovative editing.
When referring to film, the French word “montage” simply means cutting. The word “montage sequence” refers to a common procedure used by American and British studios.
A montage is commonly used to compare and contrast, represent the passage of time, and convey a story that is larger than the sum of its parts.
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What can a Montage do?
- Time compression
- Comedic delivery
- Intertwine story lines
- Gestalt (pieces put together to make a greater whole)
How Long Should A Screenplay Montage Last?
There is no set time, to put it simply. The length of the montage depends on the type of film or television program you intend to make. Films that deviate from convention and are experimental art houses are more suited for extended montage sections.
How to Write a Montage in a Script
There are a few different ways to write a montage in your script.
How to Write a Montage that takes place in one location
First, make a heading like MONTAGE: And you would give a number to each scenario…
INT. APARTMENT – DAY
MONTAGE:
1. Jason writes an article on his laptop
2. Jason bangs his head on the wall
3. Jason drinks whiskey and lies upside down
To show where it starts, write the word “MONTAGE” on one line. Before your montage begins, start a new line with the word “MONTAGE” in all caps. In this way, a reader who is quickly skimming your script will know what to expect from the following scenes.
If you want your script’s montage heading to stand out more, you can make it bold or highlighted.
Put each new part of your montage as a separate action line. A double space should be included between the action lines and the montage title. Write a single phrase describing the events in the montage. Continue writing each scene, adding a line break between each action that happens.
For example, you can write your montage in a script like:
Sam mixes the cake ingredients in a bowl.
He slides the cake pan into the oven.
Sam’s foot taps on the tiles.
He looks through the oven window to check his bake.
If you want to highlight when the scene changes, place a dash in front of each action line..
A montage can sometimes be summed up in a single line. For example, if your character is going into a changing room, you can simply write: “Jane goes in and out of the changing room, each time in a different dress.”
Once all scenes have been finished, type “END OF MONTAGE.” After the final scene in your montage, there should be a line break before the ending heading. Make sure you type it all in capital letters and keep the style you used to start the montage. This helps readers determine when the screenplay returns to its normal format.
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How to Write a Montage that takes place in many locations
MONTAGE – VARIOUS
1. Jason writes in his apartment. GROANS.
2. Jason at a coffee shop. Still writing. SIGHS.
3. Jason boards a plane.
4.Jason in the Amazonian jungle, write. SCREAMS when he sees a snake.
To begin, type “MONTAGE – VARIOUS” on one line. Make your header stand out in your script by placing it on a new line. To inform the reader that the montage is set in various locations, add a dash and the phrase “VARIOUS” after the first heading.
You can also make a montage with names for the events that happen in it. For example, it may say “MONTAGE – JACK’S FIRST DATES” to show multiple dates that Jack has gone on.
If there are multiple events taking place in each new location, give each one its own scene heading. If your scenes involves a lot of talking or key occurrences happening at the same time, write each important event in the montage as its own scene. Before you write the scene’s place and time of day, start the sentence with INT. or EXT. Next, write the language and events that occur in the scenario. Write each scenario in this manner until all of the occurrences are finished.
For example, your montage may look like:
INT. PET STORE – DAY
James sets a huge bag of dog food on the counter. He swipes his credit card.
CASHIER
The card didn’t work.
James sighs and pulls out a few bills.
EXT. SIDEWALK – MINUTES LATER
James walks to his car with the dog food over his shoulder. It slips out of his grip and breaks on the ground.
JAMES
Are you kidding me?
INT. JAME’S CAR – MINUTES LATER
James angrily drives. Dog food spills out onto the back seat as he makes a turn.
Make sure to only use 3-4 scenes in this type of montage since it takes up a lot of room on the page.
If there are only a few simple tasks, use a bulleted list with brief summaries of each scene. If only one event happens in each location, you may easily keep your montage on one page by creating a bulleted list. A dash should show before you begin writing a brief scene description, and another before you begin writing your action. Every event should include a line break.
For example, your montage may look like:
– Toolshed – Jack and Jill each pick up a pail.
– Hill – Jack and Jill stand at the bottom of the hill, looking towards the top.
– Well – Jack leans into the well to pull the rope.
– Inside the well – A bucket overflows with water as it gets pulled up.
Once all of the scenes are finished, type “END MONTAGE.” When you’ve finished writing all of the scenes or events, add a line break between your final event and the header “END MONTAGE”. A reader will be able to tell that scenes will move normally in this manner.
How to Choose Scenes for Your Montage in a Script
Make a training to show how a character improves in a specific area.
Action or sports films usually include training scenes in which the main character hones their skills. They may be fatigued at the beginning of the montage or unable to finish a specific exercise, but their efforts should be rewarded and they should be able to succeed. Examples of good training montages can be found in the screenplays for Rocky and Star Wars – The Empire Strikes Back.
Another option is to employ a training montage that is not action-oriented, such as learning to sew or bake.
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Write scenes that show lovers falling in love.
Scenes in your montage should show several dates ranging from the start of a relationship to the present. Although the two may not first enjoy each other’s company, your montage can represent small times when they come to value and respect each other’s existence. Make use of your montage to show their endearing interactions.
For example, there is a montage of a couple moving around in the film Annie Hall. The audience sees glimmers of their romance developing throughout the montage.
Create montages to contrast and compare different characters
Characters respond differently to the same situation. In your montage, show how each character manages their daily activities, such as getting ready or traveling to work. Assign distinct methods to each individual, but keep the sights in their lives similar.
The Nightmare Before Christmas is a compare-and-contrast montage that shows how Halloweentown and Christmastown prepare for the holiday season in unique ways.
Use minute details to express a specific emotion.
Sometimes montages do little more than express emotion without moving the plot forward. Combine samples of imagery that are usually associated with a specific mood to make a sense.
For example, you may use photos of a sink full of dishes, a shredded picture, or a person napping off in bed during the day to suggest feelings of depression or loneliness in your montage.
Formulating your Montage
You are under no obligation to number your scenes. Dashes and bullet points are both allowed. You can possibly leave out the word “montage” and write it as a series of scenes rather than building a montage. It contains scene headers that the director may later decide to merge into a montage.
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How To Format A Compelling Screenplay Montage
Begin the montage with a scene title that represents its start.
Neither INT or EXT are needed. Instead, you may use the word MONTAGE in all caps. If your script contains many montages, such as “MONTAGE OF EDWARD’S FIRST DAY AT WORK,” you might provide extra information for each one.
Then, each time a time or place movement happens on a new line, you should include a short slug line in all capitals.
Following that, there should be a brief description of what is happening, typically frame by frame. There’s no need to get too exact here. As a result, it’s best to approach each frame as its own scene and consider whether you’d include this information in a normal scene header.
It isn’t a lengthy description of how the scene should look, but rather what is actually happening here, thus the brief description should still be grounded in action.
Keep in mind that, a montage often includes music, therefore, limit the dialogue in it.
To format a montage on Arc Studio Pro you can use the scene heading [command+1] and action [command+ 2] tools.
You can end a montage by simply beginning a new scene heading.
Conclusion
We tried to make this article as brief and straightforward as possible. We hope you got all you need. Learn how to write a montage in a script here!
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References
- Screencraft – how to write a montage in a script
- Peerspace – how to write a montage in a screenplay
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