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URGENT! I need guidance writing a montage scene for a short film...please help!

A

AllanBourne

The premise of the story is this...A young girl decides that the only way she can cure all her heartache from years past is by killing all of the men who have hurt her in her life.

I want the film to cap off somewhere around the 15 page mark, the montage scene starts at page 8.

What I need help with is fitting it in to the story. At this point in the script I have killing her first ex boyfriend in a very detailed scene. Now instead of writing seperate scenes for 5 or 6 other characters I simply want to throw them all together in a Montage of her killing them one by one...any tips on this. I will send out the script upon request if you guys wanna take a look
 
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You don't need a montage. Just write the separate scenes with standard sluglines. You don't have to include dialogue in a scene. A Series of Shots is used when you are going from point A to point B in a physical or logical fashion (travelling through a city, say). A Montage is usually reserved for multiple images appearing on a screen (say a split screen). However, many modern scripts use 'montage' when they should use 'series of shots', so it can be confusing.

Montage means things are mounted, just like in art class where you pasted magazine pictures over the top of each other. The 'Hulk' used the montage sequences with the split screen. For your script, just write the scenes with the actions. Series of shots and montages do not contain dialogue. So if there is any dialogue, you need the sluglines anyway.

Having said all that, this is for technical submissions. If you are shooting this yourself (and at 15 pages, it seems likes it's your short), you can script it however you like.

As separate scenes you can throw them in as flashbacks. For example, as she's washing her "tools" in the shed, you can flashback to her using it on her victims. Different element cuts of blood rinsing off the knife, blood going down the drain, her smiling as she hums to herself, etc. Good luck with your shoot.
 
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FantasySciFi said:
You don't need a montage. Just write the separate scenes with standard sluglines. You don't have to include dialogue in a scene. A Series of Shots is used when you are going from point A to point B in a physical or logical fashion (travelling through a city, say). A Montage is usually reserved for multiple images appearing on a screen (say a split screen). However, many modern scripts use 'montage' when they should use 'series of shots', so it can be confusing.

Montage means things are mounted, just like in art class where you pasted magazine pictures over the top of each other. The 'Hulk' used the montage sequences with the split screen. For your script, just write the scenes with the actions. Series of shots and montages do not contain dialogue. So if there is any dialogue, you need the sluglines anyway.

Having said all that, this is for technical submissions. If you are shooting this yourself (and at 15 pages, it seems likes it's your short), you can script it however you like.

As separate scenes you can throw them in as flashbacks. For example, as she's washing her "tools" in the shed, you can flashback to her using it on her victims. Different element cuts of blood rinsing off the knife, blood going down the drain, her smiling as she hums to herself, etc. Good luck with your shoot.
Click to expand...

I don't quite understand why he can't use a montage to illustrate multiple killings. It seems like it can be an effective way to tell the story if used correctly.
 
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TheNoob said:
I don't quite understand why he can't use a montage to illustrate multiple killings. It seems like it can be an effective way to tell the story if used correctly.
Click to expand...

He can use a montage, series of shots, or whatever he chooses. I simply was explaining the difference. There was no implied value judgement. The style and use needs to fit the story, and only he can determine that. Montage and series of shots tend to be used synonymously in modern scripts, though they are different. I agree, used properly, it could be effective.
 
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FantasySciFi said:
You don't need a montage. Just write the separate scenes with standard sluglines. You don't have to include dialogue in a scene. A Series of Shots is used when you are going from point A to point B in a physical or logical fashion (travelling through a city, say). A Montage is usually reserved for multiple images appearing on a screen (say a split screen). However, many modern scripts use 'montage' when they should use 'series of shots', so it can be confusing.
Click to expand...

I disagree with that. Both techniques you list are just different types of film montages. This is commonly accepted in the cinema world, and has been for decades.
 
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I will refer those interested to: http://www.scribd.com/doc/12721428/Professional-Screenplay-Formatting-Guide adapted from Trottier's book.

Code: 
This page shows the formatting of special headings for montages and series 
of shots. They are not needed often. Their presence in a script does not
automatically increase its quality. 

Montage 
A montage is a sequence of brief shots that express the same or a similar 
idea.

MONTAGE - RAIDING ENGLISH TROOPS
-- Troops ride through the countryside, intimidating and questioning 
   civilians; all refuse to talk.
--Wallace’s house burns, as soldiers dig up the graves of his father 
   and brother, and scatter their bones to dogs.
-- The English search through the woods, finding nothing.
                                                END OF MONTAGE

EXT. WALLACE LANDS - NIGHT...

Series of Shots 
The Series of Shots can be used to bundle a few shots with more 
diverse pieces of action that have a less obvious underlying theme. 
The boundaries are soft, however, and a montage is often used 
here, too.

SERIES OF SHOTS - CHUCK DOES BUSINESS IN ST. PETERSBURG
A) A surprised Yuri stands with the attractive assistant as     
    Chuck takes his clipboard away.
B) An even more surprised Lev stands by his truck as Chuck hands 
    the clipboard to him.
C) Chuck and the loaders clean off the graffiti.
D) Working alongside the sorters as the packages come in, Chuck 
     points out how to organize the inflow.
E) Chuck and Lev go over large maps of St. Petersburg with the 
    drivers. ...
                                                  END OF SERIES

However, nobody will blame you if you use a montage here, too:

MONTAGE - CHUCK DOES BUSINESS IN ST. PETERSBURG 
--INT. FREIGHT AREA -- A surprised Yuri stands with the attractive 
assistant as Chuck takes his clipboard away.
-- INT. FREIGHT AREA -- An even more surprised Lev stands by his 
truck as Chuck hands the clipboard to him.
-- EXT. TRUCK PARKING LOT - DAY -- Chuck and the loaders clean 
off the graffiti.
-- INT. FREIGHT CENTER -- Working alongside the sorters as the 
packages come in, Chuck points out how to organize the inflow.
-- INT. MEETING ROOM -- Chuck and Lev go over large maps of St. 
Petersburg with the drivers.

Personally, I find no advantage is using them over the standard sluglines. It is a stylistic choice. And often, since they are used rarely, they will be questioned by a reader. When written as above, you'll notice they do not include dialogue. The last example I pasted in has quasi-sluglines. I have seen narration (V.O.) inserted in this way, but never with dialogue between characters.

This is an instance where we agree but are discussing different media. I agree that a cinematic montage includes both presentation styles (SinEater and NickClapper). However, in the written form, they are often treated differently--as conventions for representing scenes. How the director/editor choose to interpret them is a different visual decision from the descriptive approach used by the screenwriter.

From SinEater's site reference: "Montage /mɒnˈtɑːʒ/ is a technique in film editing in which a series of short shots are edited into a sequence to condense space, time, and information. " (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montage_(filmmaking))
 
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FantasySciFi said:
I will refer those interested to: http://www.scribd.com/doc/12721428/Professional-Screenplay-Formatting-Guide adapted from Trottier's book.

Code: 
This page shows the formatting of special headings for montages and series 
of shots. They are not needed often. Their presence in a script does not
automatically increase its quality. 

Montage 
A montage is a sequence of brief shots that express the same or a similar 
idea.

MONTAGE - RAIDING ENGLISH TROOPS
-- Troops ride through the countryside, intimidating and questioning 
   civilians; all refuse to talk.
--Wallace’s house burns, as soldiers dig up the graves of his father 
   and brother, and scatter their bones to dogs.
-- The English search through the woods, finding nothing.
                                                END OF MONTAGE

EXT. WALLACE LANDS - NIGHT...

Series of Shots 
The Series of Shots can be used to bundle a few shots with more 
diverse pieces of action that have a less obvious underlying theme. 
The boundaries are soft, however, and a montage is often used 
here, too.

SERIES OF SHOTS - CHUCK DOES BUSINESS IN ST. PETERSBURG
A) A surprised Yuri stands with the attractive assistant as     
    Chuck takes his clipboard away.
B) An even more surprised Lev stands by his truck as Chuck hands 
    the clipboard to him.
C) Chuck and the loaders clean off the graffiti.
D) Working alongside the sorters as the packages come in, Chuck 
     points out how to organize the inflow.
E) Chuck and Lev go over large maps of St. Petersburg with the 
    drivers. ...
                                                  END OF SERIES

However, nobody will blame you if you use a montage here, too:

MONTAGE - CHUCK DOES BUSINESS IN ST. PETERSBURG 
--INT. FREIGHT AREA -- A surprised Yuri stands with the attractive 
assistant as Chuck takes his clipboard away.
-- INT. FREIGHT AREA -- An even more surprised Lev stands by his 
truck as Chuck hands the clipboard to him.
-- EXT. TRUCK PARKING LOT - DAY -- Chuck and the loaders clean 
off the graffiti.
-- INT. FREIGHT CENTER -- Working alongside the sorters as the 
packages come in, Chuck points out how to organize the inflow.
-- INT. MEETING ROOM -- Chuck and Lev go over large maps of St. 
Petersburg with the drivers.

Personally, I find no advantage is using them over the standard sluglines. It is a stylistic choice. And often, since they are used rarely, they will be questioned by a reader. When written as above, you'll notice they do not include dialogue. The last example I pasted in has quasi-sluglines. I have seen narration (V.O.) inserted in this way, but never with dialogue between characters.

This is an instance where we agree but are discussing different media. I agree that a cinematic montage includes both presentation styles (SinEater and NickClapper). However, in the written form, they are often treated differently--as conventions for representing scenes. How the director/editor choose to interpret them is a different visual decision from the descriptive approach used by the screenwriter.

From SinEater's site reference: "Montage /mɒnˈtɑːʒ/ is a technique in film editing in which a series of short shots are edited into a sequence to condense space, time, and information. " (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montage_(filmmaking))
Click to expand...

Hmmm, I never really thought about this, but I would imagine a series of shots is a type of montage, as it is technically still a montage. And I understand they have different meaning, but the argument isn't about meaning it's about whether it's a type or a class.

EDIT: montage is a class with two types; series of shots and montage. But then again I know very little on this subject.
 
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