Montage to start movie

[Cabmonk]

In my script I would like to have 3 quick scenes to start off the movie. Even before credits, dialogue or music. Each scene about 10 seconds long just to show some basic visuals and each one would fade into the next. After the 3rd one the opening credits would roll and the music would start. I have been agonizing over how to best do this.

#1 - Just a shot of a cop in a coffee shop.

#2 - Shot of a cop chasing someone down a dark alley.

#3 - A shot of an unknown person in a hospital bed.

Please any help is appreciated. Thanks

:)

[Deus Ex Machine]

Sounds like you are over thinking it. Keep it simple and don't worry about the opening credits. Just tell your story not how you think it should be edited.


EXT. COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT

A COP drinks coffee.

EXT. DARK ALLEY - NIGHT

The Cop chases a MAN down the alley.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - NIGHT

The Man, his face battered and bruised, lies unconscious in a bed.

INT. ROOM - DAY

The rest of the movie.

[sppeterson]

Deus Ex's approach sounds perfect.

[PipeWriter]

Deus' example is perfect, if a little over-written.

[Cabmonk]

Thanks for the help. Yes your idea does seem perfect. I agree though that I tend to over think things. :)

[velysai]

In a montage to open the script, if the main character is one of the people in the montage, do you do the character intro right then or should you wait until the montage is over and the first real scene begins?

[Emmy nominated writer]

I agree with PipeWriter who basically agrees with sppeterson who agrees with Deus Ex Machine.

I would also like to add#1 - Just a shot of a cop in a coffee shop.That's so funny and original. Where did you come up with that? :rollin

[TwoBrad Bradley]

Just tell your story not how you think it should be edited.

A shot by any other name still smells as sweet.

I do agree with Deus' example, but you always give thought to how the story is edited.
For example, I like this better (you don't have to like it):

EXT. DARK ALLEY - NIGHT

A Cop chases a MAN down the alley.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - NIGHT

The Man, his face battered and bruised, lies unconscious in a bed.

EXT. COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT

The COP drinks coffee.

INT. ROOM - DAY

The rest of the movie.

[Emmy nominated writer]

TwoBrad, your order of shots assumes it wasn't the cop who is in the hospital. Cabmonk says it's an unknown person in the hospital. He keeps it a mystery. Yours does not.

[TwoBrad Bradley]

So ... editing IS important?

[Deus Ex Machine]

Indeed. A perfectly valid point. I am a strong proponent of creating a filmic experience for the reader. There is certainly a time and place for a montage but poster's example wasn't actually a montage nor was it necessary to write it as such when a simple traditional approach accomplishes the desired effect.

If you do need to do it as a montage you could do it like this:

FADE IN:

A QUICK MONTAGE:

- Cop drinks coffee in a donut shop.
- Cop chases man down alley.
- Man lies in hospital bed.

INT. ROOM - DAY

Rest of your movie.

You don't have to use "A QUICK MONTAGE" a simple "MONTAGE" would suffice.

No, I wouldn't do the character intro in the montage because it would slow it down and defeat the whole point of writing it as a montage. When you do intro him, I would comment that he is the same guy seen earlier being chased by the cop just so the reader can get it.

[velysai]

Nobody answered my question above:

"In a montage to open the script, if the main character is one of the people in the montage, do you do the character intro right then or should you wait until the montage is over and the first real scene begins?"

Should I start a new thread? I thought this went along with the title of this thread and wanted to keep it together. Help please.

(Also, no need to talk me out of the montage ;) )

[I framed OJ]

So ... editing IS important? Of course it's important. I was just commenting how in your example, you contradict the original story, then weaken it with your choice of editing.

[TwoBrad Bradley]

Just how many User Names do you have?

I wasn't editing the original post - I was editing Deus' example who also infers the man in the hospital is not the cop.

I agree the original post is a mystery:
- the cop in Shot 1 and in Shot 2 can be two different people.
- the man in the hospital can be either the cop (two cops?) or the man - or a third (fourth?) person all together.

[TwoBrad Bradley]

velysai,

I would go with the intro at the FIRST!!! APPEARANCE!!! OF!!! A!!! MAJOR!!! CHARACTER!!! IN!!! THE!!! SCRIPT!!!

But hey ... if you want to do it the wrong way, I won't try to talk you out of that either.

[velysai]

Hey no need to yell. I hear ya.

I was just checking because of all the "keep it simple" advice above. And that was neither addressed nor included in any examples.

Hey, it's better to ask before you do it wrong so you do it right than to do it wrong and then ask (or not ask at all).

[Deus Ex Machine]

Maybe you missed this in my post:

No, I wouldn't do the character intro in the montage because it would slow it down and defeat the whole point of writing it as a montage. When you do intro him, I would comment that he is the same guy seen earlier being chased by the cop just so the reader can get it.


MOTAGE

- Cop chases a Man down the alley.
- Yada yada yada.
- Yada yada yada.

INT. BAR - NIGHT

JOHN DOE, the Man chased by the cop down the alley, is in his 30's but has a weary look that make shim look older.

[TwoBrad Bradley]

MOTAGE

- Cop chases JOHN DOE, 32, down the alley.
- Yada yada yada.
- Yada yada yada.

INT. BAR - NIGHT

John has a weary look that makes him look older.

[Cabmonk]

Hey guys, lively bunch. ;)

I really liked Deus Ex Machine's idea. I realized that I did not really need a montage and the example they gave was right.

Thanks again. :)

[wcmartell]

Check out the script for NARC - it has a similar opening.

I'd do it as Deus suggests - but know that he's giving you a format answer and your opening needs to GRAB US as well. A cop chasing someone down a dark alley is exciting stuff - so you can probably craft a scene that's involving and exciting.

The NARC opeing has a guy with two hypos of heroin trying to escape a policeman, and holding people hostage by needle. It's exciting, involving, and you want the cop to stop this guy before he hurts an innocent bystander.

- Bill

[Adam Isaac]

ahh....beat me to it.

[PipeWriter]

Deus' example is perfect, if a little over-written.

I'd just like to point out that the second half of that sentence was a joke.

[Deus Ex Machine]

it's not a joke if you have to explain it. i thought it was funny as hell, but i have a strange sense of humor.