Montage

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  • Montage

    I want to end my screenplay with a letter that is read over a series of shots that tie up the ends of my story. How is the best way to approach this?

    How do I actually write montage in the slug line? How would the series of shots (6) actually be written - would they have their own sluglines?

    How would the letter be incorporated into the script. Before the series of shots or after?

    In anticipation. Thanks.

    Priestess

  • #2
    hmmmm.

    Kevin Smith's Chasing Amy has a well written montage sequence:

    HANGING OUT MONTAGE BEGINS

    With the requisite music, over which we hear a
    conversation between Holden and Alyssa.

    1) Holden and Alyssa sit in the DINER eating. Holdenâ€TMs
    talking. The Waitress walks past and drops her pad. She
    bends over, to pick it up, hiking her mini-skirt up in
    the process. Alyssa stares at her ass. Holden stops
    talking and stares at her. Alyssa looks over at him and
    offers a caught smile.

    2) Holden pushes a shopping cart at the FOOD STORE,
    throwing various things into the basket... blah blah blah blah...
    HOLDEN V.O.
    Let me ask you something - we get
    along, right?

    ALYSSA V.O.
    Famously.

    HOLDEN V.O.
    We have a definite chemistry?

    ALYSSA V.O.
    So it would seem.

    HOLDEN V.O.
    But weâ€TMre both into girls.

    ALYSSA V.O.
    Iâ€TMm into women.

    HOLDEN V.O.
    But you werenâ€TMt always gay.

    ALYSSA V.O.
    When I was nine I had a crush on Scott
    Baio.

    HOLDEN V.O.
    So If weâ€TMd met a long time ago, say in
    high school...

    ALYSSA V.O.
    ...Iâ€TMd still be muff-diving, yes.

    HOLDEN V.O.
    Thought so.
    ________________
    kevin smith's montage seq. works for me, so i'd model yours after this, if you like it. no separate slugs. and the VO after the shots are listed.

    hope this helps, sar.

    Comment


    • #3
      Someone else around here probably knows better than me, and I'm in the process of moving, so I can't find my SCREENWRITER'S BIBLE right now, but if memory serves, you do it something like this:

      MONTAGE -- THE DISH AND SPOON IN LOVE

      -- Sidewalk -- Dish and Spoon walk hand in hand, talking to one another.

      -- Movie theatre -- Dish and spoon sit next to one another. Dish pretends to yawn and puts his arm around Spoon. Spoon snuggles into his saucery shoulder.

      -- Coffee shop -- Dish and Spoon sit across from each other gazing at each other, in love, love, love.

      -- Elegant restaurant -- Dish falls to one knee, pulls a box from his pocket, and opens it, revealing a marvelous wedding ring. Tears roll down Spoon's prongs as she nods a "yes."

      BACK TO SCENE

      or, if it's the end

      FADE OUT (on the right side of the page)

      Other than that, I'm not sure. As long as you're clear on what you want done, which is what's important, I think you'll be safe with the letter (maybe just add it in VO from shot to shot). I think anyone who's got to the end of your screenplay has already formed an opinion, so if you're clear, you probably won't be killing yourself with minor non-standard variations.

      That's my UNDERSTANDING anyway. I could be wrong, and I hope if I am someone else will correct me immediately. I'd hate to screw you up.

      --RDJ

      Comment


      • #4
        While I was writing I got beat to it with an example from a real movie. (My romantic comedy SPOONING THE DISH has yet to be produced.) I'd go with the real thing.

        Comment


        • #5
          Looks like Kevin's Smith's montage works, but he directs his own material and writes for himself (which doesn't mean it's not proper).

          I usually favor the method Ardeejay posted (but I'm no Kevin Smith, so...) - I find that method slicker, easier to visualize. I'm not crazy about numbering nor anything that'd make my script look like a PowerPoint presentation.

          But there's more than one way to skin a cat and the goal is to make it work.

          Comment


          • #6
            Here's how John Hughes did the opener in Breakfast Club - sounds a lot like yours - a letter is read while a series of shots is shown. Of course, John Hughes can break the rules, but I think it's more than clear. Although, I'd probably word it differently and take out the "we see" etc, this is how it looked:

            EXT. SHERMER HIGH SCHOOL - DAY

            During Brian's monologue, we see various views of things inside the school including Bender's locker.

            BRIAN (V.O.)
            Saturday...March 24, 1984. Shermer
            High School, Shermer Illinois. 60062.
            Dear Mr. Vernon...we accept the fact
            that we had to sacrifice a whole
            Saturday in detention for whatever
            it was that we did wrong, what we
            did was wrong...


            Hope this helps.

            Comment


            • #7
              Kevin Smith's so great - I some day hope to write dialogue as natural as his.

              Comment


              • #8
                <!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote>Quote:<hr> I want to end my screenplay with a letter that is read over a series of shots that tie up the ends of my story. How is the best way to approach this?<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END-->
                I have never seen a montage (in a script) of the type that you are describing, but here is how I would do it. I hope that I understood correctly what you want to do. I will make up a couple of characters here. The Heroine is writing a letter to a friend to recount some recent happenings:

                ***

                EXT./INT. THE ANCESTRAL MANSION AND GROUNDS

                MONTAGE: JONATHAN'S RECUPERATION

                A) People help Jonathan to his bed.

                HEROINE (V.O.)
                Jonathan had suffered a serious
                injury and was confined to bed
                for many days.

                B) The Heroine and Jane bring food to Jonathan, who is sitting up in bed.

                HEROINE (V.O., CONT'D)
                But with some attentive nursing
                from his sister Jane ... and from
                me ... he began to improve ...

                C) Jonathan and the Heroine walk around the manor, arm in arm.

                HEROINE (V.O., CONT'D)
                ... and before long he was able to
                ambulate on the grounds of the estate
                and regain his strength ...

                D) Lawyer Whitworth rides up on horseback, talks with Jonathan, and shows him some documents.

                HEROINE (V.O., CONT'D)
                Imagine our surprise when, one day,
                Lawyer Whitworth rode up and told
                Jonathan the secret of his birth ...

                E) Jonathan and the Heroine are married in a ceremony outdoors.

                HEROINE (V.O., CONT'D)
                ... and Jonathan and I were able to
                marry and live happily ever after.

                END MONTAGE

                ***

                The A, B, C format is actually the style for a "series of shots," from what I understand, but supposedly the rules are very loose in regard to "montage" and "series of shots."

                Comment


                • #9
                  My thanks to all who replied to this thread. I really appreciate your time, generosity and encouragement. I now have much food for thought and now know where I am going with this.

                  Thanks.

                  Priestess

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    bent

                    Open end scene with closeup insert shot of letter held in hands of the reader whose voice we should know by now as it's the end of the film. Reader reads fade in and out to the series of montage shots, use VO (voice over) of reader between shots and VO dialogue to control association between word and image. Easy way to control flow of both visual and audio information. Sounds controlled and complicated so keep it simple as not to lose rythm of prose as will be seen on screen.

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