Formatting a montage

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dmurthegreat

Member
One of the first screenwriting books I read the author said how he hated reading screenplays where montages are just numbered scenes under the "Montage" slugline because it completely breaks the flow the author has built. As a writer that's something that has stuck with me but whenever I have other screenwriters review my work it seems to make them cringe.

Do any of you deviate from the common way of writing montages? If so I'd love to see an example.
 
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Montages can be scripted a number of ways.


First,

AROUND PARIS - MONTAGE

Jim and Angela sit at the cafe, sipping coffee, tentative with one another.

They walk through the Musee D'Orsay, pausing in front of the Van Gogh, lost in animated conversation. They seem surprised at what they're discovering in each other.

They climb the endless iron stairs at the Eiffel Tower. She's getting tired. He offers his hand. She takes it and he pulls her along.

They stand in front of the Pont Neuf, gazing together at the waters of the Siene flowing beneath them. The sun is setting. Angela looks into Jim's eyes. She goes up on her toes and gives him a tender first kiss.


Or--

AROUND PARIS - MONTAGE
A). EXT. CAFE - DAY
Jim and Angela sit sipping coffee, tentative with one another.

B). INT. MUSE D'ORSAY - DAY
They walk through the museum, pausing in front of the Van Gogh, lost in animated conversation.
They seem surprised at what they're discovering in each other.

C). EXT. EIFFEL TOWER - DAY
They climb the endless iron stairs at the Eiffel Tower. She's getting tired. He offers his hand.
She takes it and he pulls her along.

D). EXT. SEINE RIVER - DUSK
They stand in front of the Pont Neuf, gazing together at the waters of the Siene flowing beneath them.
The sun is setting. Angela looks into Jim's eyes. She goes up on her toes and gives him a tender first kiss.


Or, a related topic --

SERIES OF SHOTS

John ransacks the glove compartment of the old Dodge. He comes out with a book of matches.

He searches and finds a newspaper in a pile of trash behind the house.

He rips the paper and crumples it into tight balls.

He stuffs the paper in the dark space beneath the house.

Her strikes a match and sets fire to the crumpled paper.

He sits in the Dodge, watching the house burn.
 
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montage

montage

MONTAGE - ANNABELLE AND GALDON MOVE THROUGH THE FOREST

-- Galdon leads the way. Annabelle follows behind.

-- Galdon and Annabelle slide down a muddy hill taking them deeper into the forest.

-- Galdon and Annabelle wade through a stream.

-- Galdon and Annabelle climb up a muddy hill, slipping and sliding.

BACK TO SCENE

Annabelle and Galdon walk toward a wooden cabin. They move swiftly through the forest trees.
 
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