Montage vs. Series Of Shots

FORMAT 3: MONTAGE VS. SERIES OF SHOTS

By Paul Peditto

There are a couple ways to go to go with Montage format:

INT.  PLAZA HOTEL- NEW YORK CITY- NIGHT (MONTAGE)

--Freddy Mac and Fanny Mae sip Maine lobster bisque with Merrill Lynch bigwigs.

--They munch Free Range Organic Chicken with Bank of American honchos.

--They slurp Nutella crepes with Citibank VP’s.

END MONTAGE

Or,

MONTAGE--FREDDY MAC AND FANNY MAE PARTY IN THE BIG APPLE

--Freddy Mac and Fanny Mae sip Maine lobster bisque with Merrill Lynch bigwigs.

--They munch Free Range Organic Chicken with Bank of American honchos.

--They slurp Nutella dessert crepes with Citibank VP’s.

END MONTAGE

Here’s another basic example, from American Werewolf in London:

PARIS MONTAGE: 

- AT A BRASSERIE: Andy is about to escort Serafine into the trendy eatery, but she stops him at the door and points to the menu or more specifically the prices. He makes a horrified face, and they move on.
 
- IN A BOULANGERIE: Serafine buys cheese, Andy buys meats - the counterman shows Andy how big a slice off the pate loaf he's about to cut. Andy nods "yes". The counterman cuts it and offers the slice. Andy shakes his head "no" and points to the much larger remainder of the loaf. 

- AT AN OUTDOOR MARKET: Detective Marcel, wearing a lame" disguise" (new wave sunglasses ala "Diva"), watches Andy and Serafine shop from a distance. - IN A PATISSERIE: Andy points to a large baguette, says something suggestive and winks boastfully at Serafine. She gives him a "yeah, right" look and points at a small breadstick. 

- IN A WINE STORE: Andy looks at each bottle closely, then "tests" it by shaking vigorously. Serafine's amused. The owner's baffled.

- ON THE RIGHT BANK: Arms full of groceries, Andy  and Serafine pass the row of outdoor pet stores near the river. Andy looks longingly at the live ducks in their cages. Serafine pulls him along.

MUSIC fades out.

Montage is used to condense time for story purposes, to advance story without a single line of expository dialogue. Show, don’t tell is advice given to the point of cliché, but if followed, will remind you to always seek the visual solution.

MONTAGE OR SERIES OF SHOTS?

When do you use one vs. the other? This is another stylistic choice. If the passage of time is short, for me, SERIES OF SHOTS works best.

INT. COLUMBIA COLLEGE - DAY 

As Professor Pauly teaches, he looks out the window. His car is being towed! 

                PAULY
          Sonofa...! 

SERIES OF SHOTS

--Pauly at the elevator. Nada!

--Pauly sprints down the stairs.

--Pauly out the front door, hits the street flying.

--Pauly to his car, just in time to find it jacked, rolling off on a flatbed tow-truck with Daley’s best.

SERIES OF SHOTS plays out over a short time frame.

The MONTAGE unfolds gentler, over a longer period of time:

MONTAGE--PAULY AND KEIRA KNIGHTLY PASS ENGLISH SUMMER AS ONE 

--Pauly in the English wheat, hand in hand with his beloved Keira.

--Pauly and Keira at the swimming hole in period piece bathing suits, lovely weather! 

--Pauly and Keira lie in soft rippling English wheat and gaze longingly in each other’s eyes.

--Pauly below Keira’s window as she douses her candle on another hot, wet August night.

END MONTAGE

Ah, English summer!

--PAUL PEDITTO 

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