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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board  /  Screenwriting Class  /  How to script a montage of imagery
Posted by: MPaige, July 14th, 2011, 9:21am
Normally my slugs indicate a new scene or something new on the screen - a new location or whatever.

But I've got a few places in this script that rely on quick short montages of footage, each taking place in a different location but technically part of the same "beat".

For example, the opening scene would, say, show werewolves by moonlight at night which is obviously EXT. FOREST NIGHT; but also shows a few vampires in a different location, say INT. DUNGEON (or something); another shot in the montage shows a specific character say, a different Vampire going out into the night say INT./EXT. STREET NIGHT

Do I label all of these as new scenes in my software and put them all as a new slug? What do I do with VO that runs through all of it?

Thanks!
Posted by: bert, July 14th, 2011, 9:33am; Reply: 1
Start with this thread:

http://www.simplyscripts.net/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?m-1100748149/

You will find helpful examples and links and whatnot.

As for the V.O., you can simply weave it in as you think suits the material best.
Posted by: MPaige, July 14th, 2011, 9:44am; Reply: 2
Thanks Bert!
Posted by: Dreamscale (Guest), July 15th, 2011, 2:48pm; Reply: 3
Does this actually sound like a montage to you, Bert?  Or is it simply a number of quick shots/scenes?

Either way, my recommendation is to use Full Slugs for each little scene.

If a VO runs over it, with Full Slugs, you'll be able to include whatever lines you want to, within each appropriate little scene.
Posted by: Sandra Elstree., July 15th, 2011, 3:02pm; Reply: 4

Quoted from Dreamscale
Does this actually sound like a montage to you, Bert?  Or is it simply a number of quick shots/scenes?

Either way, my recommendation is to use Full Slugs for each little scene.

If a VO runs over it, with Full Slugs, you'll be able to include whatever lines you want to, within each appropriate little scene.


It sounds to me like multiple shots either in/out of the same time frame or close to the same time frame in order to capture an over all feel for what's going on with various individuals/groups.

If these are meant to be quick cuts, it would seem to me that having loads of fresh slugs would chew up space on the page and slow down the read.

In this kind of scenario, I would like to hope and guess that sub headers/slugs would be acceptable.

Sandra
Posted by: MPaige, July 16th, 2011, 4:38am; Reply: 5
Yeah I tried the full slugs and it was clunky on the page. I went with SERIES OF SHOTS which is actually more accurate anyway. I put a short descriptor after:

SERIES OF SHOTS

---- outside church - shot description here blah blah
---- inside bodega - shot description here blah blah
---- at pool - shot description here blah blah

Then where there was actually dialog, I went the full slug route with normal formatting.

It still looks a mess to me (sort of) but it reads fine.
Posted by: bert, July 16th, 2011, 9:42am; Reply: 6

Quoted from Dreamscale
Does this actually sound like a montage to you, Bert?


No, I thought it sounded more like a series of shots.

I recommended the (lengthy) Montage thread because series of shots is also discussed there.


Quoted from MPaige
I went with SERIES OF SHOTS which is actually more accurate anyway.


And I think you came to the correct conclusion on your own, MP.
Posted by: MPaige, July 16th, 2011, 10:42am; Reply: 7
Yep. Very useful thread. Thanks!
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