My first question!

[RunsWithScissors]

First, hi to everybody. I'm brand new here. I'll probably have a lot of questions thrown around here.
On to my first.

What is the best way (or most widely accepted way) to write a montage sequence?
I've seen it done as . . .

BEGIN MONTAGE SEQUENCE
1) etc etc
2) etc etc
3) etc etc
END MONTAGE SEQUENCE

But that always seems a little clunky to me.
Is that, in fact, the way it's done?
Or are there other methods for this?

[clockwork]

Hi Scissors,

Welcome to AW and the screenwriting board. There are very talented and helpful people here, I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself.

I think the way you have your montage is fine. You could go with;

BEGIN MONTAGE SEQUENCE,
or,
A SERIES OF IMAGES,
or
SHORT MOMENTS SET TO MUSIC,
followed by the montage itself like...

A MONTAGE BEGINS,

The baseball team arrives for practice looking worse for wear.

The coach yells at the team, players are running helplessly in every direction.

In the locker room. The players towel-snap each other much to the coach's dismay.

Out on the field. The pitcher hurls a fast-ball. Strike! Crowds cheer from the stands.

The day of the big game. The stadium is packed.

END MONTAGE

The key here is clarity. As long as the reader can deduce that there is an element of time compression and that the key images/sequences are down, it probably won't matter too much how you word it. But don't direct from the page by suggesting a piece of music to use nor specific cuts or angles.

[BottomlessCup]

Hi, RunsWithScissors! Welcome!

Um. Clockwork is right. So. Welcome!

[clockwork]

Um. Clockwork is right. So. Welcome!

Just trying to make up for my prolonged abscence. ;)

[RunsWithScissors]

Thanks, that's a great help. I look forward to my time here.

[clockwork]

Sorry, couldn't resist...

(Montage…montage)

Anything that we want to know, from just a beginner to a pro,
You need a montage (montage)
Oh it takes a montage (montage)

Always fade out in a montage,
If you fade out, it seem like more time
Has passed in a montage,
Montage

[icerose]

Welcome Scissors!

Clockwork has it. Clarity is the key, simple and straightforward, even though he likes to abandon us for periods of time. :tongue

[Maryn]

Clockwork has it. Clarity is the key, simple and straightforward, even though he likes to abandon us for periods of time. :tongueIt's okay, he has a note from home.

Maryn, who peeked at it

[scripter1]

been off writing, or HEY maybe even selling scripts!
The dirty bum!!!

Just wanted to chim in and say the Clock is correct.

[clockwork]

been off writing, or HEY maybe even selling scripts!
The dirty bum!!!

I wish.

A soupçon of writing, a tablespoon of the day-job and a big heaving slice of pain-in-the-a$$ real life.

[scripter1]

doesn't it?

[clockwork]

Sucks doesn't it?

It really does.

But today things are great. My dad had an op for cancer yesterday but thankfully it couldn't have gone any better.

So now I'm going to spend the weekend writing. That doesn't suck. That is a real luxury.

[icerose]

I'm happy it went well for your father, I will be sending him good wishes, telepathically of course. ;) Enjoy your weekend, it's nice to have those good ones.

[Maryn]

(I'm so jealous of icerose and her telepathy!)

Maryn, green with envy

[clockwork]

(I'm so jealous of icerose and her telepathy!)

Maryn, green with envy

You have other talents, Maryn.

Like your irrepressible charm.

And pumpkin-carving.

[icerose]

(I'm so jealous of icerose and her telepathy!)

Maryn, green with envy

Hehehe, yeah it's great until you start to read people's thoughts and they aren't so nice. :D

Agreed with Chris's last comment.