The Ultimate Screenplay Format Reference

Special Headings

This page shows the formatting of special headings for montages and series of shots. They are not needed often. Their presence in a script does not automatically increase its quality.

Montage

A montage is a sequence of brief shots that express the same or a similar idea.

MONTAGE - <montage title>

-- <brief shot>

-- <brief shot>

etc.

BACK TO SCENE or END MONTAGE

If the montage is short, a new master scene heading is sufficient to indicate the end. See the example below.

<montage title>

• short description of what the montage is about (need not be an event)

<brief shot>

• very few lines of action or dialog or both

Here and example adapted from Braveheart (imdb link), screenplay by Randall Wallace:
 

MONTAGE - RAIDING ENGLISH TROOPS

-- Troops ride through the countryside, intimidating and
questioning civilians; all refuse to talk.

-- Wallace’s house burns, as soldiers dig up the graves of
his father and brother, and scatter their bones to dogs.

-- The English search through the woods, finding nothing.
 

EXT. WALLACE LANDS - NIGHT

...

There is more than one acceptable way to format a montage. The following approaches will raise no eyebrows either:

MONTAGE - <montage title>

-- <location> - action / dialog

-- <location> - action/dialog

etc.

or

MONTAGE  - <montage title>

-- <master scene heading> -- action / dialog

-- <master scene heading> -- action / dialog

etc.

Just as the first version these are terminated with and END MONTAGE or BACK TO SCENE or - if the montage is short - just with a new master scene heading. Some more examples further down on this page.

Series of Shots

The Series of Shots can be used to bundle a few shots with more diverse pieces of action that have a less obvious underlying theme. The boundaries are soft, however, and a montage is often used here, too.

The formula:

SERIES OF SHOTS - <series title>

A) <brief shot>

B) <brief shot>

C) <brief shot>

etc.

with

<series title>

• some brief comment, description of the shots

<brief shot>

• very few lines of action or dialog or both

Here an example adapted from from Castaway (imdb link), screenplay by William Broyles, Jr.:
 

SERIES OF SHOTS - CHUCK DOES BUSINESS IN ST. PETERSBURG

A) A surprised Yuri stands with the attractive assistant as
   Chuck takes his clipboard away.

B) An even more surprised Lev stands by his truck as Chuck
   hands the clipboard to him.

C) Chuck and the loaders clean off the graffiti.

D) Working alongside the sorters as the packages come in,
   Chuck points out how to organize the inflow.

E) Chuck and Lev go over large maps of St. Petersburg with
   the drivers.
 

However, nobody will blame you if you use a montage here, too:
 

MONTAGE - CHUCK DOES BUSINESS IN ST. PETERSBURG

-- INT. FREIGHT AREA -- A surprised Yuri stands with the
attractive assistant as Chuck takes his clipboard away.

-- INT. FREIGHT AREA -- An even more surprised Lev stands
by his truck as Chuck hands the clipboard to him.

-- EXT. TRUCK PARKING LOT - DAY -- Chuck and the loaders
clean off the graffiti.

-- INT. FREIGHT CENTER -- Working alongside the sorters as
the packages come in, Chuck points out how to organize the
inflow.

-- INT. MEETING ROOM -- Chuck and Lev go ober large maps of
St. Petersburg with the drivers.