Screenplay format guide
How to Write a Montage in a Screenplay
To write a montage in a screenplay, put MONTAGE and a short label in caps on its own line, list each moment as a short action line, and close with END MONTAGE. No scene heading is needed for each beat. Below is a full example, the mistakes readers notice, and a live formatter to try your own.
Written and reviewed by ScriptLix Editorial
INT. BOXING GYM - NIGHT
MONTAGE - RUBY LEARNS TO FIGHT
Ruby skips rope. She trips on every tenth jump.
She hits the heavy bag. It barely moves.
Five in the morning. She runs the frozen river path, breath clouding.
Sal holds the pads. She lands a combination and he actually smiles.
She hits the bag again. This time it swings.
END MONTAGE
INT. LOCKER ROOM - NIGHT
Ruby tapes her hands. They are steady now.
Write your own
Type in plain text. A name in caps right above a line becomes dialogue, and lines starting INT. or EXT. become scene headings.
INT. BOXING GYM - NIGHT
MONTAGE - RUBY LEARNS TO FIGHT
Ruby skips rope. She trips on every tenth jump.
She hits the heavy bag. It barely moves.
Five in the morning. She runs the frozen river path, breath clouding.
Sal holds the pads. She lands a combination and he actually smiles.
She hits the bag again. This time it swings.
END MONTAGE
INT. LOCKER ROOM - NIGHT
Ruby tapes her hands. They are steady now.
How to use it
- 1
Open with a header line in caps: MONTAGE, then a short label for what it shows.
- 2
Write each moment as its own short action line. One image per line, no dialogue unless it lands a joke or a turn.
- 3
Close with END MONTAGE, then go back to normal scene headings.
Montage or series of shots?
| Montage | Series of shots | |
|---|---|---|
| Time covered | Days, weeks or years | Seconds or minutes |
| Places | Often several | Usually one |
| Opens with | MONTAGE - LABEL | SERIES OF SHOTS - LABEL |
| Closes with | END MONTAGE | END SERIES OF SHOTS |
| Typical length | 4 to 8 short beats | 3 to 6 short beats |
What is a montage in a screenplay?
A montage shows change over time without playing every scene. The classic is the training montage, but the same tool covers a romance blooming, a search that drags on, or a business taking off. If the moments share one idea and build to a different state than they started in, it is a montage.
A series of shots is close but not the same. A series of shots covers one short stretch of action in one place, like a getaway in five quick cuts. A montage jumps across time and often across locations. Most writers format both the same way, and readers are fine with that.
How do you format a montage in a screenplay?
Put MONTAGE on its own line in caps, usually with a dash and a label, like MONTAGE - RUBY LEARNS TO FIGHT. Some writers use a full scene heading instead, such as INT. GYM / EXT. RIVER PATH - VARIOUS. Either reads fine. Pick one and stay with it.
Under the header, write each beat as a short action paragraph. You do not need a new scene heading for every location. A few words of place inside the line, like Five in the morning or On the river path, is enough. End with END MONTAGE on its own line, or BACK TO SCENE if you return to the moment you left.
Keep each beat to a line or two. The montage should read as fast as it plays. If a beat needs dialogue and a reaction, it is probably a scene of its own.
What montage mistakes do readers notice?
The most common one is a montage with no shape. Ten nice images in any order are a mood, not a montage. Order the beats so the last one shows a change, like the bag that finally swings in the example above.
The second is music cues. Naming a specific song is a choice for the director and a licensing bill for the producer. Describe the feel of the moment instead and let the images carry it.
More from the format guide
- How to Write a Flashback in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Phone Call in a Screenplay
- How to Write Text Messages in a Screenplay
- Dual Dialogue in a Screenplay
- Voice Over in a Screenplay: V.O. Narration
- Screenplay Transitions: CUT TO, DISSOLVE TO
- How to Introduce a Character in a Screenplay
- How to Use Parentheticals in a Screenplay
- How to Write an Intercut in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Title Card in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Series of Shots in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Flash Forward in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Dream Sequence in a Screenplay
- Smash Cut: What It Is and How to Write One
- O.S. in a Screenplay: Meaning and Format
- How to Write a Pre Lap in a Screenplay
- Subtitles in a Screenplay: Foreign Dialogue
- How to Write a Split Screen in a Screenplay
- How to Write Slow Motion in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Freeze Frame in a Screenplay
- How to Write Song Lyrics in a Screenplay
Questions writers ask
How do you write a montage in a screenplay?
Write MONTAGE and a short label in caps, list each moment as a short action line, then close with END MONTAGE. No scene heading is needed for each beat.
How do you format a montage in a screenplay?
Put MONTAGE and a label in caps on its own line, such as MONTAGE - RUBY LEARNS TO FIGHT, write one short action line per moment, and finish with END MONTAGE.
How do you end a montage in a script?
Put END MONTAGE on its own line, then carry on with a normal scene heading. If you cut back to the scene the montage interrupted, BACK TO SCENE works too.
What is the difference between a montage and a series of shots?
A montage covers a stretch of time, often across places. A series of shots covers one short burst of action in one place. They are formatted almost the same way.
What does a montage look like in a script?
A caps header such as MONTAGE - RUBY LEARNS TO FIGHT, a short list of one line action beats in order, and END MONTAGE on its own line, as in the example above.
Can a montage have dialogue?
It can, but keep it to a line or two. If a beat needs a back and forth, give it a proper scene instead.
Should I put a song in my montage?
Usually not in a spec script. Describe the feel and let the director choose the music.