I was looking at Dave Trottier's (Screenwriter's Bible) concise definition and explanation of a montage versus a series of shots. David breaks it down this way:
Generally, a MONTAGE is used to describe a series of images that convey a concept, such as passage of time or falling in love. The SERIES OF SHOTS is for a straight narrative, a chronology of events. Naturally, the two are often used interchangeably.
What follows is standard format for the MONTAGE.
MONTAGE - JOHN WAITS FOR MARY
-- John glances at the waiting room clock. It reads “10:00.”
-- He stares at a door, glances back at the clock –- “10:30.”
-- He paces the room nervously –- “11:00.” The door opens and Mary exits the bathroom.
In your question, you describe a series of locations. So let’s format a MONTAGE that emphasizes location.
MONTAGE - JOHN WAITS FOR MARY
-- AT A RESTAURANT -- John and Mary exchange caring glances.
-- AT THE BEACH -- John and Mary frolic in the sun.
-- ON MARY’S BALCONY -- John kisses Mary, then falls back over the railing, flailing his arms.
Of course, you don’t necessarily have to CAP your locations. For example, you could write:
-- At a restaurant-- John and Mary exchange caring glances.
And so on. Whatever format you decide to use, be consistent.
Let’s look at the standard format for a SERIES OF SHOTS.
SERIES OF SHOTS -- John gets even.
A) John lifts a gun from his desk drawer.
B) John strides down a sidewalk.
C) Mary answers the door. John pulls the trigger. A stream of water hits Mary in the face.
As you can see, there is very little difference between the MONTAGE and SERIES OF SHOTS. In both cases, you start with an informative heading, and then list shots in a way that best suits your purpose. The main thing is to follow the basic form and strive for clarity so that the reader can follow.
Also, if you're interested in further examples, Screencraft has this article with video examples of famous montage scenes.
https://screencraft.org/blog/screenwriting-basics-how-to-write-an-effect...
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You're right, Phillip E. Hardy, "The Real Deal". There's very little difference between the montage and series of shots. I like to use a montage instead of a series of shots because I think a montage looks less like a camera angle.
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Rocky & Creed movies make the best training montages.
Check out Creed 2 screenplay and see how the writers (Stallone & Cheo H Coker) did it on the page.
https://www.scriptslug.com/assets/scripts/creed-ii-2018.pdf
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Thanks for the article, Phillip E. Hardy, "The Real Deal".
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Maurice: You're welcome. I prefer Series of Shots too. I use one in almost every screenplay I write. Some readers don't like Montage sequences, but I think they're very effective if used sparingly. For example, in my latest script, my main characters go out for a fun date on the Santa Monica pier, and it delivers a lot of visual information quickly and seamlessly.
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Oh sorry, I meant to put "Thanks for the script, Dan MaxXx."
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@Maurice Stallone is under-appreciated as a screenwriter.
Look how he describes Rocky running up the famous steps of Philly museum.
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Wow, that's great writing, Dan MaxXx! I could picture the scene clearly. I didn't know Stallone could write like that. I need to get my hands on his other scripts.
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Sly is an Academy nominated writer...still using "DAY" for a twilight in a slug may spur another nitpick Screenwriting Twitter battle...
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What’s the relevance of the A, B, C list over the dashes…? Is that literally the only difference between LOS and Montage? Also, I’ve never even used a title (e.g. Montage - blah does x), I just use locations and action sequences with dashes. Seems to flow fine without a title but is that the ‘done thing’ ??
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Nice explanations, Uncle Phil and Dan:)
Sorry to hear that, Dan Guardino. Hope you recover 100%.
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"What’s the relevance of the A, B, C list over the dashes…" I've seen it both ways in scripts, Lee Griffin. It might be a preference. Labeling a montage with a title helps readers know it's a montage.
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Dan Guardino: Wow! 31 days in the hospital is a long stretch. I did eleven days when I had open heart surgery in 2020, and that was a bitch. I'm sorry you had to go through that, and I wish you a full and speedy recovery. Feel free to drop me a line if you get bored watching television and chilling, and we can talk shop.