How to Write a Montage in a Screenplay (With Examples)

Learning how to write a montage in a screenplay can feel challenging—even for experienced creators—because balancing clarity, emotion, and pace is no small feat.

You’re not alone if you want your sequences to resonate and stand out.

To support your creative journey, we’ve developed an actionable guide that covers:

• Crystal-clear basics and tips on how to write a montage in a screenplay

• Step-by-step formatting for multi-location, single-location, and voice-over montages

• Detailed guidance on elevating your sequences for greater emotional and narrative impact

Why Use a Montage in a Screenplay?

Montages are one of the most efficient ways to level up your script’s pacing, structure, and cinematic impact. For intermediate screenwriters, using montages strategically is a skill that can set your work apart and keep readers engaged.

Top Reasons to Use Montages in Your Screenplay:

• Condense Days or Years in Seconds: A training montage in “Rocky” turns months of hard work into a few potent minutes, capturing emotional builds without dragging the story. This lets you skip filler scenes and focus on growth and change.

• Visualize Character Transformation: Want your protagonist to evolve fast? Montages let you showcase visible change, whether it’s physical (as in “Creed”), psychological (like “Requiem for a Dream”), or relational (“Up”’s story of a lifetime in minutes).

• Increase Pacing and Energy: When your script lags, a well-placed montage picks up the rhythm. Think “Sister Act,” where community progress becomes electric, or the brisk, rhythmic sequences in “The Devil Wears Prada.”

• Deliver Exposition without Boredom: Montages allow you to drop information, backstory, or prepare audiences for new settings in a quick, visually exciting format, serving both narrative speed and entertainment.

• Compare and Contrast or Build Themes: Using parallel visuals—like contrasting two fighters’ training in “Creed”—montages connect events, reinforce themes, and spark emotional responses you can’t get with dialogue alone.

When you use a montage with intent, you avoid those slow, expository slogs that drain the energy from your screenplay.

Montages transform static storytelling into momentum and memorable beats.

What Is a Montage and How Does It Work in Screenwriting?

A montage in screenwriting is a focused sequence of short, visually driven moments, edited together to create a compressed sense of time, emotion, or theme. It’s not just “a bunch of shots.” Montages add narrative value you can’t achieve with standalone scenes.

How a Montage Differs from a Series of Shots

Montages:

• Progress through time and theme. Each moment advances a character or idea (e.g., “Up”’s emotional arc, “Rocky”’s rising stamina).

• Tie scenes together with rhythm, visuals, or music, building up to a specific impact.

• Are driven by purpose—show growth, compress process, or build a mood.

Series of shots:

• Capture quick actions, often in a single location or time window.

• Focus on details (unlocking a door, cooking breakfast) instead of character or plot transformation.

• Rarely build toward an emotional or thematic beat.

Types of Montages

• Linear Montages: Chronological order. Example: Step-by-step training in “Whiplash.”

• Thematic Montages: Connected by an idea, not time. Example: “Hot Fuzz” matching bureaucracy scenes for contrast.

• Emotional Montages: Driven by mood or psychological shifts, like “Requiem for a Dream”’s descent into addiction.

The magic? The sum is greater than each moment. Like “The Godfather” baptism montage, the rhythm and visuals merge to deliver a punch you’ll never get from dialogue alone.

Want your montage to land with the same impact? Upload your script to WriteSeen, get timestamped protection, and receive structured feedback from other global screenwriters who understand the rhythm behind great storytelling.

When Should You Use a Montage in Your Script?

Montages aren’t a cheat code. They work best when they earn their keep. Choose a montage when you want to elevate clarity or accelerate story momentum without losing emotional impact.

Montages Shine When:

• Training or Skill-Building: “Rocky” turns a workout into a centerpiece. Use this when you need to show growth, not just tell it.

• Passing Time with Purpose: “Up” collapses decades into heartbeats. When your script demands life events that can’t stretch across pages, use montage.

• Parallel Stories or Contrasts: When two characters prep for a showdown, crosscut them to compare effort, grit, or circumstance.

• Iterative or Repetitive Actions: Learning, failing, improving. Keep it punchy. Move the story forward, don’t stall it.

Writing a montage just to skip real drama or development is a miss. If each beat doesn’t deepen character or escalate stakes, cut it. Focused montages fill story gaps with meaning—not fluff.

Use montages to highlight transformation, not as shortcuts for missing structure.

How Does a Montage Differ from a Series of Shots?

Clarity on this difference is crucial for intermediates. Mixing the two confuses your reader—and directors.

• Montages move through time and arc—think growth, journey, or big change.

• Series of shots move through space or detail, often showing step-by-step mechanics.

Formatting Differences:

• Montages use “MONTAGE” and “END MONTAGE,” often with beat-by-beat actions.

• Series of shots use “SERIES OF SHOTS” with dashes or bullets (e.g., – John unlocks the door. – John checks his phone.).

Montages build toward something. Series of shots illustrate an action simply and directly.

Stay consistent. Always use uppercase scene headings for clarity. Production teams rely on it. And so should you, if you want your script read and understood at a glance.

On WriteSeen, you can format, store, and share your screenplay with full confidence—knowing it’s timestamped, secure, and ready for feedback from screenwriters who speak the industry’s language.

How to Format a Montage in a Screenplay: Step-by-Step

Formatting a montage isn’t just aesthetics; it’s about making your vision easy to shoot, edit, and fund. Every beat must be clear. Every change of location or mood needs its own space.

Key Montage Formatting Methods

For single-location montages:

• Use a standard scene heading (e.g., INT. GYM – DAY)

• On the next line, write: MONTAGE:

• List hyphenated or bulleted beats beneath (e.g.,
  – John lifts weights.
  – John sprints on a treadmill.)

• Conclude with: END MONTAGE

For multi-location:

• Use a scene heading like: MONTAGE – VARIOUS LOCATIONS
  (or simply use "MONTAGE" and label each sub-location clearly)

• Each beat should be its own scene slug (e.g.,
  EXT. PARK – DAY
  INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT)

• Describe key props, actions, or emotional shifts visually and specifically

• Finish with: END MONTAGE

If you use Celtx, StudioBinder, or any industry-standard tool, look for built-in montage templates or labels. Always check if the reader is expected to prep for production. Writing for clarity in a spec script? Focus on impact and story flow.

Consistency in montage formatting speeds up production and gets your story seen.

When in doubt, keep it simple. Mark transitions clearly (e.g., “END MONTAGE”) and use vivid, concise language. The stronger your formatting, the more your montage lands with readers, collaborators, and audiences.

How to Write a Montage Step by Step: Actionable Process

Ready to make your montage land with maximum impact? Here’s our no-fluff process—shaped for screenwriters who know the basics but crave mastery.

Simple Steps for Crafting a Seamless Montage

1. Define the Narrative Reason
   Decide why this moment needs a montage. Are you revealing change? Building anticipation? If you can’t state the purpose in one line, rethink.
   
   
2. Map the Start and Finish
   What’s transformed from first beat to last? Set hard boundaries. Know what kicks off your montage and what brings it to a close.
   
   
3. List Key Beats
   Write out 3–7 vivid moments. Each should show something new. If you find repetition, cut or twist the action for variety.
   
   
4. Draft Visually Distinct Actions
   Short, crisp lines win here. “Johnny sprints uphill, lungs burning. He flashes a grin—progress.” Not, “Johnny gets better at running.”
   
   
5. Format for Impact
   Use MONTAGE (or MONTAGE – VARIOUS) clearly. For single locations, keep beats underneath one heading. For multiple, use subheaders or new slugs.
   
   
6. Review and Refine
   Read it aloud. If you can’t visualize every beat, neither can your reader. Fix vague action or transitions right away.

Montage Draft Example

BEGIN MONTAGE:
– Jenny stacks books, eyes fierce.
– Her hands tap furiously at a laptop.
– She races up stairs, determined.
END MONTAGE

On WriteSeen, share your montage in a secure, timestamped environment. Collaborators provide fast feedback, while your sequence stays protected and organized. Use our feedback tools to spot weak beats or formatting hiccups, so your montage hits hard every time.

Tight montages come from relentless clarity, precise formatting, and honest peer review.

How Do You Format a Montage With Voice Over or Narration?

Voice over montages need sharp structure. The visuals and the narration must flow in lockstep—never letting one repeat or dull the other.

Best Practices for V.O. Montages

• Write the action first, then slot V.O. underneath, matching the beat:

SARAH (V.O.) I never thought training would mean pain.
– As she sprints up the hill, jaw tight.

• Only use V.O. when the narration adds new information, backstory, or subtext. If your visuals and V.O. say the same thing, rewrite.

• Mark (V.O.) after the character’s name, always. Make transitions out of voice over obvious.

• “Goodfellas” keeps its pace by layering Henry Hill’s narration, not duplicating action. “Parasite” uses V.O. to deepen irony, not re-explain visuals.

Keep it moving. Use music, sound, and momentum to make your V.O. montage flow with style and substance.

What Are the Golden Rules for Writing a Great Montage?

Success isn’t just about writing quick beats. It’s about building meaning, energy, and drive—every step of the way.

Golden Rules for a Strong Montage

• Drive with visuals: Show, don’t tell. If it can’t be shot, it’s not a montage beat.

• Advance character or plot: Each beat must shift the stakes or emotional tone.

• Cut filler without mercy: If a moment looks or feels the same as the last, kill it or rewrite.

• Maintain flow: Use concise, specific paragraphs or bullet points for each new action.

• Keep it producible: Every location, prop, and change needs to be realistic for your budget and your team.

Troubleshooting? If your montage sags, storyboard it or hand it to a reader for blunt feedback. If confusion or boredom strike, rework for better pacing and stronger contrast.

A montage succeeds when it feels inevitable, urgent, and impossible to skip.

What Are Examples of Effective Montages in Film and TV?

Great montages transform story momentum. They stick with audiences long after the credits.

Montages Worth Studying:

• “Rocky” (training): Rising sweat, daylight, and a crescendoing score amplify growth.

• “Up”: Condenses decades of love and loss into a few tearjerking frames.

• “The Devil Wears Prada”: Fast cuts, outfit swaps, and city shots communicate transformation—no dialogue needed.

• “Hot Fuzz”: Meticulous edits and gags show backstory at breakneck speed.

• “Goodfellas” (V.O.): Voice over sustains suspense while visuals unfold mob life.

• “Sister Act”: Community and change sing out—literally—through warm visuals and lively edits.

Each example ties visuals, rhythm, and music to story, creating sequences that push the narrative forward.

How Can WriteSeen Empower Your Screenwriting Journey?

WriteSeen offers you a secure, distraction-free platform to test, protect, and improve your montages. Upload your scripts for free, get timestamped proof of authorship, and tap into guided peer feedback that challenges you to level up.

• Protect your innovative montage drafts.

• Seek feedback on rhythm, clarity, and production-readiness.

• Keep full creative control of your ideas.

This is your zone for growth—where next-level formatting and world-class collaboration meet.

WriteSeen connects you with creators and pros who value discipline, clarity, and originality.

Conclusion: Turn Your Montage Ideas Into Powerful Screenplay Moments

The right montage can elevate your screenplay from solid to unforgettable. Whether you’re accelerating time, revealing emotional depth, or injecting rhythm into your pacing, knowing how to write a montage in a screenplay gives your story real cinematic punch.

Keep your structure tight, your beats visual, and your formatting production-ready. A well-written montage isn’t just filler—it’s fuel for your story’s most memorable moments.

Join WriteSeen to draft, protect, and refine your montages with professional-grade feedback in a secure creative space. Ready to write a montage that moves people? Do it. Upload it. Get seen.