Signal the montage, organize its visual beats in action, and end it clearly when the reader might not otherwise know where ordinary scene flow resumes.
Direct answer
For a short montage in one place, an all-caps action introduction followed by concise visual beats is usually enough. For a longer montage across locations, mark the beginning, give each beat a mini-slug or unambiguous location phrase, and mark the end. The format should reveal the sequence's visual logic—not prescribe every edit.
On the page
MONTAGE - MARA LEARNS THE ROUTE
— PLATFORM: She times the final train.
— SERVICE TUNNEL: She marks each locked gate.
— ROOFTOP: The harbor lights blink out, one row at a time.
END MONTAGE
Evidence weight
A one-sentence montage does not need a formal block. A complex sequence benefits from visible start and end markers plus location-aware beats. Both are accepted when the reader can follow time, place, and progression.
There is no single mandatory montage template. The useful boundary is reader comprehension: the sequence should show what changes, where it happens, and when ordinary scene flow resumes.
Not one rigid template
Use one action sentence when the sequence is repetitive, brief, and does not need distinct story beats—for example, a run of unsuccessful auditions.
Mini-slugs keep a fast sequence compact. Full headings are clearer when locations will matter to scheduling, the sequence contains dialogue, or each beat behaves like a scene.
Some writers use SERIES OF SHOTS for related images that do not imply the same compression of time. The terms overlap in practice, so describe the intended progression rather than relying on the heading alone.
Reader and handoff friction
Choose for the recipient
A submission draft should optimize for the reader's experience. Keep the sequence lean, visual, and specific; avoid camera-by-camera coverage unless a shot is itself the story beat.
When each montage beat needs its own schedule, location, cast, or scene number, promote those beats to production-recognizable scene headings in coordination with the production team.
Plot preserves montage markers and dashed beats as action. Use full scene headings when those beats need structured locations; use action-based mini-slugs when the compact reading rhythm is the more important signal.
Browse the screenplay formatting reference
Complete, source-backed guides for common screenplay situations
Flashbacks
Make the time shift explicit in a scene heading or action cue, then clearly return to the present when the transition could otherwise be missed.
Scene numbers & production
Leave scene numbers out of an ordinary spec unless requested; add and preserve them when a production needs stable references for breakdowns, schedules, and revisions.
Phone calls & intercut
Establish what the audience sees and hears, then use clear scene headings or an INTERCUT instruction so a phone conversation stays easy to picture.
