How To Schedule A Montage: The Complete Guide

Film and video montages play a major role in the entertainment industry. The main motivation behind these is to collect video clips to make a unique video that can be used for various purposes.

The same concept is used in variety shows and reality shows where clips of performance, interviews, and interesting shots of the show are compiled into one video.
 

 
A director like Quentin Tarantino uses montages to great effect in such movies as Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs.

In “Pulp Fiction,” the sequence in which Vincent Vega and Mia Wallace dance at Jack Rabbit Slims is a montage

It shows their slow but steady progression from strangers to lovers by intercutting shots of each of them dancing with shots of them sitting down together, talking, and drinking.

The same thing happens in Dead Poets Society, when Robin Williams leads his students through an exercise that starts with them standing up and declaring their dreams, then leads into shots of them on the floor crying, being comforted.

What Are Film And Video Montages?

A film or video montage is often used for advertisements, documentaries, music videos, and wedding videos.

If you want to create a successful film or video then it’s important that you know the difference between a film montage and a video montage.

To do so, you must analyze both of them closely. Further, distinct features and characteristics of both can be differentiated by elements in the following:

1. Footage

Film and video montages are two different entities, but both of them use footage from previous works to make their creations interesting for the viewers/audience. They also use new footage which adds value to their fresh projects.

1. Editing Techniques

Editing techniques play an important role in both films and videos as they help to create seamless transitions between scenes with different moods  and tones.

Both films and videos have similar editing techniques like fade in/out, cross dissolve, wipe, split screen, etc.

Film Montage Benefits

There are many benefits of film montage. It is cost effective for all types of businesses. In this day and age, every business needs to cut costs in one area or another.

The company that advertises on television will more than likely spend more money on advertising than a company that advertises online. Not only do they have to pay for the advertisement, but they also have to pay studio time, staff, and equipment costs as well.

Film montage allows you to cut these costs by learning how to use video editing software on your own computer. It allows you to reach a wider audience base with your product or service. When you advertise on the television, you have an extremely limited audience size.

This becomes a problem when you are trying to reach out to a specific type of person who may not always be home at the same time that your commercial is on television.You can target a specific group of people for your product or services based on their likes and dislikes through film montage.

With television ads, it is hard to  gauge whether someone likes your product unless they buy it. Online advertising enables more engagement and even opportunities for feedback.

What Can A Montage Do?

I have been making montages for the past few years and find them to be very useful. There are many ways to use a montage. You can use it as an announcement or simply to show your clients how creative you are.

Montages can be made on many different programs including PowerPoint, Word, Publisher and Open Office Impress.

The first thing that you need to do when making a montage is plan out what it will look like. If you want it to be clean and simple, then keep it that way. If you want to add some flare and pizzazz then, by all means, go for it! A good way to begin is by choosing your pictures.

The best pictures will be photos that have the same theme or subject matter in them. This makes it much easier to make a great looking montage because there will be similarities between the pictures and it will allow you to showcase those similarities in an appealing way.

When adding pictures together, try not to use more than three pictures per slide. Three pictures will give your slides enough space for text but not so much that they become cluttered with information.

Filmmaking Montage From Page To Screen

I have seen many montages. Some of them were very good and others not so much. I hope to give you some advice on how to make a great montage in the Film Making Process. 

• TIP 1: Make sure you are showing the right things in your Montage. A good Montage for a Drama is not going to be the same thing as a Montage for an Action Film.

 An Action Film would want something more fast paced and possibly chaotic while a Drama would want something more character based and more personal. If you are doing an action film and it doesn’t look fast paced, then you probably should put in more shots to help show that off.

• TIP 2: Do not have the same clips used over again or multiple clips of the same person/object/concept. For example, if you have a clip of someone laughing, do not include another clip of them laughing just because they can laugh again later in the film.

If you are using their laugh as part of your montage and they have no additional laughing screentime, then feel free to use this clip again (just don’t make it seem like there is another laugh later on).

How To Make A Film Montage

Ever want to make a film montage with your friends but don’t know where to start? Well, here’s a simple step-by-step guide for you! 

Find A Filming Location 

Location is probably the most important factor in creating a good film montage.

You’ll need somewhere that is both interesting and visually appealing. The more cinematic your location, the better!  The place I filmed at was an abandoned amusement park called Joyland. This made it look really cinematic and helped create a great atmosphere.

There were also many places to hide cameras, which makes the final edit much easier later on. Depending on where you live, you may be able to find something similar or better! If not, just try to think of cool looking places you could always go when filming with friends!

Gather Your Filming Equipment (Optional)

Film equipment can get pretty expensive after a while, so if you’re low on cash, you might have to settle for using your smartphone. However, there are some really good cameras available at relatively cheap prices these days, so it’s definitely worth checking out! I used an old Sony Handycam I found on eBay for about £50. It took great shots!

Film Montage Production Schedule

Film Montage can be an interesting and challenging process. Film montage software can help you achieve the best results. 

A Film Montage Production Schedule is an important part of every editing process. First of all, it’s a good idea to set your schedule and stick to it if you want to get the job done on time.

One of the main reasons why many people experience problems with their editing is because they let themselves get distracted by other tasks that come up during the editing process. This can cause delays in editing and even make you lose the job.

When working with film montage software, one of the most important things is planning your work properly and sticking to the plan so there are no delays in completing your project.

   

 It’s always a good idea to keep your schedule in mind when you start working with film montage software as it will prevent you from getting lost during the editing process and forgetting about deadlines or missing them altogether.

This way, you get paid for your job properly and on time! 

Make Your Shooting Schedule For Film Production

I always plan on having an extra day or two in my shooting schedule to make up for days (hopefully they’re few) where we have setup and/or weather issues that force us to re-schedule.

If you are planning a film production, you need to schedule out your days well in advance. If you are dealing with a union crew (which is normally the case if you are planning a feature), you need to schedule your days according to union rules.

My Way of Scheduling

The following is a sample of how I schedule typical shooting days on my films. 

This chart was created using Movie Magic Scheduling software but can be easily created using Excel or other scheduling software programs.

Each day will have one or more locations listed. A location could be a beach, restaurant, school, office building, house, set piece, etc. The columns next to each location indicate the number of setups required at that location (for example, if you needed one car and three actors at Location A, it would take  four setups).

The first row next to the title “Production Days” indicates how many total production days there are in your shoot. It is usually best to have one more than your minimum required – in case of bad weather or other problems that force you to reschedule.

Scheduling Guidelines to Follow

Tailor the shooting schedule according to your film budget, the script, and the crew members. But don’t forget to be flexible. Things always change during filming and you have to keep up with it.

Here are some general tips for you to create a productive and effective shooting schedule: 

• Schedule time for pre-production 

You will need more time for pre-production if you are shooting a feature film than if you’re making a documentary or commercial video.

• If one person is doing everything (writer, director, producer), give him at least six months of preparation time before the first day of filming. 

On the other hand, if you want your shoot completed in two weeks, give yourself at least a year of research and preparation time before your first day on set.

• Plan ahead for casting 

The right actors can make or break your movie. Therefore, it is crucial that you cast well and plan ahead. 

Depending on how big your film is, you may have to audition hundreds of people before getting down to the final few candidates for each role. 

In addition to reading their resumes and acting reel videos, conduct an interview with each actor so that you can get to know them.

The Value Of A Great Film Montage

A great film montage can give you the edge that you need in this time and age. Nowadays, people are connecting to each other in different ways. 

You can learn a lot about someone just by watching them on TV or in a movie. It tells a story of who they are and what they’re all about.

More than ever before, telling your own story is an important part of being able to connect with others on a deeper level. 

The use of film montages has become increasingly popular over the years, allowing people to tell their stories in a creative way.

A Confluence Of Technology And Creativity

Film is used quite often today in different areas of the entertainment industry, but people are also using it to create personal films that help tell their own stories. 

A growing trend towards user-generated content  shows how much creativity there is out there for everyone to enjoy and take advantage of.

Taking Advantage Of This Trend

There are many ways that you can incorporate this concept into your own life and use it to help tell your story instead of being left behind by it. 

A great way to do this is by letting professionals help you edit your film so that you have all the elements needed to create something memorable for everyone who watches

Tug of War

Film Montages are commonly used in war films when it is necessary to show large amounts of action and chaos. 

Film montages are commonly used at the start of battle scenes, as a series of quick cuts, to show how large groups of soldiers on both sides begin fighting each other.

This sequence is often accompanied by loud sound effects and music, which makes the montage more exciting.

A good example of this type of sequence is at the beginning of the movie Zulu, which takes place during the Battle of Rourke’s Drift in 1879. 

The opening scene shows British soldiers getting ready for battle while their officer gives them a speech about why they must win.

How Do You Write A Film Montage?

A common trap in writing film montages is to have them all be about the same thing. If you have six scenes about love, pick your three best and make them all about love. 

If you are going to do two or more montages, they should each be different, but related.

The easiest way to write a film montage is to take a small number of characters through several changes in location over time.

The passion of first love, the slow decline of a friendship and the growing desire for revenge are all good themes that work well in film montages. 

You don’t have to limit yourself to only these three though; any idea that would work well as a short story can also be made into a successful film montage.