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Friday, August 5, 2022

Screenplay Format #19 - Montages


Montages are short film sequences that are edited together to make a longer sequence, usually following a story thread 
(idea / concept).
 
In the Screenplay for KHAKI TOWN, there are 2 types of Montages –
            -  BLACK & WHITE        -  Newsreels
            -  COLOUR                    -  Information concerning Large Scale Civilian Events,
                                                      which is condensed
                                                   -  Visual and Audible explanations of Personal Experiences
 
For ease of access to these particular types of sequences, I found it useful to make a List.
 
 
So,       To Set Up the File -       7-NAME-MONTAGES
 
            -  OPEN    the File    1-NAME-Scene Tags
  -  OPEN    the File    7-NAME-MONTAGES
  -  Display the 2 Files side by side, using the SPLIT SCREEN Technique,    described in -
                        Screenplay Format  #12 – Locations-Scenes List - Part 1
 
             -  GO DOWN    the    SCENE TAG LIST    chronologically
                        -  SELECT & COPY    all the    SCENE TAGS   with all their information,
       that are    Montages
                           as    ONE    GROUP
                           using the    SELECT – TECHNIQUES,    outlined in –
                                    Screenplay Format  #12 – Locations-Scenes List – Part 1
 
            If you need to do this in a number of groups,
            the    CLIPBOARD    may need to be    OPEN    to be able to carry more than    1    item.
 
            To Open the Clipboard –
            In the    FILE    1-NAME-Scene Tags
            In the    HOME TAB RIBBON
                        -  GO TO    the    Clipboard Section













 
                        -  LEFT CLICK    on the    SMALL ARROW BOX    in the     Bottom Right Corner
                           The    CLIPBOARD   will    EXPAND OUT   along the    LEFT    of the    SCREEN
 
            While the    CLIPBOARD    is    EXPANDED,   
            MULTIPLE ITEMS    can be    COPIED
 
            On my computer, it’s    24.
 
                        -  PASTE    the    GROUP / S    to the File      7-NAME-MONTAGES
                           in    CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
                        -  PLACE    a    SPACE LINE    between each    SCENE TAG
 
eg.                                                                                                                                                                                                _____________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
 
                                                                                                                                                                 Khaki Town – White Draft – 18 Nov 2019
 
        7.  MONTAGES
                                                                                                                                                                                       Book                 Screen
                                                                                                                                                                                       Page                 Play                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Page
 
                                    8         [NEWSREEL MONTAGE OF CUTAWAYS] – END MAR 1942                                        40                    29            
                                    [INT. or EXT. BEYOND NTH OF AUS, TOWNSVILLE
             – DAY &/or NIGHT]
 
            [INT. or EXT. AUS, TOWNSVILLE – DAY &/or NIGHT]

        etc.
 
                               _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
 
 
SECTIONS
 
If you need to Group the Montages into different Sections –
            -  SELECT, CUT & PASTE    them into these    SECTIONS
               keeping them in    CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
               within    EACH SECTION
            -  TYPE IN    a    HEADING    for each    SECTION
 
eg.                     ____________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
 
                                                                                                                              Khaki Town – White Draft – 18 Nov 2019

        7.  MONTAGES
                                                                                                                                                                                       Book               Screen
                                                                                                                                                                                       Page                Play
                                                                                                                                                                                                               Page
                                     BLACK & WHITE

                                   8           [NEWSREEL MONTAGE OF CUTAWAYS] – END MAR 1942                                      40                    29
                                                [INT. or EXT. BEYOND NTH OF AUS, TOWNSVILLE
                                     – DAY &/or NIGHT]
 
                                 50           [NEWSREEL MONTAGE OF CUTAWAYS – A FEW DAYS LATER]                              147                  148
                              – THE FIRST DAYS OF MAY 1942
                                                [EXT. THE CORAL SEA – DAY &/or NIGHT]
 
           etc.
 
 

           COLOUR
 
                                  11           [MONTAGE OF CUTAWAYS] – BEG APR 1942                                                             48                    36
              [INT. or EXT. AUS, TOWNSVILLE – DAY &/or NIGHT]
 
        .1  [MONTAGE OF CUTAWAYS]                                                                                      74                    61
              [INT. &/or EXT. TOWNSVILLE – DAY &/or NIGHT]
 
         etc.
 
                             _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
 
 
NEWSREELS
 
There are various places in the Screenplay of KHAKI TOWN which lend themselves to being explained by a Newsreel.
 
Newsreels were a News “vehicle” during World War Two.
The other one, being the Newspaper.
 
Newsreels were short documentary films shown in the Cinema, when people went to see a Movie.
They reported on the news of the day, including recent events overseas in the War, and were a strong influence on the Civilian population.
 
Having a look at some archive Newsreels on the internet, I can see that there are two distinctly different styles between those done by Australian filmmakers, and those done by American filmmakers. I have included each style where appropriate, and indicated this under each of their respective Scene Tags –
 
eg.
                      ___________________________________________________________________________________________
                             
                                    8          [NEWSREEL MONTAGE OF CUTAWAYS] – END MAR 1942                                        40                    29
              [EXT. BEYOND NTH OF AUS, TOWNSVILLE – DAY &/or NIGHT]
                         - Australian style, Australian POV
 
 
 
                                 207         [NEWSREEL MONTAGE] – MON 16 JUN 1942                                                              372                  48
                                     [EXT. AUSTRALIA & NEW GUINEA – DAY &/or NIGHT]
                          - American style, American POV
 
                            _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
 
 
The Newsreels that I wrote into the Screenplay, cover large scale perspectives on Internal Australian Military Events, as well as Overseas Military Events.
 
The Newsreels that I researched, were in the main filmed in Black and White, so I have opted to have the Screenplay Newsreels Black and White also.
 
 
eg.  Excerpts from the File    2-KHAKI TOWN-Scenes
                        __________________________________________________________________________________________
                                 
                                    8          1942, End Mar, Newsreel Montage of Cutaways, Day                            S                      40                    29
                                                and/or night
                                                – Japanese advancing, many civilians have fled,    
                                                Townsville a garrison town
     
                                  50           1942, The first days of May,                                                                    S, M                 147                 148
                               Newsreel Montage of Cutaways, Day and/or night,
                               A few days later                                 
               - Japanese and Allied Forces are building towards
               The Battle of the Coral Sea
 
                            _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

 
 
 
LARGE SCALE CIVILIAN EVENTS
 
There are several places in the Screenplay of KHAKI TOWN, where large scale Internal Australian Events, need to be explained from a Civilian Point of View.
 
Here, I’ve written them in as Montages, to condense the large amount of information into something succinct and easy to understand.
 
I’ve written them in as Colour, to give them a more relatable quality to the average person.
 
 
eg.  Excerpt from the File    2-KHAKI TOWN-Scenes 
                        _________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 23         Flashback
                                                1        1941, Mid Dec, Montage of Cutaways,                                            S,M                74                     61
                        Day and/or night, 2 years later                  
                        – The army arrives
 
                            ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
 
 
EXPLANATIONS OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
 
There are also several places, where complicated Personal Experiences need to be explained succinctly from a Personal Point of ‘View. These were in both the Military and Civilian areas.
 
I’ve also written them in as Colour, to make them personally relatable.
 
 
eg.  Excerpts from the File    2-KHAKI TOWN-Scenes
                        __________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 34        
               1
                       1
                               2           1942, Early Mar - Early Apr, Montage of                   S                      101                  92
          Flashbacks , Day, Over the past month
                                            - People asking Amelia about Martin
           
                                     60         1942, Wed 7 May, Montage of Cutaways, Day, That day                      S, M                 161                  161
                - The US Military bans the 96th from town
 
                            ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
 
 
© Katherine Stuart 2022
Dochas Books Film

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