Montages- Research and Shotlist. (Preliminary Task)

Montages are a popular product of video editing that are used to creatively condense a sequence of shots and depict the passage of time. As part of a class activity and as well as part of research for the music promotion package, I decided to attempt planning the shot-list and drawing storyboards for a montage.

While a music video is likely to be longer than a montage (Among various other differences); both types of film typically have close to no dialog. Due to this, the “script” as such for a music video and a montage would have similarities and I decided this would be a good way to experience pre-production of this type of project before I begin my A Level Coursework Planning.

The plot of the montage revolves around a subject who wishes to pick up a musical instrument for their music class at school, but is unable to find the right one for them until the end. Throughout the montage, the subject is seen going back and forth from the music store to find their instrument, with similar (disappointing) results until the end.

To begin, I started searching for examples to understand the editing technique further. I was exposed to montages from Rocky or Up and was particularly inspired by a YouTuber’s musical montages for the music promotion package.

The relationship between the music and the montage editing technique create complementary and appealing visual and auditory products, as can be seen linked below; this directly links to my ideas for my A Level Music Promotion Package film.

After initiating the montage planning process by writing a plot for the video, I decided to draw up a shot list. Inspired by the videos linked above, I decided repetition of shots perfectly depicts the monotony of a subjects life and the events taking place in it- as can be seen in the plot described in the beginning of this post.

Shot No:	Description:	Subject:	Shot Size:	Camera Angle:	Camera Movement:	Location:	Equipment:	Duration (Approx):
1	Establishing music class.	Door with signage	Mid-shot	Eye Level, high inclined	Pan shot (handheld)	School- Interior	Camera, SD card, Lighting	3 seconds
2	Establishing Subject.	The subject’s nervous expression.	Close Up	Eye Level	Still Frame	School- Interior	Camera, SD card, Tripod, Lighting.	2 Seconds
3	Establishing Conflict (reason why subject is nervous)	Shot of printed form on the subject’s table, asking for their preffered instrument (focus on this) the subject taps the pen nervously on the desk.	Mid-shot	Subjects perspective, Low Inclined	Pull-Focus/Still	School-interior	Camera, SD card, Tripod, Lighting.
4	Subject walking towards the music store	Subject wearing schoolbag, evidently upset.	Wide-Shot	Midriff Level	Still Frame (subject walks into frame and then out of frame)	Road- exterior	Camera, SD Card, Tripod	3 Seconds
5	Establishing the store.	Subject walks in as the door swings open.	Close-up	Ground level (shot of the subject’s feet walking into the store)	Still Frame	Store- Interior.	Camera, SD card, Tripod, Lighting.	2 Seconds
6	Subject leaving the music store (same shot as No.4, with new props and emotion)	Subject wearing schoolbag and holding a violin case. (hopeful, enthusiastic)	Wide-Shot	Midriff Level	Still Frame (subject walks into frame and then out of frame)	Road- exterior	Camera, SD Card, Tripod	3 seconds
7	Figuring out the violin	Subject holding Rosin in one hand and bow in the other, confused and dejected. Violin on the table in front of them.	Pull Focus (from violin to confused subject.)	High Inclined, Midriff Level	Still Pull-Focus.	Subject’s home- Interior.	Camera, SD card, Tripod, Lighting.	3 Seconds
8	Repeat of shot 4, exactly:		Wide-Shot	Midriff Level	Still Frame	Road- exterior	Camera, SD Card, Tripod	2 seconds
9	Figuring out drums	Subject sitting at thedrums, sticks in hand, cringing at how loud it is	Mid-shot	Low Inclined Eye level	Still frame	Store- Interior	Camera, SD card, Tripod, Lighting.	2 Seconds
10	Repeat of shot 6, except subject is empty handed, different clothes							1 Second
11	Repeat of Shot 3 Exactly. (pen tapping, more intense.)							1 Second
12	Repeat of shot 5							2 seconds
13	Shot of flute case opening	Subjects hands, flute case and flute.	Mid-shot	Birds eye view (as if the subject is looking down at their lap, but with more aesthetic focus)	Still Frame	Subject’s home	Camera, SD card, Tripod, Lighting.	2 second
14	Shot of guitar string snapping	Subjects hands, guitar	Mid-shot	Birds eye view	Still Frame	Subject’s home	Camera, SD card, Tripod, Lighting.	2 seconds
15	Shot of Piano lid closing
16	Shot of subject picking up the ukulele
17	Shot of subject starting to strum, with a smile on their face
19	Shot of subject playing the ukulele in front of a larger audience (family, at home)
20	Shot of subje parents faces-proud
21	Shot of subject walking with the ukulele on their shoulder
22	Shot of subject filling out the form confidently
23	Shot of subjects confident expression.