A musical montage is an effective way to set the mood, pick up a theme, and play to the emotions of the audience. Filmmakers cut back and forth between parallel storylines to show simultaneous events in a montage, or they juxtapose two main characters to highlight their similarities or differences.īecause the succession of quick shots can contain a lot of information, the editing technique is popular for exposition, for example in an opening sequence with voiceover narration. Through vignettes, a montage can show the passage of time, go into the past with a flashback, or otherwise rapidly develop the story. Together, the different shots function as a whole and tell a short story, or advance the plot. A montage sequence comprises short shots or even still images in the case of a photomontage that have a continuity to them and follow a certain rhythm. No credit card required Montage definition in filmmakingĪ film montage stands out from other scenes and the rest of the film.