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gorillaonabike

So I'm looking for a couple of women to dance. They work in a garage, both as cleaners. What I want is for one of them to teach the other to dance. However, I want to also show the passage of time over a few days, so that one of them becomes better over time (the other one is her teacher).

So to cut the scenes in such a way as to show one of them getting better but to indicate it happens over a few days, not just in one night.

How would you do this?
 
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+1 for the right montage and right music. I think you actually should play with the cut, till you come up with something that works. Not necessarily the way you planned it in theory.
 
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gorillaonabike said:
There are no windows...
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I only asked because that's a great way to show the progress of time (sunlight at different angles, darkness at night). No window means you'll have complete control over the situation, but you'll still want lighting changes to give sense of time. Maybe you have a couple of shots with both actors, but then move to a couple of shots with just the student: reduce the ambient light and emphasize some narrower areas of the set with lots of shadow around (and change a clock in the background?) to give a sense of working alone late at night.
 
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Lighting, costume and slight set design changes (props in different positions) are all great ideas.

What's the context?
Could we see the one being taught how to dance, and then practicing at home in a quick-cut montage? Coupled with lighting changes, costume changes for different days etc. it would show passage of time - that is, it would show she's gone home and practiced.

I think simply having a major change (i.e. from not so good to pretty good) through a montage would suggest a fair amount of time has passed. No-one becomes a dance master in a day ;)
 
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You can also insert shots of them actually working, perhaps at lunch, with the emphasis on them dancing in "stolen" moments of the day; this will help explain rapid progress.

Oh, what about the door? Can you see outside?
 
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Sweetie said:
Inserts of clocks, sunrises, sunsets are common methods.

Titles/Lower third: Day 1, Day 2 etc.
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Much too common, in my opinion.

gorillaonabike said:
...or how about a calendar spinning through?
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Dear God, please don't do that.

All of the literal references to time (clocks, calendar, etc) are ridiculously cliche and the mark of a freshman film student. There are other ways to show the passage of time.

For your scenario, my first thought is to go with routine. They're cleaners, so their outfits would probably be very similar day-to-day, if not identical (there's a reason why it's called a "uniform"). So in lieu of costume changes, how about you change the messes in the garage?

I know people who clean for a living. Their job is very routine. They always clean the room in the exact same order, every single day. If today they started by picking up trash, then tomorrow they will begin by picking up trash. If today they followed that by cleaning the windows, then tomorrow...

Every time we see them begin this routine, we'll know it's a new day. And then maybe they always start their dance lessons after/during their first break?
 
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Different clothes and dissolves with music changes, also frustration and hard training growing into satisfaction and rewarding, taking short breaks laughing and drinking water, ending in great performance and celebration. Or off the top of my head, watch Rocky and Save the Last Dance.
 
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I really like the costume idea. It's easy, quick and shows the passage of time.

Changing cars around would be really difficult but it's a good idea and we can give it a try. Maybe one car, in and out of frame a couple of times.

There is always a calendar in a garage with scantliy-clad woman so was thinking it would be natural. A time lapse of the calendar with stuff in front of it, tracking in slowly as stuff in front of it moves around (e.g. oil cans, tools etc...)

The lighting becoming darker and more focused: Almost a spotlight on them as they dance towards the end.
 
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If you have a garage with a 'bridge', you can use 1 car in 4 positions:
- just standing there
- hood open
- on the 'bridge' (I don't know how the elevated thing is called in English)
- absent

Combining it with clothing, position of stuff and a calendar that changes month will indeed make the passage of time clear.
 
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What is the purpose of the training? Is it behind the backs of the bosses, or with their blessing? What is the relationship between the two women?

I think without knowing more about the characters and the story you're doomed to be presented with montage cliche after montage cliche as the thread shows :)
 
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gorillaonabike said:
There is always a calendar in a garage with scantliy-clad woman so was thinking it would be *overused and cliche. A time lapse of the calendar with stuff in front of it, tracking in slowly as stuff in front of it moves around (e.g. oil cans, tools etc...) *would be unnecessarily difficult to shoot/edit, while reminding the audience that they're watching a movie.
Click to expand...

*Fixed it for 'ya. ;)
 
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maz said:
What is the purpose of the training? Is it behind the backs of the bosses, or with their blessing? What is the relationship between the two women?

I think without knowing more about the characters and the story you're doomed to be presented with montage cliche after montage cliche as the thread shows :)
Click to expand...

+1
 
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Well, here is only one motive - of man looking for dance partners, ok, he got his solution - found women. What are women' motives? To work in garage as cleaners. One can be tattooed hitchhiker that runs from the law state by state, other one can be shy student with "crush in life" so she works in garage. And in dance lessons it becomes clear.
 
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