how to write a production treatment

Translated, there is no singular “correct way” to write a treatment, but there are some general expectations as well as some common dos and don’ts. For example, treatments are always written in the present tense. Additionally, a 12pt font is recommended. Courier is always a good choice since it still is the standard font for screenplays.

Full Answer

How do you write a treatment for a producer?

You may write the treatment for a producer, director, or even an actor. Because of this, write it for that person. Adjust the content and the way you present it based on who it is for. Also adjust based on if you know the reader personally or not. For a director, you might focus more on the way each scene looks and what set pieces are involved.

What is the writing process for a film treatment?

The writing process for a film treatment is as simple as taking each heading and expanding on it. You’ll have a treatment in no time at all. Once you’ve got a first draft of your script treatment together, it’s time to show it to some people.

How should I write my treatment?

Your treatment should read as the audience will see it. Describe everything as it happens, not as if it has happened already or will happen. This can be tricky, because it’s not always your first instinct. Check your writing over for tense shifts. For example, write, “Devon walks to the door hesitantly and looks through the peephole.”

How do you write a script for a movie treatment?

Here’s a list of things that you might want to include in your treatment: The title of your movie / show. This one’s pretty important. Your name and contact details. So if someone does want to make you a superstar, they know where to find you. Logline. Explain what your story’s about in a couple of lines.

What are treatments in production?

A treatment consists of a written condensation of a proposed film or TV dramatic production. It covers the basic ideas and issues of the production as well as the main characters, locations, and story angles. In part, its purpose is to sell the proposal to financial backers and major stars.

How do you write an editing treatment?

What should you include in a film treatment?The title of your movie / show. This one's pretty important.Your name and contact details. So if someone does want to make you a superstar, they know where to find you.Logline. ... Explanation of act one. ... Explanation of act two. ... Explanation of act three. ... Final wrap-up.

Do producers write treatments?

TIPS FOR WRITING A FILM TREATMENT (ONLY IF YOU MUST!) When you are hired by a film producer to write—or significantly rewrite—a script, you may be asked to write a treatment for the producer before creating your first draft of the screenplay.

How do you write a director's treatment?

A director's treatment consists of the vision for the story, visual style, soundtrack, and characters, while communicating important scenes, story plots, and sequences to evoke a specific tone.

What is a treatment in script writing?

A treatment is a document that presents the story idea of your film before writing the entire script. Treatments are often written in present tense, in a narrative-like prose, and highlight the most important information about your film, including title, logline, story summary, and character descriptions.

How do you write a treatment for a series?

But generally, rule of thumb, a treatment is no less than 4 pages and now more than 10. The key here is to get all the information down, as interestingly as possible, as economically as possible, with as much clarity as possible and not to over write. You make each word, each sentence, each image, each page, count.

How much should I charge for writing a treatment?

The low-end fee is about $50 per minute, so a 10-minute training video could bring you $500 for the project. The average pay, however, is closer to $250 a minute, so as experience increases, the same can be said for your rates. Educational scripts can pay almost twice this rate, with the low-end fee at $100 per minute.

How do you write a treatment to sell?

0:273:48Writing Treatments That Sell by Dr. Ken Atchity - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd basically the answer is that a treatment is a relatively brief written pitch of a story intendedMoreAnd basically the answer is that a treatment is a relatively brief written pitch of a story intended to be dramatized as a motion picture for film or television. And it's written in user friendly.

How much do film treatments sell for?

If you sell an idea or a storyline, you can expect to get $5,000 on the front-end and about $20,000 on the back-end if the movie gets produced. If you sell a treatment, you should expect around $15,000 on the front end and $30,000 on the back-end.

How do you pitch a treatment?

How to pitch a perfect treatment for every briefMake your profile stand out. ... Tailor your work for the job. ... Don't rush. ... Be visual. ... Introduce your team. ... Keep it simple. ... Save, preview and pitch before the deadline.

What is a creative treatment?

A creative treatment is a pre-production document that summarizes a video's concept and defines the creative slant of the final product. Often included in a treatment are the program's overview and objectives, the creative concept, technical approach, potential contributors and project timeline.

How do you write a one page treatment?

Write a few notes to yourself about what your story is about. Go ahead and get philosophical. "It's about lies." "It's about how love can cure you." Your message can be cynical or positive, but be aware of what it is. You're going to have to cut out all kinds of important information to fit it into such a small pitch.

What is a film treatment?

A film treatment (or story treatment) is a detailed summary of your film, TV show, or project. The screenplay treatment communicates all important scenes, sequences, and story points in a prose style that evokes the tone of your movie.

Why are film treatments important?

This is why film treatments are so useful: they boil your idea down to your characters and the story events that drive them to change. So let’s examine how to write a treatment that both snags your readers and organizes your vision.

What is a screenwriter's summary?

A behind-the-scenes reference for the screenwriter (or screenwriters) to guide and give a framework to the full script being written. A detailed summary designed to share the screenwriter's (or screenwriters') plan for the script with others before an actual script is written. An in-depth, deconstructed summary of an already-written script ...

How to write a movie script?

Generally you want to keep your film treatment economic and reader-friendly. Don’t go into too much exposition on anything — be it characters, locations, or actions. Avoid also: 1 Any dialogue (save it for the script) 2 Images, clip art (and anything else that’s not text) 3 Paragraphs that are too long 4 Distracting fonts

Who wrote the treatment for Mask of Zorro?

On their site Wordplayer, working screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio posted a few of their own film treatment examples. Their 1994 treatment of Mask of Zorro is a glimpse into an effective script treatment.

What does treatment give a writer?

A treatment gives them some bit of hope, a scrap of paper to put into their file, something tangible to hold onto. And I suppose treatments do offer some small insurance, to all involved -- if the writer is way, way off, it's probably better to know that sooner than later.

What is script treatment?

Wrapping up script treatments. A treatment is a great way to organize your thoughts about a project. While they may not be the most commercially viable things, they’re great ways to get on a development executive’s good sides and to see if your idea is worthwhile in the marketplace.

What is a synopsis in a screenplay?

It is a synopsis, with action, sparse dialogue, and works as a roadmap for the reader, producer, and writer. This is your story, broken down into an easy-to-follow document, that anyone who picks it up can grasp immediately.

What is a film treatment?

A film treatment (or film script treatment) is a multi-page, detailed synopsis of your film or visual project. It contains all the key elements of your film, like important scenes, main characters, and crucial plot points. And it’s written in prose, not as a script.

Why is script treatment important?

They’re a vital part of the development process, helping you to stress-test your story idea before writing a draft screenplay. Another benefit of writing a script treatment is that it helps you to pin down the tone of your movie or TV show.

How to describe treatment?

What does a treatment do? 1 It summarizes the plot and characters in your idea. 2 It communicates the tone and theme of your idea. 3 It entices buyers and producers into developing your idea.

What is a film treatment?

A film treatment (or story treatment) is a detailed summary of your film. It should communicate all of the important scenes in a style that evokes the tone and theme of your idea. The purpose of a treatment is to entice buyers and producers into reading or developing your idea.

Why do movies need a structured treatment?

But cinematic stories must have a carefully defined structure, because they need to reach as many people as possible, and they’re super duper expensive to make compared to a novel or even a podcast.

Why do we need story treatments?

Story treatments are created to help you get your idea in front of successful industry decision makers so that your idea can have the best chance to end up on screen.

Is it hard to write a treatment?

Actually, writing a treatment is harder than it looks. You need to identify the heart of your story, and cut out everything else. If you haven’t already written your screenplay, this can be especially challenging because you have nothing to work off from.

Is it hard to sell low concept movies?

It also tells them the film will be easy to promote. Low concept films (like heavier, Oscar-primed dramas) get made all the time, but it’s much harder to sell those with a story treatment alone, and those are far harder to get made without years of industry contacts.

Is writing a treatment more science or art?

Writing a treatment is more science than art , but you still need to be a writer. The first thing to remember is that stories are immediate. They are happening now. So write your film treatment in the present tense the same way that you’d go about writing a movie or show script.

What is a treatment in writing?

A treatment is a multiple page document written in prose - much like a short story or a novel manuscript. Its purpose is to literally get everyone “on the same page” with your story, characters, and tone of what you aim to achieve with the full script (eventually).

What are the components of treatment?

Components: Treatments usually start with a logline, a list of the main characters, before a scene-by-scene summary or Act sequence breakdown. Again, do whatever to tell your story so your reader doesn’t have to leap over hurdles to understand you. Clarity is key.

What is script treatment?

A script treatment is a great tool for pitching - whether to use it as a skeleton for a presentation or to send after a pitch.

Why are treatment documents important?

Treatments are an effective way to streamline your writing process, organise your ideas from the get-go, and even seal business deals without a script. Yes, I said that last part correctly! A treatment document is sometimes deemed as more valuable than a full-fledged script — as many networks and producers see more value in developing ...

How long is a treatment document?

Here are some to consider: 1 - 10 pages - short and concise, a quick read. 10 - 25 pages - much more detailed. 30+ pages or more - very detailed and usually reserved for experienced writers or directors.

What is a prose form?

Prose form: Your story is written in prose form, similar to a novel or short story but with a script-like flourish. Don’t mistake it for a script. It’s a leaner, more direct animal. Script stylings but not too much: Treatments can include dialogue, shots, music, set-pieces, whatever you need. Just don’t go too extreme.

What is a treatment in a script?

A treatment is a summary of a script, which is meant to explain the main points of the plot. It also gives good description of the main characters involved in the story. Treatments have no strict page limit, but shorter is usually better.

What to do before writing a script?

Professional Writer. Before you start your script, make sure you know what you want to write about. Melessa Sargent, the President & CEO of Scriptwriters Network, says: "Once you have a firm story idea and a main character, write out all the details of exactly what you want the story to be about.

How to write a script summary?

Write a one to two sentence summary of your script. Include a description of the main character, the goal they are pursuing, and the main conflict they face. This is the reader’s first insight into your script, so make it count.

How to make a movie audience scared?

If your goal is for the film audience to be scared, make the treatment instill fear. Make the reader laugh if you're pitching a comedy. Important aspects of the genre are important in the treatment, too. Keeping tropes of the genre in mind is important. Use them purposefully when you must, but don't rely on them.

Who is the president of the scriptwriters network?

This article was co-authored by Melessa Sargent. Melessa Sargent is the President of Scriptwriters Network, a non-profit organization that brings in entertainment professionals to teach the art and business of script writing for TV, features and new media.

How many pages should I write a script?

Aim for two-five pages. Adjust the length based on your audience and the script. Aiming for two pages keeps things simple and focused, while five pages is a maximum to stay under. Keeping it short makes it more likely that someone will read the whole treatment.

Do you include subplots in a treatment?

Don’t include subplots in your treatment. In a three act format, act one establishes the characters and basic setup, act two brings in a major conflict, act three intensifies and then resolves the conflict. Be sure to include the climax and the resolution.

What is commercial treatment?

A commercial treatment is a 5-12 page document that outlines your vision within the parameters set up by the advertising agency. Treatments help you establish trust between yourself and a well-known brand. They can read your treatment and see you have a decisive vision for their service or product.

What do commercial cinematographers say?

Commercial cinematographers are like Will Smith in Men in Black; they take everyday items and say, "I make this look good.". They do. They take boring stuff—cellphones, hamburgers, and cars—dress them up, throw some light on them, cast some spells, and end up with an object that looks tantalizing enough to buy.

Why do we write treatment?

Reasons to write a film treatment. As a writer, there are various reasons why you might want to write a film treatment. The first reason would be to create a detailed summary of a film or television show that serves as a shareable plan for the screenwriter’s unwritten screenplay. This is great to gauge the interest in an idea before dedicating time ...

What are the elements of a treatment?

What are the key elements of a treatment? 1 Title 2 Name and contact information 3 Logline 4 Key characters 5 Summary of the story 6 Conveys themes and tone

What is an episodic format?

The episodic format of television entails numerous ideas being pitched and thrown around. Rather than writing full episodes, treatments allow writers to summarize and pitch episode ideas especially in the writers room. Knowing how to write a treatment for television is an essential skill for any television writer.

What is the prewriting phase of a screenplay?

The pre-writing phase of a screenplay is essential to many writers and a fundamental device used is the film treatment. A treatment is utilized for various reasons and can be a key component to developing the seeds of an idea.

Why is film treatment important?

One of the main functions of a film treatment for a writer is to help identify major problems in their story. Because a movie treatment should be concise yet cover the entirety of a story , it is great at revealing major flaws in a narrative.

Why is it important to get a producer to read a script?

For this reason, they’re also great at providing shorter reads to gain and gauge interest in a story.

Why is it important to write a treatment?

Writing a treatment is a great way to get your ideas and story down on paper and have something physical to present. It is also effective at gauging your interest in the story and whether or not it has the potential to become a full screenplay.

Is this a good idea for a tv show?

So it happened. Inspiration struck and now you have the best series idea ever. It's a show that the world has got to see. It's going to be huge!

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