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 story?
Make the treatment connect emotionally. No matter what genre you’re writing the treatment for, it has to hit the reader with some real emotion. Make them feel fear, sadness, or joy by the way you describe the characters and the story. This is the hook that forces the reader to connect with the story.
How long should a script treatment/synopsis be?
There’s no “correct” length a script treatment/synopsis/outline should be either. It can be anywhere from three to thirty pages in length (or more), but most industry people suggest keeping them short and sweet.
What is a film treatment and how to write one?
What is a film treatment, and how do you write one? It's a multi-page document written in prose, that tells the story that happens in your screenplay. It is a synopsis, with action, sparse dialogue, and works as a roadmap for the reader, producer, and writer.
What is the difference between a synopsis and a treatment?
Where a synopsis would generally cover the broad strokes of the story within three paragraphs and one page, treatments cover every detail of story and character so that those reading it will be able to get an idea of what movie they are considering to make.
How do you write a treatment?
Treatments should read like a short story and be written in the third person, present tense. It should present the entire story including the ending. Do not write in screenplay form unless necessary to present key scenes and dialogue from the screenplay it is based on.
How long should a story treatment be?
between five and ten pagesA film treatment should be fall between five and ten pages, twenty max. There are extreme examples where people argue they can be 60 to 70 pages (James Cameron is notorious for long-winded treatments), but as a rule of thumb, less is more. In fact, some executives and producers ask for a one-pager.
What does a creative treatment look like?
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.
What is the difference between a plot and a treatment?
A script synopsis is a short overview of your plot that could be used in part as a pitch to producers, managers, or agents. A script treatment is a longer overview of your script that's often written before the script is completed.
What is a story treatment?
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 many pages are in a treatment?
For a typical movie, film treatments are about five to 10 pages. That's long enough to convey the right information without overwhelming the reader.
What is a treatment image?
If you're a photographer, you've probably heard the word “treatment” thrown around. You're also probably wondering what it is. A Treatment is essentially a well-designed mood board with extensive information of the photoshoot.
Can you sell a movie treatment?
Can You Sell a Screenplay Idea? No, generally producers don't listen and buy movie ideas because of legal reasons and you cannot copywrite an idea. But if your idea has some type of influence such as a famous actor, producer or intellectual property attached with a film treatment then yes.
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.
Is an outline the same as a treatment?
As you can see, outlines are all about organizing the core of each and every scene and moment within a screenplay — whereas treatments add additional layers using prose and longer paragraphs as you "tell" the whole, complete story to someone else.
What is the difference between a treatment and a script?
Apart from them being what we require after spending too many hours in front of our computers, treatments are something of an amorphous scriptwriting document. It is bigger than a logline (1-3 sentences) and a synopsis (1-5 pages), but shorter than a movie script (90-110 pages).
How are characters introduced in a film treatment?
Often, screenwriters will begin with the character description before the formal introduction, and this can be done either with dialogue from a previous scene, or through action in the lines running up to the intro. An urbane man in his late 30's enters the room.
Why do we need to write a treatment before writing a screenplay?
Writing a treatment before you write your next screenplay can help you work out problems and determine whether your story idea is a diamond in the rough, or just a lump of coal. The goal is to combine stories told from the heart with a deep understanding of what other people want to see.
What is the second step in writing a screenplay?
The second step is to write a logline. Preparing a log line for your screenplay is a basic marketing tool that I have repurposed for developing treatments. It is similar to the summary given in TV Guide. It is a technique for boiling down a plotline to its essence that has been described as trying to vomit into a thimble.
What is a treatment in a story?
Treatments contain detailed descriptions of the setting, theme, character roles, and plot in order to show how the story will play out for the audience. There are four main things a treatment should contain:
How to write a treatment for a movie?
A script treatment comes earlier in the writing process, before any actual scriptwriting, which allows you to sort out the necessary story elements you need. The point of writing a film treatment is to: 1 Set up the world you want the reader to envision. 2 Lay out the structure o
How can treatment help you find your film?
Treatments can help you find your film’s story, while simultaneously helping to raise money. The research for both treatment and film involves gathering the same facts, talking to the same individuals, and shaping the same story. By figuring out how to communicate your passion, knowledge, and vision on the page, ...
What is treatment in filmmaking?
A treatment is a narrative screenwriting tool that helps you explore ideas, flesh out various story possibilities, and develop your characters. Jodie Foster Teaches Filmmaking. Jodie Foster Teaches Filmmaking. In her first-ever online class, Jodie Foster teaches you how to bring stories from page to screen with emotion and confidence.
Why are treatment scripts and spec scripts confused?
A treatment and a spec script are sometimes confused because both serve to help writers hash out screenplay ideas and potentially sell a film or TV show. A treatment comes earlier on in the development process and provides a detailed summarization of the characters and events that will unfold throughout the film.
What is a script treatment?
A script treatment comes earlier in the writing process, before any actual scriptwriting, which allows you to sort out the necessary story elements you need. The point of writing a film treatment is to: Set up the world you want the reader to envision. Lay out the structure of your whole story. Help you identify plot holes, or parts ...
How to write a logline?
Compose your logline. A logline is just a brief sentence (or two) that captures the general premise of your movie. In your log line, include who the protagonist is and what they’re up against in their world. This condensed summarization of the overall concept of your film should make the reader want to see the rest.
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.
How many lines are there in the Mask of Zorro?
Film screenplay treatment examples: The Mask of Zorro by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio. In this eight-line paragraph, you’re launched into the uproarious world of Mexico in the early 1800’s. You’re also clear on whose perspective you see it through.
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.
Who wrote the screenplay for Identity Thief?
When screenwriter Craig Mazin wrote the screenplay for Identity Thief, he wound up doing a full page-one rewrite. As Mazin says in the Scriptnotes podcast, "I wrote this [treatment] up to help get everybody on the same page.".
Why do we need to write a treatment for a movie?
Working out a complex idea: Writing a film treatment allows you to structure the story and find issues with the plot. It can also help with world-building and developing compelling characters. Marketing a screenplay: Before deciding to produce or invest in a movie, studio executives often read film treatments.
How many pages are in a film treatment?
Some simpler film treatments are just a page long. Others are more complex and span dozens of pages. For a typical movie, film treatments are about five to 10 pages. That’s long enough to convey the right information without overwhelming the reader.
What is a scriptment in a movie?
A scriptment is a combination of a film treatment and a screenplay. It uses the main elements of a film treatment to tell the story, and it also includes select screenplay components like scene headings and dialog. Although a scriptment has more detail than a film treatment, it’s much shorter than a screenplay.
What is the difference between a spec script and a film treatment?
A film treatment summarizes the concept and the main elements of the screenplay. A spec script tends to be much longer and more detailed than a film treatment . A spec script is generally in screenplay format rather ...
How to convey emotion in a movie?
Convey emotion: Include major moments of fear, surprise, happiness, and other emotions and convey the emotional arc of the story. Start with the first and end with the last: All scenes from your screenplay won’t make it into the film treatment, but it should include the first and last scenes.
What is a film treatment?
Film Treatment: Everything You Need To Know. A film treatment is a written document that describes the story that your screenplay will tell. Most film treatments follow a narrative format and include key information about the characters and the plot while guiding the reader through the story arc and the acts of the film.
What is an outline in a screenplay?
Yet the two documents serve different purposes. An outline is an organizational tool that allows screenwriters to put scenes in order. An outline can also help you identify any plot holes or redundant scenes.
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.
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.
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.
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 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
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 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 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.
Can you skip a movie treatment?
If you do fall under the category of writers who choose to skip writing a film treatment, be open to the idea of writing one if you hit any roadblocks when writing your full script. Like Dr. Ken Atchity says, movie treatments can be more than just a marketing and pitching device. They can also serve as a diagnostic tool for your story.
Outlines
Since outlines are often written solely by the screenwriter during their own development and writing process, they vary in size, shape, and form — depending upon the writer, as well as the needs of the possible producers, directors, and managers that they may be working with during the developmental phase leading up to the actual writing of the script..
Treatments
Treatments vary in length and cover the more specifics of the story, utilizing prose in the form of descriptive paragraphs that tell the story from beginning to end with all of the plot points, twists, turns, revelations, and character descriptions, but void of much dialogue.
21 Outlines, Treatments, and Scriptments That Screenwriters Can Study
Since outlines, treatments, and scriptments represent the pre-writing stage of the screenwriting process, you don't often find many online examples.
1. Avatar (Scriptment)
Written by James Cameron (The Terminator, Aliens, True Lies, The Titanic, Avatar)
2. Batman: Year One (Treatment)
Written by Larry & Andy Wachowski (now known as Lana and Lilly Wachowski). They are best known as the auteur sibling writing and directing duo behind Bound and the Matrix Trilogy.
4. Big Fish (Sequence Outline)
Written by John August (Go, Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Aladdin)
5. Big Fish (Post-First Draft Outline)
Written by John August (Go, Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Aladdin)
What is screenplay treatment?
Just what is a screenplay treatment? A screenplay treatment is simply the plot of your story written down in prose form. However, in Hollywood, one person’s screenplay treatment is another person’s “synopsis,” is another person’s “outline.”. Overall, the terms are pretty interchangeable.
Why do screenwriters write treatment scripts?
Screenwriters generally write screenplay treatments for two reasons: • They want to get their story down in prose form before writing the screenplay to make sure it’s working. • They’ve been asked by a production company to send in a screenplay treatment for a script they may want to purchase.
Is an outline a screenplay?
In general, though, an outline usually focuses on short bullet point scenes, while a screenplay treatment or synopsis tends to be more prose-focused.
