• Wondering which camera, gear, computer, or software to buy? Ask in our Gear Guide.

Treatment...

E

Ecketech

Treatment, when it comes to writing feature films, what should it contain, everybody tend to have their own way of writing it so I just wanted to know, how do you write one, like a synopsis but more, do you include beginning the middle and the end? just the beginning? Do you write much about the visual?

any rules that you follow?
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
Treatments...

Ecketech said:
So you dont write anything about the visuals and the mood, just like a story?

okidok...
Click to expand...

I don't get too detailed on visuals UNLESS it has something to do with the story... I try to shoot for 5 pages with a rule of NEVER going over 10 pages MAX.

And again, I simply write it as if it were a short story.

filmy
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Sorry to resurrect such an old thread (figured it better than starting a new one), but I have a question:

In searching the internet, I came across one place that suggested that, along with the treatment, you should include an Author's Bio, and the Locations. Is this necessary?

EDIT: One more question: If my screenplay isn't the most linear of screenplays, should I go with it based on the screenplay itself or should I do the treatment chronologically?
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Wherever you read that - don't ever read anything there again.

A screenplay is submitted without artwork or cast lists or location lists or proposed casting or budgets or anything else - just the screenplay.

A treatment is usually part of a "step deal" where a producer hires you to write something, say, adapt a New York Times Bestseller, and you do a treatment before going to script - so that the producer can make sure you are on the right track. The producer will tell you how long they want the treatment to be, and how detailed.

Here's one of mine (for a NYT bestseller):
http://www.scriptsecrets.net/screenplays/Deadin.pdf

Producer wanted 10-15 pages - detailed.

Here's one I did for TBS that was supposed to be under 5 pages:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/wcmartell/pricef.txt

The other reason for writing a treatment might be to "test drive" a script outline before you write it.

A treatment is going to be the short story version of the script - so it will reflect the chronology of the script (whatever that may be).

- Bill
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I haven't actually had to write a treatment, so this was pretty helpful to me as well. Though I kind of imagined it was like a short story from what I've read and heard from other people.

I'm glad I've been writing short stories for ten years.

As for your own treatment, it looked okay to me.

I mean, I got the gist of the story and everything (and I kind of like how simply you write the last line...like "Ah, yes, he does, doesn't he?"), so I would imagine that's good.

Heh.

I'm far from an expert, but yeah, I'd say it does the job.

Though I'd imagine there's others here who could offer far more profound thoughts than I.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
wcmartell said:
A treatment is usually part of a "step deal" where a producer hires you to write something, say, adapt a New York Times Bestseller, and you do a treatment before going to script - so that the producer can make sure you are on the right track. The producer will tell you how long they want the treatment to be, and how detailed.
Click to expand...

but what if you're writing a treatment for an original script and you don't have a producer and are trying to get funded/hired/etc.?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
rubbersquare said:
but what if you're writing a treatment for an original script and you don't have a producer and are trying to get funded/hired/etc.?
Click to expand...
You can write a treatment at any stage, it's good to have no matter where you are in the process.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top