Example Of A Treatment For A Short Film
Kenneth Calimlim
What is a film treatment? 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.
This is your chance to convey your story the best way possible. Maybe that means outlining characters, spending time on paragraphs describing the world, or even just giving a state of the union on why you NEED to write this movie.
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The film and television industry doesn't have a standard definition of what "treatment" means. For example, if someone asks you for treatment, they could mean a two-page overview concept or a thirty-page document, basically the script without the dialogue or any detailed logline.
However, film project treatments are generally defined as a summary of a TV show or film. A treatment should contain all the essential elements of the story, including scenes, themes, and the project's tone. Film treatments can also be referred to as story treatments.
Film treatments are an excellent way for you and producers and anyone in the creative time to save time and energy on projects. Thus, being able to write an excellent film treatment that executives can understand from a visual perspective could be what stands between securing you a job, without having to commit to writing the screenplay.
Having said that if this is your first screenplay you are advised to polish and write your script first as executives are likely to expect this so they can get a sense of your writing on top of a pitch.
Having a solid sense of the target will help you decide what the treatment will look like. For example, a treatment for others may need to spell out a bit of the feeling or mood that you would otherwise keep in your head. However, a treatment for yourself may not have to be as precise, so long as you understand what you meant when you refer back to it.
A longer document can get into the details, but of course, it will take longer for others to read. And sometimes those details themselves can get in the way of the purpose of the treatment, where all you'll see is trees but no forest.
There's a reason that the treatment isn't the script. It can't include everything, and it isn't very smart to try. Sometimes this means little bits that will show up in the margins of the scenes getting cut from the treatment, but other times it will mean whole subplots.
When deciding on what to include and what not to include, ask yourself if evaluating is essential to understanding the protagonist's journey. If it's not, it may be best to leave it out of the treatment.
This may seem like an obvious point but your pitch should be complete sentences unlike screenwriting format which is not proper prose. While this is helpful for what we do in scripts, it can sometimes feel a bit like the scraps of a language that isn't fully codified. By sticking with correct grammar and syntax and the like with your treatment, your technical writing will have a stable base and allow you to focus on what's crucial in the treatment: the story.
Screenwriting isn't just telling what happens but also how we see (and hear) what happens. A treatment isn't supposed to worry about the latter, which is why writing it in proper prose is a good idea. Additionally, it's easier on readers.
Writing a treatment, regardless of the reason (for you, for others, for fun), can bring up as many problems as writing a script. So, for example, if you think about the treatment as simply telling the story to friends around a campfire, it can help get you out of your head.
A film treatment is a summary of a film or television show. It should communicate all of the essential scenes, themes, and tone of the project to entice or pitch to buyers and producers into reading, developing, or even purchasing your idea. Film treatments are also referred to as story treatments, script treatments, and movie treatments.
Treatments are extremely effective at saving time for both you as the writer and those reading the treatment. Learning how to write a film treatment is an essential skill for any writer looking to break through in the industry. Not every writer has time to write a full-fledged screenplay or pilot. 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.
Ideas in television are plentiful, but are rigorously tested among the audience's interest. 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.
On the other hand, you may already have a full screenplay written out. However, getting others to read a full length screenplay can be an ambitious request. Writing a treatment that deconstructs and distills your screenplay into a more digestible summary will help you get others to read it.
In it, we learn the value that a movie treatment has in deciding NOT to make a film. Spielberg and screenwriter Melissa Mathison wrote a treatment for the potential sequel only to decide that it wouldn't work. We've imported the treatment into StudioBinder's screenwriting software so you can download and read it yourself. Just follow the link.
By breaking down the screenplay treatment into overview, character set-up, and story, the screenplay treatment is clear and direct. While it may not fit a concise one-page film treatment, it does effectively and efficiently cover all the necessary material.
That being said, every writer has a different process. If you are excited about writing your ideas into a full screenplay or spec script right away, then you may not want to use that energy on the screenplay treatment. Many writers operate this way and find success in doing so.
Being aware that these problems may come up will help you fix these issues before sending out your film script treatment to be read by others. Dr. Ken Atchity talks about script treatments as a diagnostic tool in this video by Film Courage.
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.
Kyle DeGuzman graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Science in Television, Film, & New Media. He currently resides in Denver, Colorado spending his time writing, filmmaking, and traveling.
Thank you very much for this. I am truly appreciating the example and it has provided me with an avenue to tell my story. It may not be accepted, but have a feeling that it would be fun to write anyway. lights, camera and here we go.
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We will try to channel the audience with the flow of plot from first act, second act to third act. Therefore, we are playing in a linear editing structure of three act structure. The colour theory will develop and change with the characters arc from their setups and help with the art department and altogether with cinematography for the lightings.
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Since he is joyful man, he is filled with serenity. We will colour grade him more with oranges and brownish for the acceptance with they convey the love altogether. He will be invaded with the dark by the second plot point when he find the truth that his pregnant wife she is impregnated by the antagonist.
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