![]() That doesn't mean I don't explain the dialogue. For example, keeping a hard and fast rule of not having a conversation is great to force your brainpower on the story. If you include lines of dialogue, even a few, it can start to blur the line between treatment and script. BONUS TIP: Don't include dialogueįeel free to ignore this one, but it's something that I do in my treatments, and since I started doing this, I've found it helpful. Write as if you can't look back, just telling the strokes of the story piece-by-piece, and then go back and edit what you need. It is always easier to edit a written document than belabor a blank page. The best thing you can do while writing your treatment is to write without the delete key. 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. Writing a treatment, regardless of the reason (for you, for others, for fun), can bring up as many problems as writing a script. A treatment isn't supposed to worry about the latter, which is why writing it in proper prose is a good idea. Screenwriting isn't just telling what happens but also how we see (and hear) what happens. 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 format is not proper prose, and 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. Once I heard it and started writing all of my treatments this way, I could write them faster, and they were clearer. I wish I had heard this tip earlier in my career. Īn excerpt from the film treatment for Mr. So it's easier to trim something out if it's there from the start. That being said, as you're first drafting your treatment (and yes, I said draft, because just like a script, you will revise this!) when in doubt, include it. If it's not, it may be best to leave it out of the treatment. When deciding on what to include and what not to include, ask yourself if evaluating is essential to understanding the protagonist's journey. 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. It can't include everything, and it isn't very smart to try. There's a reason that the treatment isn't the script. You may be a little off in the end, but that's okay. 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.ĭeciding on the length ahead of time can give you a target to aim for. Largely determined by the decision mentioned above, knowing the length will help dictate how you write.Ī one or two-page document can be great for producers and execs to get a sense of the project, but it means you'll have to paint pretty broad strokes.Ī longer document can get into the details, but of course, it will take longer for others to read. 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. ![]() 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. Having a solid sense of the target will help you decide what the treatment will look like. ![]() For example, is it to serve as a pitch document for others? Or is it so you can explore the story you're prepping to write out as a script? Make sure that you understand your goal in creating the treatment. Decide the type of document you're creating So, how do you write a film treatment? How to write a film treatment in 5 steps 1. Thus, being able to write an excellent film treatment could be what stands between securing you a job! Film treatments are an excellent way for you and producers to save time and energy on projects. Often, producers and executives want to check out your story before signing a contract with you. Learning how to write a film treatment is essential for the emerging screenwriter. Now that you know the generalities let's dive into the details. Additional information about the themes and tone of the projects.Name and contact information of the writer.While each treatment may differ a bit, generally, your treatment should contain: Being able to write a film treatment is a skill every writer should have Six critical elements of a film treatment
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