Hey, all. I just spent the last hour researching sample treatments and reading the threads here. I have a written screenplay, and now need to write the treatment. I've got lots of guidelines and tips -- my question is, I see SO many variations! Two pages. Six Pages. 40 Pages. Add character descriptions. Don't add descriptions. Use some actual dialogue. Don't use dialogue. I want to do this right. Can anyone offer me an actual SAMPLE of a treatment that they used when creating their own? I just don't want to do too much or too little. That way I can utilize the tips and guidelines I have and create it based on a successful example. I'm very visual, and seeing what one looks like for a drama/comedy would help me. Thank you in advance :)
Screenwriting : Sample Treatment - Which is best? by Joleene DesRosiers
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When I took an online class through Screenwriters U on crafting a Treatment, the instructor suggested less than 10 pages, covering each key beat, borrowing excerpts of dialogue as I went. Forty pages is way too much. Two may be too little. Not sure where I filed mine. But it was a 4-week course, if you care to watch for a rerun. Helped me a lot.
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Hi Joleene, I try not to go over 7 pages. I would say write 5-7 pages and don't describe your characters. Your story should. Add dialogue but Only when you feel like you want the reader to know something about a character. This is a helpful tool for character description as well. Post-treatment survey: Give it to 2 or 3 friends to read and ask for brutally honest feedback. Amend and clarify. Now you've got a treatment. Basically, we should understand the world, the characters, their motivation and the plot. If you do that in 3 pages, cool. If you do it in 20, cool. FYI, James Cameron's treatment for Terminator was 47 pages. Good luck.
Steven, I have the book. too. Staring right at me and what do I do? I go to the internet. :) Thank you gentlemen...
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Hi Joleene, before I respond, what will you be using this "treatment" for?
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Try to check out: https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting/Do-i-need-a-tretment-for-my...
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While you are at it, you might want to create a logline and a one-sheet.
Thanks, all. I have the log line and one-sheet. I just want to make sure I put together a treatment that is satisfactory to executives. I see so many different styles and concepts and ideas and page numbers and so on.
Regina, full-length screenplay, comedy, drama. And thank you for posting the thread. I read it earlier. :) I wanted to make sure I searched the site for solution before I started another. It seems, according to that thread and posts online, I may not need a treatment. Yet...I may, and it doesn't hurt to have one. So essentially it looks like I need to take my notes, all of your suggestions, the Screenwriters Bible and a few examples to write one that speaks to my audience and that I feel good about. It doesn't look like there is a 'wrong' way. Just gets cloudy with so many examples, suggestions, do's and dont's. I genuinely appreciate your feedback and the time you all gave me. Thank you.
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Hi Joleene, please check out my response to that other thread. "Treatment" implies that you do not have a script written yet. In the pros, a Treatment is an interim step between Idea and Script. I wouldn't recommend that you write a Tment if you're going to US buyers.
Ahhhh.....You just made a huge light bulb go off. Thank you, Regina. So, if they wanted to see something before the script, that would be the synopsis/logline info?
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@Joleene, bingo.
@Joleene, US only. Other countries use Tments more than we do.
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Seriously, read the other post.
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SEE: http://www.movieoutline.com/articles/how-to-write-a-treatment.html I think this has a pretty excellent and definitive answer regarding treatments...(suggesting 2-5 pages max) though I usually only want first to see loglines....then one-sheets...