The format, when you write screenplays, treatments and the like is much different than when you write for a newspaper, magazine or author a novel. The entire Hollywood scene has its own set of structure and procedure. To learn all that it entails is exhausting and at the same time filled with excitement and anticipation.
As I sat today with the components of a ‘treatment’ in front of me it was actually a great relief. A treatment tells the story with a focus on the highlights, outlines the characters and is used as a marketing tool. From what I can tell it’s a good skill to have, much like an author’s ‘pitch’ an excellent treatment can sell a screenplay because a producer, director or actor doesn’t have to read an entire 110 page scr
eenplay to get an idea if they will like the project or not.
A treatment should read like a short story and include the ending, with a few key scenes and dialogue from the screenplay upon which it's based. It should be written in the three act structure (I had to look that up!) and include a synopsis and a log line (synopsis I knew – log line not so much).
I’m fortunate to have a good friend who’s a professional in the industry and is whipping me into shape. It’s excellent to have help mulling over scenes, characters and plot. Who knew it was a good idea to register your treatment and screenplay with the Writers Guild of America West? I do now.
I still have magnitudes to learn – I’ll keep you posted along the journey.
Copyright © 2008-2010 Susan R. Stoltz - Site Designed & Maintained by
Read or make comments for this article