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| Definition of Treatment from Wikipedia |
This treatment process somehow related to developing synopsis. A synopsis can be a story guide for writing your screenplay, to be be written afterward the final draft of the script; or after establishing the idea.
A synopsis with several paragraphs in 1-2 pages (approx. 550 words) is turning into a treatment when a studio would ask a writer to read a novel the studio had optioned or purchased and to write down how he or she would treat the novel as a screenplay. Treatments are in a short story format and typically about 40 pages long.
Having a treatment is more common in tv, where a head writer assigns members of a team to write specific scenes; that keeps everyone in the same story - but still not a coverage (the story notes written by a production company reader when evaluating a screenplay).
How to Work with Treatment
- alternative the treatment into scene cards, typically handwritten on 3×5 index cards.
- each story beat in a screenplay is written on one card to represent one scene in the film, representing about two and a half minutes of screen time
- for a 100-page screenplay (approx. 100 minutes of screen time); = 40 scene cards
- there aren’t so many 120-minute movies anymore.
Sample 5 Scene Cards for a Film
- Los Angeles Koreatown – Night: Lot, carrying The Book of Z in his briefcase, is ambushed by Gasso and his henchmen ninjas.
- Max’s Apt. – Night: Max yells out the window, “Leave that old man alone!”.
- Koreatown – Night: Max races to fight and touches The Book. Gasso scared away by fire engine.
- Max’s Apt. – Night: Lot washes up. Max phones Lot’s suspicious daughter Nichi.
- Palace of Tae Kwon Do – Night: Gasso rallies ninjas, “Attack!”
Each scene cards as one document, like the above, it becomes a step outline.
Develop the Summary
Sample
One-paragraph summary of Transformer
For centuries, two races of robotic aliens – the Autobots and the Decepticons – have waged a war, with the fate of the universe at stake. When the battle comes to Earth, all that stands between the evil Decepticons and ultimate power is a clue held by young Sam Witwicky. An average teenager, Sam is consumed with everyday worries about school, friends, cars and girls. Unaware that he alone is mankind’s last chance for survival, Sam and his friend Mikaela find themselves in a tug of war between the Autobots and Decepticons. With the world hanging in the balance, Sam comes to realize the true meaning behind the Witwicky family motto – “No sacrifice, no victory!”
A shorter-summary of Beowulf
In a legendary time of heroes, the mighty warrior Beowulf battles the demon Grendel and incurs the hellish wrath of the beast’s ruthlessly seductive mother. Their epic clash forges the timeless legend of Beowulf.
Or, even a brief summary of Chicken Run
In this escape movie parody, the hens of Tweedy Farm form an elaborate plan to breakout of their chicken coop prison.
Note the logline set expectations by naming the genre first.
Empowering Synopsis
Sample from Balls of Fury:
[HERO] Down-and-out former professional Ping-Pong phenom Randy Daytona is sucked into this maelstrom when [SIDEKICK] FBI Agent Rodriguez [INCITING INCIDENT] recruits him [MISSION] for a secret mission. Randy is [PERSONAL GOAL] determined to bounce back and [REDEMPTION] recapture his former glory, and to [JUSTICE] smoke out his father’s killer, one of the [AUTHORITY] FBI’s Most Wanted, [VILLIAN] arch-fiend Feng.[OBSTACLE] But, after two decades out of the game, Randy can’t turn his life around and avenge his father’s murder without a team of his own. [TEAM] He calls upon the spiritual guidance of [MENTOR] blind Ping-Pong sage and restaurateur Wong, and the training expertise of Master Wong’s [LOVE INTEREST] wildly sexy niece [FAMILY] Maggie, both of whom also have a [SECRET] dark history with Feng.[LOCATION] All roads lead to Feng’s mysterious jungle compound and [BATTLE] the most unique Ping-Pong tournaments ever staged. There, Randy faces [ADVERSARIES] such formidable players as his long-ago Olympics opponent, the still-vicious [NEMESIS] Karl Wolfschtagg. [QUESTION] Can Randy keep his eye on the balls? [QUESTION] Will he achieve the redemption he craves while wielding a paddle? [QUESTION] Is his backhand strong enough to triumph over rampant wickedness?
This complete Balls of Fury synopsis is only 3 paragraphs long. And, it’s a teaser. It ends on a question rather than explicitly stating the ending.
- A synopsis need not take long to write
- can save you time when writing your screenplay.
- helps to be clear about story.
- help to decide if even want to write a particular screenplay.
Scene cards or a step outline
- can also be written quickly
- may help most in the second or third act where writers without a firm idea of their story often get lost.
- at 40 pages, creating a treatment is a much bigger investment.
- need to consider whether really need it, or whether synopsis or scene cards are enough to guide.
