Movie treatment is a document that provides a thorough guide that outlines how the screenwriter would adapt your book into a developed screenplay.
It is the first process of drafting a movie screenplay. Treatment ensures that the author and the screenwriter are on the same page regarding the flow of the story. It is mainly in prose style and present tense and emphasizes the crucial information of the movie.
Importance
Movie treatment lays out the structure of the story of the author. It helps writers flesh out the characters and identify each character’s importance. It also helps identify the story’s missing parts and plot holes.
Also, it prevents the creative energy of the writer from being wasted. To evaluate the value of the story and whether the idea is worth investing in by producers and studio executives.
Elements
- Title
- Logline. Brief description of the premise of the story.
- Summary of the Plot.
- Key Characters. Description and breakdown of the characters. There should be an inclusion of their arch and development in the story.
Length of Movie Treatment
Writing a treatment depends entirely on the writer’s side. The writer may opt to write about a single page or more than fifty pages. However, to keep the interest of the possible investors, keeping the number of pages to about two to five pages will do great.