treatment What I learned from the frustration of (re-)writing 2 page treatments

[mlesemann]

I'm working on a ghostwriting project that's about to (I think, hope, & expect) move to the next phase within the next few days: writing a rom com feature for a production company. Since the earlier phase is wrapping up successfully, it seems like a good time to share a little about the experience.

The production company requires a two page treatment that thoroughly describes the story, including LOTS of details about the 2nd act - which is where we all know screenplays go to die . The first 5 versions all came back with notes that, in one way or another, said: give us more detail about the 2nd act without losing what you're telling us about the 1st and 3rd or going beyond 2 pages (and no, you can't change the type face or margins). The 6th version looks (from preliminary feedback) like it will get us the greenlight to write the screenplay itself.

I'm sharing this because I learned a lot from this about creating a VERY tight but well-written treatment, including cutting out everything that isn't essential. This included descriptions that I love and considered essential to the reader "getting" the story - but really aren't. My sister is an English teacher & tutor who also works a lot with high school seniors on their college application essays. She was telling me recently that her mantra has become "think Hemingway not Faulkner." In other words, sparse language and tight sentences. I found that echoing in my head as I worked on these treatments over the past few months.

It's been a useful exercise that I'll try to repeat for myself going forward.

 

[Spike]

I'm sharing this because I learned a lot from this about creating a VERY tight but well-written treatment, including cutting out everything that isn't essential.

I absolutely get this. One of my favorite things to do, back in grad school, was writing a précis, defined here:

A précis is a brief summary of a book, article, speech, or other text.

The basic characteristics of an effective précis are conciseness, clarity, completeness, unity, and coherence. According to Barun K. Mitra, Ph.D., in "Effective Technical Communication: A Guide for Scientists and Engineers," "The most important task is to ensure that the original sequence of events and the flow of ideas remain unchanged." (Richard Nordquist, ThoughtCo,)

A good one takes a lot of time to get right, especially on a topic dense and idea-rich like, for example, critical theory, and when I would get one right, I would have a tremendous sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, a sense I had created something that was perfect.

 

[JMathews]

I'm working on a ghostwriting project that's about to (I think, hope, & expect) move to the next phase within the next few days: writing a rom com feature for a production company. Since the earlier phase is wrapping up successfully, it seems like a good time to share a little about the experience.

The production company requires a two page treatment that thoroughly describes the story, including LOTS of details about the 2nd act - which is where we all know screenplays go to die . The first 5 versions all came back with notes that, in one way or another, said: give us more detail about the 2nd act without losing what you're telling us about the 1st and 3rd or going beyond 2 pages (and no, you can't change the type face or margins). The 6th version looks (from preliminary feedback) like it will get us the greenlight to write the screenplay itself.

I'm sharing this because I learned a lot from this about creating a VERY tight but well-written treatment, including cutting out everything that isn't essential. This included descriptions that I love and considered essential to the reader "getting" the story - but really aren't. My sister is an English teacher & tutor who also works a lot with high school seniors on their college application essays. She was telling me recently that her mantra has become "think Hemingway not Faulkner." In other words, sparse language and tight sentences. I found that echoing in my head as I worked on these treatments over the past few months.

It's been a useful exercise that I'll try to repeat for myself going forward.

I would love to see a treatment as an example for myself and my students if there's one available to be shared.

 

[sfoster]

I absolutely get this. One of my favorite things to do, back in grad school, was writing a précis, defined here:


A good one takes a lot of time to get right, especially on a topic dense and idea-rich like, for example, critical theory, and when I would get one right, I would have a tremendous sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, a sense I had created something that was perfect.

Thats something that ChatGPT is pretty good at

 

[mlesemann]

I would love to see a treatment as an example for myself and my students if there's one available to be shared.

I wish I could but they're all covered by NDA's.