Question 1

What is a visual treatment of film?

Anna Keizer · Accepted Answer

A film treatment is a present-tense third-person prose telling of the story of a script. In many ways, a film treatment resembles a story as it would be told in a novel or other similar medium.

Question 2

How long is a film treatment?

Anna Keizer · Accepted Answer

There is no set page length for a film treatment. That being said, the reasons why a Screenwriter would craft a film treatment can impact its length.
If a Screenwriter is crafting a treatment to help clarify the script’s story for themselves, it might be 10 to 12 pages in length. If they’re writing it to pass along to others who might be interested in the script but not wanting to read all 100 pages of it, the film treatment might be two to three pages. If it’s a studio or production company that is seriously interested in producing the script, a treatment could be upwards of 20 pages or more to provide enough story details for the studio or production company to decide if they want to make the film.

Question 3

What is the difference between a synopsis and a treatment?

Anna Keizer · Accepted Answer

Some people may think of a film treatment as a synopsis, but it is generally too long to be considered one. A synopsis is usually a paragraph or two at most that concisely gives an overview of the script’s story. Even though a film treatment is considerably shorter than the script itself, it typically contains several key plot points and details that could not fit into a shorter synopsis.

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How to Write a Film Treatment