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.

Question 4

What goes in a film treatment?

Anna Keizer · Accepted Answer

A film treatment is a present tense, third person, prose version of your script. Though the length of it can vary, it’s primarily meant to be a condensed storytelling document, so it’s important to stick to the basics of your screenplay. That means inclusion of only major characters and plot lines.

Question 5

Why do you need a film treatment?

Anna Keizer · Accepted Answer

A film treatment serves dual purposes. First, it can give you as the Screenwriter a map of where your story should go so that you don’t get sidetracked when you’re writing that 100-page script. Second, it is a valuable document that you can share with others who may be interested in your story idea but not ready to commit to reading the feature script version of it.

Question 6

What is the difference between a film outline and treatment?

Anna Keizer · Accepted Answer

A film outline is typically meant strictly for the Screenwriter’s eyes. (In some cases, the Writer’s Manager or Agent may also see it.) An outline can also be significantly longer than a treatment, which often comes in at 10 pages or less. The formatting of an outline also differs from that of a film treatment with the latter written in prose.

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How to Write a Film Treatment