Coming up with an amazing concept for a film or TV show is great, finishing the script is even better, but if you don’t know how to sell that idea – it’s all going to be for nothing.

It’s important to remember that the film industry is a business, and as a result, selling matters. A lot. Your concept is only ever going to be as good as your pitch is, and if you are lucky enough to get an invitation to share your screenplay with a producer or studio, you better be prepared.

Part of that preparation is having a killer script treatment ready to send.

A treatment can come into play at any point before production and can easily be the difference between a rejected or a green-lit project.

If you’re ready to learn what a script treatment is and how to write one (with an example), then keep reading.

What is a Script Treatment

A script treatment is a document that contains everything someone would need to know about a script without actually reading it. The treatment is typically around 10 pages long and contains an overview of the story, characters, and full plot summary written narratively instead of in a screenplay format.

The treatment will serve as a tool for pitching a project to producers, directors, and studios before they green-light moving it forward into screenwriting or production.

So the treatment is extremely important.

Not only must it condense your film’s plot and characters into only 10 pages, but it must capture the essence of the project, conveying exactly what makes it unique and special, and leave a reader feeling exactly as you hope they would as the end credits roll in the cinema.

Components of a Film Treatment

In order to start writing a treatment, you need to have a comprehensive grasp of each of the key components, as well as any additional sections that may apply to your project.

Title

Pretty self-explanatory! If you don’t have the perfect title just yet, use your favourite possibility followed by (WT) to indicate that it’s a Working Title.

Logline

Possibly the most difficult part of a treatment. You need to capture the plot, lead character, and tone all within ONE SENTENCE. This logline should give a reader a taste of what this movie is and a rough idea of its shape but also leave them wanting more.

Concept

A 200-300 word statement to cover the film’s tone, genre, style, and mission in a broad overview of the story. This section should not just be another plot summary, but instead work to create the backbone of why this film is important, different, and needs to be made. Make sure to include tone and themes in this section.

Character Breakdowns

Pull out the most important characters in your project and write a brief paragraph on each. Include their age, personality, a small amount of backstory, and any pertinent relationships to other characters. You want to paint a picture in the reader’s mind of this character so that they can more seamlessly slip into the summary.

Summary

This should be split into a classic three-act structure and written in a narrative voice instead of using a screenplay format. This section should be purely about plot, structure, and characters so veer away from any mention of cinematography or editing.

Think about the summary as a short story. You want to be descriptive enough to bring the world to life in the reader’s mind, making sure not to get lost in too much flowery or poetic language.

The summary will usually be between 6 and 8 pages in length so there is plenty of room for detail. I recommend splitting each scene into a short paragraph to make for an easier reading experience.

Components of a TV Treatment

TV Treatments can be slightly different from Film Treatments. You will most likely be pitching the Pilot episode and accompanying script, with a rough knowledge of what will happen later in the series.

Title

Both the Season Title and the Pilot Title can be included.

Logline

Craft a logline for the Pilot episode only. Don’t give away too much of the greater season plot and try to leave the reader on a cliffhanger.

Format

Shows come in all shapes and sizes. Use this TV-specific section to describe the TV genre, length, and whether the show is intended to be serialised or episodic.

Show Concept

Give a 300-400 word overview of the show as a whole that includes the story, style, and tone. Explore the overarching themes of the season and give some direction to the conflict and resolution still to come.

Character Breakdowns

Introduce the characters as they are at the start of the Pilot episode with a brief description and backstory. Hint at how they may change and develop throughout the season and try and mention some of their individual strengths and weaknesses.

Pilot Summary

A longer synopsis of the Pilot episode written in prose. Be detailed and allow for at least 4 pages to dissect the plot. This does not need to be in the three-act structure but should be broken down into scene-by-scene sections.

Episode Breakdowns

Using a paragraph per episode, outline the central plot and character developments in each of the remaining episodes. These do not need to be perfectly polished and may be used more as ‘example episodes’ to give readers a rough idea of future episodes and season direction.

Script Treatment Example

Title

Remember Me? (WT)

Logline

Hotshot CEO TYRELL (20s) must balance his career, employees, and family when an ex-lover FIONA SMITH (30s) reappears in need of money, making it clear she is willing to go to any lengths to get it.

Concept

Life is already on overdrive for Tyrell, a CEO and author with huge career opportunities, a conflicting board, and a need to be a present husband and Father. Pressure from his company, marriage, and publishers is beginning to grow, and the last thing Tyrell needs is for an ex-lover to re-enter his life with a sex tape, in desperate need of money. Fiona, a stripper/single mother, will stop at nothing to get the funds to be reunited with her son, and that includes blackmail. Tyrell’s carefully curated life begins to crumble around him, revealing that no one is without sin and forcing him to learn that his dreams are not the only ones that matter.

Summary

Act 1

In flashback, TYRELL (late 20s), stands shirtless in front of a hotel mirror in Miami. He hears a woman calling him from the bedroom, places a black spandex mask over his face, and exits the bathroom.

In the present day, FIONA SMITH (30s) finishes her shift at the strip club and counts her money in the dressing room. Another dancer, YASMIN (20s) jokingly asks Fiona to leave some for the rest of them next time. Fiona gets in her car and drives home, a toy tractor left by her son GREYSON (11) in the back seat. As she pulls into her street, Fiona spots police cars waiting outside of her house. She quickly parks and runs down the driveway to find Child Protective Services carrying Greyson out of the house. An agent, CLAIRE GODDEN (40s) tells Fiona that CPS received a tip-off that Greyson had been left home alone and that she would be contacted shortly on the next steps in the case. Fiona phones her babysitter to ask what had happened, and the babysitter replies that she just stepped out to make a run. Devastated, Fiona lies down in Greyson’s bedroom, sobbing.

Elsewhere, Tyrell (now late 30s) having become an established CEO, attends his book launch with manager MARISSA (40s) who raises a toast to Tyrell’s success. Tyrell steps up to give a speech, thanking his wife, JULIA (30s), co-founder CHARLES (40s), and ELIZA (60s) his assistant. Marissa compliments Tyrell on the opening chapters of his new book and asks how he is feeling but Tyrell can only respond that he isn’t sure. Julia is upset that Tyrell didn’t first show her the book chapters before sending them to Marissa. Charles jokingly jabs at Tyrell that the next book should be easier as he doesn’t have to create new characters, but he responds that he enjoyed that part of writing the most. That night Tyrell asks Julia if she wants to talk about what happened but she turns off her lamp by way of response.

Script Treatment Dos and Don’ts

There’s a lot to get your head around when it comes to script treatments. This style of writing can be new and unfamiliar to many screenwriters, directors, or producers, and with the stakes at an all-time high, mistakes can be critical.

Do:

• Be passionate in your writing. Get the reader as excited as you are to tell this story.
• Clearly outline your characters, their motivations, and the film’s central conflict.
• Keep the story moving. You want the synopsis in particular to read like a movie meaning it should be easy to read and seamlessly move from paragraph to paragraph.

Don’t:

• Get caught up in subplots and every minor character. These can be mentioned in passing, but the focus of the treatment should be on the major plot and protagonists.
• Rely on dialogue. There should be almost no direct dialogue used in the treatment and synopsis. This is the prime moment to practice ‘show don’t tell’.
• Refer to elements outside of the story like cinematography or editing. Visual references can be made during a pitch deck, the treatment is a story-focused document.

If you’ve reached the screenwriting step of the production process, check out Screenwriting 101: Formatting Elements to perfect the technical side of the screenplay ahead of starting.

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