Writing a treatment at DVinfo.net

K. Forman · June 17th, 2003, 08:16 AM

Hello all-
I am currently in the process of writing a feature length screenplay for a low budget indie. At this point, I should probably be securing permissions to use likenesses, as this is a spoof. How would I go about writing a treatment to send to the people who own the character likeness rights?

Keith Loh · June 17th, 2003, 09:47 AM

I don't see how you would write it differently than any other treatment.

K. Forman · June 17th, 2003, 11:32 AM

I wouldn't know a treatment if it bit me on my bum. I always had troubles writing synopsis, reports, etc.- anything with a structured format... and I don't play well with others, either :)

Keith Loh · June 17th, 2003, 01:22 PM

There's no set format for a treatment. Basically, you are just telling the story of the film as if it were a short story. You just have to make sure that it is structured in three acts and you describe all the major characters and plotpoints and covering each scene. The length is also quite variable. You can have a treatment that is 18 or one that is forty pages.

Something shorter is a summary. A summary is usually no longer than five pages and covers the same ground as the treatment but with only the major plotpoints, without having to cover each scene. Also written as prose.

You might want to consider sending a summary if the people you are portraying are major enough that they would appear in that summary.

Regardless, you may have to write a summary, treatment and the script in case whoeever it is asks for them. You will likely not get approval for anything unless the actual script is shown. I know a lawyer would ask for that.

Philip Boyer · June 17th, 2003, 01:53 PM

This link is to a good column on treatments by Terry Rossio (one of the writers of the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean among many others). Within the column are links to sample treatments.

http://www.wordplayer.com/columns/wp37.Proper.Treatment.html

K. Forman · June 17th, 2003, 03:56 PM

Thanks for the info and link. What I have planned is a spoof. Some of the characters will have similarities to characters from other movies, set in similar situations, only "Rednecked up a mite" :)

Two of the characters tend to hang out in front of the convenience store.
Inside the store, are the two clerks, the main characters.
There is a black robed stalker
Wanted posters of famous killers from other movies.
A State Police Capt... That has a speech... problem...
A smoking cowboy on his horse
Comparrison to a Horror spoof by that black comedian, writer, actor and his family
A dog and a bunch of kids
A Big Foot
An Alien
Elvis

And possibly cows.

Did I mention it's a Comedy/Thriller?

Rob Wilson · June 17th, 2003, 04:05 PM

Wow Keith, you been smokin something that washed up on the beach lately? Just kidding, sounds like it's got great potential!

Keith Loh · June 17th, 2003, 04:15 PM

I tend to think it falls under parody and therefore is fair use. Of course, Mel Brooks, the Zucker Bros. and the South Park creators may have really good lawyers too.

K. Forman · June 17th, 2003, 05:31 PM

"Mel Brooks, the Zucker Bros. and the South Park creators may have really good lawyers too."

I'll be sure to leave them alone then! :)

June 17th, 2003, 08:16 AM	#1
K. Forman Capt. Quirk Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle of the woods in Georgia Posts: 3,596	Writing a treatment Hello all- I am currently in the process of writing a feature length screenplay for a low budget indie. At this point, I should probably be securing permissions to use likenesses, as this is a spoof. How would I go about writing a treatment to send to the people who own the character likeness rights?

June 17th, 2003, 09:47 AM	#2
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	I don't see how you would write it differently than any other treatment. __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

June 17th, 2003, 01:22 PM	#4
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	There's no set format for a treatment. Basically, you are just telling the story of the film as if it were a short story. You just have to make sure that it is structured in three acts and you describe all the major characters and plotpoints and covering each scene. The length is also quite variable. You can have a treatment that is 18 or one that is forty pages. Something shorter is a summary. A summary is usually no longer than five pages and covers the same ground as the treatment but with only the major plotpoints, without having to cover each scene. Also written as prose. You might want to consider sending a summary if the people you are portraying are major enough that they would appear in that summary. Regardless, you may have to write a summary, treatment and the script in case whoeever it is asks for them. You will likely not get approval for anything unless the actual script is shown. I know a lawyer would ask for that. __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

June 17th, 2003, 01:53 PM	#5
Philip Boyer Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Carrollton, Texas Posts: 141	Treatment Examples This link is to a good column on treatments by Terry Rossio (one of the writers of the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean among many others). Within the column are links to sample treatments. http://www.wordplayer.com/columns/wp37.Proper.Treatment.html __________________ Philip Boyer

June 17th, 2003, 04:15 PM	#8
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	I tend to think it falls under parody and therefore is fair use. Of course, Mel Brooks, the Zucker Bros. and the South Park creators may have really good lawyers too. __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

June 17th, 2003, 11:32 AM	#3
K. Forman Capt. Quirk Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle of the woods in Georgia Posts: 3,596	I wouldn't know a treatment if it bit me on my bum. I always had troubles writing synopsis, reports, etc.- anything with a structured format... and I don't play well with others, either :)

June 17th, 2003, 03:56 PM	#6
K. Forman Capt. Quirk Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle of the woods in Georgia Posts: 3,596	Thanks for the info and link. What I have planned is a spoof. Some of the characters will have similarities to characters from other movies, set in similar situations, only "Rednecked up a mite" :) Two of the characters tend to hang out in front of the convenience store. Inside the store, are the two clerks, the main characters. There is a black robed stalker Wanted posters of famous killers from other movies. A State Police Capt... That has a speech... problem... A smoking cowboy on his horse Comparrison to a Horror spoof by that black comedian, writer, actor and his family A dog and a bunch of kids A Big Foot An Alien Elvis And possibly cows. Did I mention it's a Comedy/Thriller?

June 17th, 2003, 04:05 PM	#7
Rob Wilson Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 473	Wow Keith, you been smokin something that washed up on the beach lately? Just kidding, sounds like it's got great potential!

June 17th, 2003, 05:31 PM	#9
K. Forman Capt. Quirk Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle of the woods in Georgia Posts: 3,596	"Mel Brooks, the Zucker Bros. and the South Park creators may have really good lawyers too." I'll be sure to leave them alone then! :)