What is a treatment?
⢠Prose description of the story written in the present tense
⢠Like a short story, emphasizing the action happening now
⢠Dialogue is summarized, rarely spelled out
⢠Focus on external action â what the audience SEES
⢠Crucial = choose action VERBS
Do you have a hook?
⢠Something to bring the audience in to the story emotionally
⢠Get the viewer to bond with the protagonist & want what they want: a promotion at work, an apology,
vengeance against a bully, a cute girl
⢠More compelling if you start with ACTION & explain back story later
Does your character have a story goal?
⢠Is it specific or vague/ethereal?
⢠The simpler and more focused it is the more the audience will side with the protagonist, e.g. ET wants to go
home
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xZif3WmG7I
Does your story have rising action?
⢠Increasing stakes that make the protagonist work for the goal
⢠Progressive complications: things must get worse before they get better
⢠Drama is about the unusual
⢠Ask yourself: what is the logical extreme of this characterâs action
⢠Apply the rule of 3 whereby things get: 1) somewhat worse then 2) a lot worse and finally 3) as bad as they
can get!
Is there an âor elseâ to your characterâs goal?
⢠What will happen if the antagonist succeeds in preventing the protagonist from reaching the goal?
⢠SHOW this âor elseâ visually & BE SPECIFIC
Sample Solution