Why screenwriters need to master treatment writing

Why screenwriters need to master treatment writing

Screen writers need to learn how to write exciting, intriguing and pulse pounding treatments. More often then not, someone interested in your pitch will be more inclined to read a 5 page treatment over a 120 page script.

Also, someone interested in your story  after hearing your  snazzy logline must ensure that the story doesn’t fall flat. Your script’s logline may be high concept, but it’s the execution of the story that matters. Loglines may get you in the door but it’s the story that gets the signed paycheck.

Filmmakers who write and produce their one work need to have a kick ass synopsis of a good treatment for film festivals, for the media and for distributors. It’s a must.

Treatments vary in size from 2 pages to 10+ pages including snippets of dialog and  more detailed set pieces.  I prefer a 3 page treatment first because it forces me to leave out all the unnecessary minutia that works well it’s acted out on screen but not within a summary. In short, it forces me to condense my shit.

To begin writing a treatment start with the major story points. First scene, Introduction of main characters, situation setup, first act break, mid point conflict, second act break, resolution, complication,  conclusion, outro. Then expound and build from there.

So, while your thinking about treatments take a look at my treatment here:

http://www.juntoboxfilms.com/projects/deterrence-theory

There is no fate but what we make

If you’ve been following my journey you’ll know I’ve been working through an organization to submit fresh ideas to NBCUniversal and its affiliate cable networks.

While most of my energy has been to create, develop and write ideas for the cable channels I’ve always held the belief that network was where it’s at. Who wouldn’t want to see their series airing before Community or after Grimm?

Obviously the needs of network TV are different than cable, and my focus on the more approachable networks let nothing for the major network, which is in need of a major programming overhaul.

After grinding the past few days on a new crop of submissions I started thinking about ideas that might fit USA or NBC. Nada.

Then an image came to me. It was a logo for one of the biggest brands in the US. I mauled this logo using one of THE most generic phrases and then the logline started taking shape.

A few hours later I’m watching Fairly Legal and WHAM! The main character starts talking about MY SHOW and its RIGHT NOW concept. That was it. I sat down and wrote out a a synopsis of what the show is about. Now I can start filtering ideas and characters thru the logline filter and let her rip.

This is going to be fun. Channel 4 here I come. There is no fate but what we make.

Random pics from the NBCUniversal Lot & Globe Theater

Wednesday I attended a meeting with the IFTA and NBCUniversal regarding the networks development needs for future programming.  There was a goldmine of information disseminated from the following affiliates:

NBC (scripted drama, scripted comedy, unscripted), Bravo, Oxygen, Sprout, mun2, Style, USA Network (scripted and reality), SyFy (scripted and reality) E!, G4 (nonfiction), Chiller, and Cloo (formerly Sleuth)

My brain is still swimming and spinning from the information and opportunities that will present themselves within the next six months.  The meeting came at a great time after a meeting with Untitled Entertainment last week to pitch potential TV series ideas, which I am now fine-tuning to work with the needs of the networks listed above.

Unfortunately I really cannot say too much about the meeting right now, but enjoy these pictures from the event.

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The Meter is Running.

Today the productivity meter stayed in the black despite my sitting down to watch a second hip hop documentary in two days.  I thoroughly enjoyed the doc on rapper Missy Elliot, Supa-Dupa-Fly.  Yesterday I watched the life and times of Death Row Records.

However, due to a late night last night, I had sufficient time to complete and tweak preliminary concepts for three TV series for Untitled Entertainment, as per my previous blog post here.  Rather than play the mysterious card and omit 99% of the information I’ll drop some code names for the projects.  One TV series concept is called “Miranda,” the other is called “Angel” and the last is called “Ariana.”  The code names tie in with my preference for writing roles for women.

The big deal today for me was upgrading to Final Cut Pro 7 on my MacBook despite not having the requisite 128MB of VRAM.  I ran a few Google searches and found a hack that allowed me to install the program and open a personal FCP project for “Resurrection of Serious Rogers,” my neo-noir thriller.

Install Final Cut Studio on Macs with less than 128MB VRAM. While it may not run too well, it is possible to get Final Cut Studio 3 to install with less than the ‘required’ 128MB VRAM.

Control-click on the installer package alias and choose Show Original from the pop-up menu. Control-click the original installer and choose Show Package Contents from the pop-up menu. Navigate into the Contents » Resources folder. Control-click on the Requirements Checker and choose Show Package Contents from the pop-up menu. Navigate into the Contents » Resources folder, and then open minsys.plist with Property List Editor, the default (requires Xcode).

Change the value of AELMinimumVRAM from 128 to 64 (or less if you have even less VRAM). The installer will now run normally.  After installing, Control-click on the Final Cut Pro.app in /Applications and choose Show Package Contents from the pop-up menu. Navigate into Contents » Resources folder. Open the mimsys.plist file found there, and make the same change as above. Repeat for all the Final Cut Studio apps you have installed.

I have to admit, being the control freak I am about my projects, it’s been tough not having ready access to the footage.

The rest of the day I spent mentally preparing for a morning meeting with NBCUniversal, as I mentioned earlier.  I’m really excited about this meeting because it’s one thing to develop a good TV series pilot on spec.  It’s another thing entirely to know what type of series a network needs and develop a good TV series pilot based on an existing need.