Treatments

A treatment is a prose narrative that tells the story of your screenplay from beginning to end. It reads like a short story but focuses on plot, character arcs, and key dramatic moments rather than dialogue or scene-by-scene detail. Treatments are a critical step in the screenwriting process, allowing you to test the shape of your story before committing to the time-intensive work of drafting a script.

In the film industry, treatments serve dual purposes: they are a development tool for writers and a communication tool for pitching projects to producers, studios, and collaborators.

What a Treatment Includes

A treatment is not a simple summary — it is a narrative. It should read like a compelling short version of the film itself. Key elements include:

• The protagonist and their world — who the story is about and what their life looks like when the story begins
• The inciting incident — the event that disrupts the status quo and launches the central conflict
• Rising action — the escalating obstacles, complications, and stakes the protagonist faces
• Key turning points — moments that shift the story's direction, including the midpoint and "all is lost" moment
• The climax — the final confrontation or decisive moment that resolves the central conflict
• The resolution — how the story ends and what has changed

Notably, a treatment includes the ending. Unlike a pitch, which may tease the outcome, a treatment reveals how the story concludes. Readers need to see the full arc to evaluate it.

Types of Treatments

Short Treatment (2–5 pages)

A compact version that hits the major plot points and character arcs. Often used early in development to test a concept. Focuses on the spine of the story without subplots or nuanced character detail.

Standard Treatment (8–15 pages)

The most common format. Tells the full story with moderate detail, including major subplots, character development, and key scenes. This is typically what producers and development executives expect.

Detailed Treatment (20–30 pages)

An expanded version that approaches the detail level of a scene outline. Includes detailed scene descriptions, character motivations, and sometimes suggested dialogue. Used for complex narratives or when a writer wants to work through the story at a granular level before drafting.

How to Write a Treatment

Step 1: Start with Your Logline

Your logline is the seed from which the treatment grows. Revisit it before you begin writing to ensure your treatment delivers on its promise.

Step 2: Use the Three-Act Structure as a Guide

Organize your treatment around the three-act structure:

• Act One (roughly the first 20–25% of the treatment) — introduce the protagonist, the world, and the inciting incident
• Act Two (the middle 50%) — escalate the conflict, introduce subplots, and build toward the midpoint and the "all is lost" moment
• Act Three (the final 25%) — deliver the climax and resolution

Step 3: Write in Present Tense, Third Person

Treatments are written in present tense, as if describing events happening now. Use third person. This matches the convention of screenplays and gives the treatment a cinematic quality.

Step 4: Focus on Cause and Effect

Every event in your treatment should feel like a consequence of the previous event. Avoid "and then" storytelling — aim for "because" storytelling. Because the protagonist made this choice, this consequence followed, which forced this new decision.

Step 5: Include Character Arcs

Do not just describe what happens — describe how the protagonist changes. A treatment should show the character's internal journey alongside the external plot. What do they believe at the beginning? What do they believe at the end? What experiences force the transformation?

Step 6: Write the Ending

Do not leave the ending vague. A strong treatment commits to a conclusion. You can always change it later, but writing the ending forces you to understand what the story is building toward.

Example Treatment Outline

Consider how a treatment for a familiar film might be structured:

The Shawshank Redemption (1994) — Abbreviated Treatment Excerpt

In 1947, banker Andy Dufresne is wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife and sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary. Quiet and reserved, Andy struggles to adapt to the brutal world of prison. He befriends Red, an inmate who can "get things," and slowly begins to make a life for himself behind bars.

Over the following years, Andy uses his financial expertise to help the warden and guards with their taxes, earning protection and privilege. But when Andy discovers evidence that could prove his innocence, the warden has it destroyed to keep Andy's services. Andy's hope is nearly extinguished.

After nineteen years, Andy escapes through a tunnel he has spent decades digging. He exposes the warden's corruption and starts a new life in Mexico. Red is eventually paroled and joins Andy, fulfilling a promise they made years earlier.

This abbreviated version captures the protagonist, the conflict, the stakes, the turning points, and the resolution.

Common Treatment Mistakes

Omitting the Ending

Some writers fear committing to an ending or want to preserve the "surprise." This defeats the purpose of a treatment. Readers need the full arc.

Overloading with Detail

A treatment is not a first draft. Avoid writing full dialogue exchanges or describing every camera angle. Focus on the narrative spine.

Ignoring Subplots

While the main plot should dominate, key subplots deserve mention — especially when they affect the protagonist's arc or the central conflict.

Writing in Passive Voice

Treatments should feel active and urgent. Use strong verbs. "The protagonist decides to confront the antagonist" is stronger than "It is decided that a confrontation will take place."

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a treatment before writing a screenplay?

It is not strictly necessary, but it is highly recommended. A treatment forces you to confront structural problems, character inconsistencies, and pacing issues before you have invested weeks or months in a first draft.

Should treatments include dialogue?

Minimally. A line or two of dialogue can capture a character's voice or a pivotal moment, but treatments should rely on prose narrative, not dialogue exchanges.

How long does it take to write a treatment?

For a feature film, expect to spend one to four weeks on a treatment, depending on the complexity of the story and your familiarity with the material. Some treatments go through multiple drafts.

Can a treatment change after it is written?

Absolutely. A treatment is a living document. As you develop the screenplay, you may discover better ideas, stronger character choices, or more effective structural beats. Revise the treatment as needed.

Next Steps

Once your treatment is complete, the next step is to break it down into specific dramatic moments:

• Beat Sheets — extract the key beats from your treatment into a structured list
• Outlining — expand your treatment into a scene-by-scene writing plan
• Writing Loglines — revisit your logline to ensure it still aligns with your treatment
• Story Structure — refine your treatment using structural models like the three-act structure or the Hero's Journey
• Character Development — deepen the characters that your treatment has introduced