| screenwriters make the mistake of developing | | | | reorganizing 10 to 15 pages of story content is |
| their storyline as they write their screenplay which | | | | fairly simple compared to reorganizing 90 pages |
| is a huge mistake. Don't be one of those writers! | | | | of a finished screenplay! |
| Are you the creative type? Does your imagination | | | | A final treatment is integral to completing your |
| flow abundantly with ideas, plots, and colorful | | | | screenplay. You'll need to work all the bugs out of |
| characters? If so, you've probably given more | | | | the story before you start writing the first page |
| than a passing thought to building a career as a | | | | of the actual script. The more time you invest |
| screenwriter. While it may seem easy enough, | | | | into troubleshooting the treatment, the better |
| especially when you consider the simple format of | | | | your final script will be. It's as simple as that. |
| screenplays, the fact is a screenwriting career is | | | | Once you have the treatment complete, the |
| one of the toughest career choices a person can | | | | actual process of writing the screenplay shouldn't |
| make! | | | | take you more than a dozen hours. Most likely it |
| A screenplay-writing career has some very | | | | will take much less time because with a properly |
| obvious perks. For one, you'll get to fraternize | | | | edited treatment in your hand, the creation of the |
| with celebrities. And if your script gets | | | | screenplay will require simply retyping the story |
| transformed into a major motion picture, you will | | | | into the proper format. |
| garner a little fame yourself. You will also get paid | | | | If you don't know how to properly format a |
| a truck load of money for your script. Those | | | | screenplay, all you need to do is look around on |
| benefits seem pretty nice, don't they? And that's | | | | the internet. You will find plenty of free |
| probably why many young writers head to | | | | information that explains industry standards for a |
| Hollywood every year with the idealistic hopes of | | | | properly formatted screenplay. And even those |
| writing the next blockbuster and cashing in on the | | | | standards are loose, particularly when it comes to |
| celebrity lifestyle. | | | | a screenplay with an engaging storyline - if your |
| Before you dive head first into the screenwriting | | | | storyline is great, the screenplay's format |
| world, you need to know one thing: a screenplay | | | | becomes much less important. |
| is a tool for the producer, director, actors, and | | | | A perfect screenplay is a perfectly assembled |
| editors - it's not a work of art! It's not a novel or | | | | storyline. The scenes not only make sense but |
| an award winning play. It's a production tool for | | | | they are all necessary to the development of the |
| everyone to use that is involved in making the | | | | story. They are arranged in the perfect order. |
| film. And the most important aspect of that tool | | | | There are no missing details or instances of |
| is the storyline. Without a properly crafted | | | | ambiguity. It's important that your screenplay be |
| storyline, your screenplay won't be worth the | | | | in perfect form before you present it to anyone |
| paper it's printed on. | | | | for review. |
| What comes before the screenplay? The | | | | If you want to learn more about screenwriting, |
| storyline! What comes before the storyline? A | | | | the simplest method is to watch a great movie |
| treatment! What is a treatment? A treatment is a | | | | over and over again. You should also get your |
| condensed, first person accounting of the story | | | | hands on a few screenplays and study them. The |
| from beginning to end. Most treatments are no | | | | more you read, the more you'll learn. The more |
| longer than 10 to 15 pages. The purpose of | | | | you watch, the more you'll learn. Thanks for |
| writing a treatment is to simply get your story | | | | reading and good luck with your screenwriting |
| down on paper and to allow for simplified editing; | | | | endeavors! |