I remember reading about people writing out their storylines on Monster Zero, where they work on developing and writing and presenting virtual series. They commented here and there on people's different styles of (what they refer to as) storyboarding episodes. These "storyboards" are essentially treatments that they use to write from. They comment that some people write one sentence per scene, some do entire paragraphs, and some even include dialogue. Their bottom line was that it doesn't matter how they do it as long as they can write the episode.

Their complaint was people doing the treatments for other people to write from since the one-sentence guy didn't like the direction on person went with his sentences, even though he didn't give enough detail to guide the eventual writer through it. What's this saying? If you're using a treatment to write from, it should be complete enough to present the story in the fashion you want it presented.

Alright I've been reading all about treatments for a while. The only question is that how to write them? I tried to write on and I don't think that I did it right or something. Can someone explain how to do it or show me some good examples of it. I already looked at the ones here, but I'm still unclear on how to do it.

Here's a treatment for Batman: Year One by the greatest writers in film in my opnion, The Wachowski brothers.

http://leonscripts.users5.50megs.com/scripts/BATMANYEARONEproposal.htm

Thanks, I did do it right.

Thanks for asking this, weirdnjfan1! I was fixing to post this same thread.

You helped two people out, Guy.

-Chris

SS has a whole section devoted to treatments. Some of these are for finished features and some are for films that never came to light (like ET 2).

It is at http://www.simplyscripts.com/treatments.html. That should give you some light-to-heavy reading.

We used to have a Treatments board, but it has gone away. I would say questions about treatments would fit in this board, but if you want to post a treatment, you would place it in the WIP board.

Some info about writing a treatment is actually on a sticky of this Screenwriting Class board.

Hey, guys here is what I've picekd up from Done Deal/Scriptsales.com for you all about Step Outline:

Step Outline  

DARK PARK
by Sally Screenwriter

Act I

1)  Desert. Hot. A taxi cab cruises down a dirt road.

2) DRIVER swerves to miss tortoise in road.  This awakens the passenger, DEREK HOPKINS. He asks the driver how much further to carnival. Cabbie doesn't speak English.

3) A carney worker fixes the flap of the Big Top to "Annie's Amusement O'Rama."  Around the large tent are smaller tents which contain either food services or games.  Parked behind the tents are trucks and trailers.

4) The taxi cruises down the main street of the small Texas town.

5) The cab stops at the entrance to the park.  Derek pays the driver and walks toward the tents.

6) STEPHANIE WINTERS, a ticket taker, greets Derek.  She flirts with him.  He explains he is looking for work.  Stephanie directs him to the carnival's manager.

7) Derek finds HERB NORRIS, the rugged and surly manager.  Herb hires Derek to run the illegal card games for the "high rolling" locals.  But Derek must get final approval from owner in the morning.

Derek spends the night sleeping over with the animals in a pile of hay.

9)  In the morning, Derek is introduced to the owner, ANNIE DUNCAN.  It's his ex-girlfriend.  Derek is ready to walk but she convinces him to stay, knowing he'll make her a lot of money.  They agree to avoid each other as best as possible.

10)  Herb shows Derek the tent he'll be working in. Derek has to clean it out and set things up himself.  Everyone must carry their own weight, Herb explains. No exceptions.

11) Derek asks around the area for an extra table and a broom.

12) He meets JIMMY the "whipping boy" for the company.  Jimmy quickly explains the lay of the land. He also finds him all the stuff he needs to set up his tent.
  

    And so on....

I've seen a step outline used more for TV pilots and shows than feature scripts.

I use a step outline for myself, it helps me keep on track. (I call it a Point Form Treatment). I write all my notes in point form, so that's where I came up with the name and process. It wasn't until I read about Step Outlines that I realized something similar exists.

This is what I’m talking about when I say “scene list” but mine are much more detailed than your example.

With each scene, I make notes of important events that need to take place in that specific scene - any information that must be conveyed or anything that must happen to whatever character in order to progress the story.

This not only helps keeps both character and story arcs progressing, but also helps keep continuity and prevent plot holes.

I also make detailed character lists which have my character’s names and background information. It tells where they work, if they’re married, have children, pivotal events in their lives and their motivations within the story.

Then, of course, I change half of it around while I’m writing.

Quoted from Breanne Mattson With each scene, I make notes of important events that need to take place in that specific scene - any information that must be conveyed or anything that must happen to whatever character in order to progress the story.

I try to work the same way. I'll also include snippets of dialogue that come to me as I go along. I find it helps to work with a program like treepad (google it) where you can easily move scenes around and fiddle with the structure.

Brea, your new script sounds interesting.

"Brea, your new script sounds interesting."

Tht's right Doc, it will be the blockbuster of this summer!

I personally prefer the long winded "scriptment" method for laying out my scripts than numbering each bit of action. Too tedious for my short attention spa the first run through the storyline. I just use cut and paste for moving the scenes around, or I print it out and cut the pages apart to split up the scenes if I think I need to "see" it.

Very intereting way, Mr Willson!

I mix all of them when I try to put all together. It seems so diferent..Maybe a mix between American and European way to write screenplay. kevan ga'me some advice to follow in the Vogler's formula - I did read his The Writer's Journey, but write in his way is new for me! - to construct my new feature script.

I rarely write an outline for my scripts, and when I do it's because I absolutely have to.

My specs consist of an idea, then a beginning and an end, and just working to join the two points together.

I've tried writing from beginning to end and I've only succeeded in doing it once. It was for Fempiror II, so I already knew the characters and I just needed to construct the plot. For every other script, I've had to plan it out. It's primarily for the character arcs more than it is for the plot itself, which is usually pretty easy. I find my characters are better if I plan out the script in advance. I usually include in my scriptment where the characters go between scenes or where they're coming from before a scene begins. This way their movements are logical.