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Film TV Treatment Template
Film TV Treatment Template
Treatment written by
Osita Aneke
Logline: A journey of human redemption where a man confronts his own demons
through the responsibility of coaching kids prepare for a football tournament’.
A one sentence pitch of your story that includes the protagonist, goal, and obstacles.
There are many formats for loglines. Just ensure yours is hooky and sums up your story in
a compelling way. Here’s a simple format to start:
The Godfather logline: The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers
control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.
American Beauty logline: A depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis decides to turn
his hectic life around after becoming infatuated with his daughter’s attractive friend.
The Matrix logline: A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true
nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers.
Characters:
This section is for your character list. Don’t make it too long or include too many
characters. Summarise your main characters with hints at backstory, demons, and what
makes them unique. Try to create imagery that conjure images in the reader’s head.
Here’s a longer example from Lost. You can make yours shorter:
Jack: Brave, sharp-witted, powerful and vulnerable, Jack finds himself the hero whether
he likes it or not…and he’s more inclined to say “not”. Despite having shared a story
entering on his time as a surgeon and having clearly demonstrated his abilities as a
doctor, Jack’s past is shrouded in mystery. Simply put, it’s not something he wants to talk
about - but if he did, it would certainly explain his tattoos. Jack’s reason for being in
Australia is something he doesn’t want to talk about either, but we come to learn he was
heading back to the States for the funeral of someone who has long defined defined his
path. As the series unfolds, our stories continue to find Jack as the one the other
castaways call upon to make life and death decisions they are unwilling to make for
themselves.
Synopsis:
(Set-up and Opening Image): Introduction of your main character, the status-quo, the
problem. Really…what’s the personal and external problem here? Then…the inciting
incident that spins the story in a new direction.
(Inciting incident): Because of the inciting incident, what happens next? How does the
character react, do, what are his/her feelings, and how does this change her goal. Based
this section in the character’s goal and decision-making.
(More conflict, triumphs defeats, twists): Continue with more growing conflict and more
choices. The successes and failures of your main character has an impact. Surprises and
twists welcome - just spell it out.
(Lowest point, Turning point): Because of your characters decisions or lack thereof, the
repercussions are great. The stakes raise.
Your main character is forced ti make a critical choice and fails. This is their lowest point.
Your character may realise something here that could change the course of the story.
(Climax): Usually a big battle scene or a face-off between the protagonist and antagonist.
Because of your character’s new realisation, he/she does something different this time.
This changes the tone and approach to the final encounter. If he/she faces an enemy, they
use some sort of know-how they have learned on their journey. Finally, the goal is
achieved; the enemy is defeated.
(Denouement and Final Image): After achieving his/her goal, your main character has a
revitalised and renewed perspective on the world. He/she changes for the better or worse,
and faces the new world with heightened knowledge, spirituality, and personal growth.
The walls are gray, the sky is gray... the people are
gray.
They tell him they are with the RDA, the RESOURCES
DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE. This is an international consortium
of major corporations whose purpose is to find and exploit
resources on other planets, both within the solar system,
and in the last 25 years, among the nearer star systems.
Imagine the Dutch West India Company funded by Microsoft,
Matsushita and a dozen or so of their megacorporation
buddies. Everyone just calls it "THE CONSORTIUM”.
The agents grin like jackals. The pay is great, and it's
a chance to be part of the great adventure… [and so on until the end of your
film/show]
Contact:
[Name]:
[Email]:
[Phone]:
For more information about writing synopses and loglines, visit kaneholder.com