Pre Production - Creating A Good Treatment [Lecture]

- A visual treatment is becoming ever more important.


- A title and top line is important in selling your idea.


- Timeliness, Scale and Ambition 


- Why is this being broadcast now? What makes it relevant now?


- How original is the idea? Who is the content [documentary] for? How shareable is the content? 


- Watch a lot of relevant content - Learn something and watch critically about what works and what does not - Be aware of the landscape and what is already out there


- How distinctive is the content? - What makes the idea unique to everything else out there?

Access, Format & Talent

• First Page - What is this?
• The Format - How is this story is going to be told?
• The story (the heart of the treatment!)
• Style and Tone (Layout for them: Who's the director? What's it going to look like? What messages are going to be broadcast? Who will we meet? What locations?
• Budget
• Schedule

Developing George's Idea:

Documentary series about a drama school in England and Australia, comparing them and then coming together in an ending “Battle”

Collaboration between Channel 4 and SBS 5 x 30 Minutes Plus One 1 Hour Finale

Possible turn around in-terms filming would be 2-3 months

Focus on specific characters to understand what about drama they enjoy and their life stories

Educating Essex Style - Fixed Camera - Multiple Cameras but not a massive production

Budget $10,000

Two Schools, Two Cultures, One Dream