Writing a treatment

1. TREATMENT

2. WRITING A TREATMENT FOR A DOCUMENTARY
• http://www.filmandmedia.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/portuges/papers/How_to_write_a_documentary_t
reatment.pdf
• Read this first if you are creating a documentary

3. WHAT IS THE TOPIC?
It will be about the evolution of electronics and how it has impacted certain generations.
I will compare what it was like to be a teenager 30/40 years ago compared to today, and
how quickly electronics have developed to allow us to use them how we do today.

4. WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION? WHAT ARE YOU
INVESTIGATING?
I am investigating how different life is for teenagers now compared to a few decades
ago due to technology, and how quickly technology has developed over the last 15 or
so years.

5. WHO WILL BE YOUR TALENT? WHY WILL THEY BE
SUITABLE?
• My talent will be friends and family, and their electronics. They will be suitable because they will be
comfortable talking on camera so will not appear awkward or shy, which would not happen on real
documentaries.

6. PRESENTER/NARRATOR?
SUBJECT/S?
EXPERT/S?
WHEN WILL THEY BE AVAILABLE TO RECORD OVER THE HOLIDAY?
WHAT EQUIPMENT WILL YOU NEED TO SHOOT YOUR FOOTAGE?
Narrator: I will most likely record someone else reading a script I have written after I have edited the visuals,
so I know what needs to be said.
Experts: I will most likely get a friend to pretend to be an expert and give them some facts and figures to say.
When will they be available: over the 6 weeks.
Equipment: I will be filming on my iPhone 6.

7. WAT LOCATIONS WILL YOU USE? HOW WILL YOU
BRIEF YOUR TALENT?
Locations: I will film around Southend, using scenery shots to introduce a person and sevreal
shots of technology use.
Briefing: I will tell them what the documentary is about and what they should say, e.g. how they
use their technology during their everyday lives and how it helps them.

8. WHAT TV CHANNEL WILL IT BE SUITABLE FOR AND WHY?
WHAT PROBLEMS CAN YOU ENVISAGE?
It will be suitable for Channel 4, as the narration will be similar in terms of leading on to the
next scene, and shots describing what the narration is saying.
I can probably envisage myself not filming enough footage, or not being able to find props or
people to film. To overcome this, I will try to film as many shots as possible, and prearrange
filming with people so that I am not left short of footage. Prop wise, I will list wat I need before
filming and find it, so I know what I have and haven’t got.