Development
Have a good idea for a film? Have something you need to say?
Development is the stage during which you refine your ideas into thoughtful outlines, treatments, proposals, and screenplays. It’s about taking those ideas out of your head and putting them on the page.
You might be writing the project yourself or collaborating with others (a writer or a creative producer, for example).
Developing an idea requires research and time. Ask questions and seek answers. Whatever your goal, this is the time to explore a myriad of possibilities and ask yourself some key questions:
- Who is your intended audience?
- What resources are available to you?
- How much time do you have?
- How much money do you have?
Asking these questions and more will help you determine the parameters of your project. Make sure that the scope of your project matches the resources that are available to you.
Note: One of the most valuable aspects of the development phase is that it doesn’t have to cost any money. Use this time to explore what you want to say and how you want to say it.
During the development process, there are several building blocks you can use to help you progress from a loose idea to a solid plan.
Ideas are everywhere and can be sparked by almost anything: a feeling, a memory, an event, an injustice, a character, a place, and so on.
Your life experience shapes the lens through which you view the world and will influence your ideas. The films you make express that worldview and are an opportunity for you to share your perspective with an audience. The more you clarify what you want to say, the easier it will be to make key decisions as you proceed. Research your ideas to hone in on what resonates.
Everyone approaches their ideas from different directions, but the goal remains the same:
- What do you want to convey?
- How will you convey it?
Sound familiar? We are right back where we started, still having a conversation about content versus form.
Outline
Get your ideas out of your head so you can see them objectively.
You may have a visual sense of some of the pieces of your project, but not necessarily how they all connect. Creating an outline will reveal what is missing and what is essential.
This takes the form of a list of short descriptions of what happens in each scene, a step-by-step progression of your film. When creating your outline:
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- Consider the emotional progression of your idea.
- Figure out the order of key information.
- Determine how it should begin, where it will escalate, and how and when it will end.
- Adjust the order of events to see if there is a more interesting approach.
- Simplify where you can.
Note: In life, things may happen one after the other. In cinema, things happen one because of the other.
Treatment
A treatment is an in-depth description of what happens in your film from moment to moment. It reads like a short story written in the present tense, and it should include all the essential scenes and characters.
When reading the treatment, one should understand the narrative as well as the general tone and theme of the story being told. Remember, treatments are written in prose form and don’t usually include dialogue.
The length of a treatment will vary depending on the length of the project:
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- Feature films are usually 10–20 pages long.
- Short films are usually 1–5 pages long.
Write more than you need so that you can pare it down later.
Screenplay or Project Proposal
Screenplays are written for fiction projects, whereas project proposals are written for nonfiction.
They are, quite simply, the blueprint for the finished film.
Screenplays should be written succinctly and use two basic elements:
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- action: what we see
- dialogue: what we hear
Screenplays are always written in the present tense. Furthermore, although a narrative may delve into the inner thoughts and emotions of characters, screenplays only show what is happening.
Find ways to visualize internal thought through external behavior and action.
Project proposals map out all the key elements, research, and rationale needed to understand the subject and central question of the nonfiction (documentary) project. They communicate the feasibility of a nonfiction film project for collaboration and funding purposes.
Include descriptions of the creative approach and the logistical strategy for production in your proposal.
It is also important to state both your goal as a director and what the audience will learn from watching the final film.
Ideation and writing are not linear processes. You might find yourself circling an idea and trying out different approaches before you figure out how to move forward. You might write a treatment only to reach the end of it and realize that it’s not quite saying what you intended.
Rework and rewrite as needed. It’s okay to delete everything and start over. Your goal is to find the conviction in what you are saying.
There is no wrong way to do this. There is, however, your way of doing it. Your process is unique to you, and you should embrace what it takes to get your project where you want it to be.
Long walks in the park? Methodically mapping out every beat on cue cards? Reorganizing your sock drawer? You know what works (and what doesn’t work) for you.
The goal remains the same: Develop that idea!
