Writing treatments that
sell is a first book of its kind devoted entirely to the function of treatments
in film and TV and how to write and present effective ones. The book is a
collaboration by Kenneth Atchity and Chi-Li Wong, partners in Atchity Productons.
Kenneth and Chi – MA
is sincerely honored by your willingness to share your knowledge and adventure
relating to this new book. So without any further ado here are all our
questions.
What
made you initiate the idea of providing a guide like Writing Treatments to Sell?
The
most frequent question we were getting from clients—novelists as well as
itinerant screenwriters was “what is a treatment?” We realized that book
answering this question would be helpful.
Who
was your target audience?
The book’s target audience is anyone who
wants to write or sell a story to the motion picture or television world.
Who
ended up putting pen to paper?
We
have a process where we outline the content together, Chi-Li takes a shot at
the first draft, then Kenneth does the next, etc.
Is
the book specifically targeted for the film industry only?
Although we targeted the book to
the film industry, in the years since it was first published we've learned that
its useful to writers of all kinds—children’s books, novels, etc.—because it
helps them to “get the story straight” before launching into the actual
drafting.
Why
a book based specifically on treatments?
Because a treatment is a
unique creature that will never itself see publication or production, and
therefore everyone wonders why it even exists.
What
is a “treatment?”
To quote directly from the book: “A treatment is a relatively brief,
loosely narrative written pitch of a story intended for production as a film
for theatrical exhibition or television broadcast. Written in user-friendly,
dramatic, but straightforward and highly visual prose, in the present tense,
the treatment highlights in broad strokes your story’s hook, primary characters,
acts and action line, setting, point of view, and most dramatic scenes and
turning points.” The book goes into detail about the meaning of each phrase in
this definition, distinguishing the treatment from “coverage,” “synopsis,”
“outlines,” among others.
The
Story Merchant itself is all about content, branding and consultation in the
entertainment and media arena. How does this book tie into the bigger plan of
Story Merchant?
This book, like Atchity’s How to Publish Your Novel or Write Time: A Guide to the Creative
Process, from Vision through Revision is
a tool by which the Story Merchant shares experience in the commercial world of
stories with aspiring storytellers.
Does
reading the book create a sense of more business for Story Merchant or is it
more directed towards internal growth for each and every writer / screen
writer?
We can’t spend time with every storyteller out there who needs
guidance, so we wrote this book to help
anyone who’s motivated enough to buy it—now available in ebook for the first
time. But that’s not to say Story Merchant has found coaching clients through
this and Atchity’s other books.
Being
an aspiring author myself, I find that optimism and endurance are two of the
main things to hold onto while craving for acknowledgement towards your own
work, what is your advice towards fellow aspirers who look up to yourselves for
hope?
We’ve learned that hope is great, but determination is even better,
when it comes to success. Just keep working on your career, whether you’re in a
good mood or not, whether you’re hopeful or not. Work is the only sure road to
success.
In general how has publishing and moving into the entertainment industry
changed for writers. I mean – I myself sometimes wish that I had started
writing ten years earlier as it seems as if the market might have been less
chaotic. In today’s time it’s as if everyone can put pen to paper and call
themselves an author. How do you define the word author, writer?
A
writer is someone who WRITES, and who cares enough about her writing to find an
audience for it. While everything else has changed, that definition has not
changed and will not change.
Last but not least, what else can people look forward to? Being in the industry
you are it is important to recreate your image and stay in the zone with
current trends, how do you intend on moving forward while carrying the weight
of years and years’ experience in the existing field? How do you mould yourself
to be eye catching and present in the future?
We've just launched Story Merchant Academy a brand new online course designed for writers to improve their storytelling. Sign Up Now
As always, thanks a lot for your presence and willingness to
Share.
Thanks for providing this
wonderful forum.
