Treatments and Paperwork
Apr 01, 2015
Treatments and Paperwork
Types of Music Video
Cinematic v. Photographic Cinematic
Film grammar, narrative/dramatic progression, performance
Progressive: time and space (Jonze “Feel the Pain”) David Fincher, Spike Jonze, Sophie Mueller
Photographic look/feel not really “story”, collage/juxtaposition,
texture, color, lighting Sam Bayer, Mark Romanek, Anton Corbijn, Gondry
Categories of Music Video
Performance Story (interlacing narrative) Concept Gag Dance Animation Party/Club Film Clip Hybrid
How do we come up w/ ideas?
Exercise / Yoga Sample Daydream Meditate Look for inspiration / Consume Substance Sporadically Geographical Space or Space
Treatment Form
• One word to 3 pages
• Courier font type
• Tear sheet / Visual element (“visualment”...visual treatment)
• Include “categories” as descriptors
• Concise
• Treatment writers
• Storing ideas
Modes of Treatments
• Describe unfolding...A happens, B happens, C happens. A short story
• Outline...use headers such as “The Look,” “The Feel,” “The Concept,” “The Performance,” “The Hook”
• Crazy babbling, one-word, no punctuation, collage, poem, “Blow stuff up” (Roman Coppola for Fat Boy Slim's “Gangster Tripping”)
Writing Treatments
• Visual hooks
• Have idea of what artists DON'T want; be aware of their image and personalities
• Address:
– Narrative/Concept, shot choices, some of the locations, wardrobe ideas, action
– Style/feeling, performance style, cite other media by artist or in general
• Lyrics or instruments AS lyrics
• Brevity!
Nigel Dick says
• Break a song down (lyrics, bars, breaks, length, choruses...structure)
• Use structure and break into “acts”; narrative reflects or interacts w/ the structure
• Store your ideas...
• Need to sell the treatment, cater to label/marketing strategies
Egan and Barry say...
• Process of making “mini-movies”
• Listen to song...feeling, adjective, picture
• Look for inspiration
• Write descriptively
• Add visuals!!!
Jeff Clark says...
• Originality and professionalism
• Artist name, song title, director's name, production company at top
• Overview: breakdown and purpose
• Style: visual style, color, texture, mood, glam; Avoid technical discussion, just what not how
• Concept: linear, discontinuous, dream, etc. The hook! Regardless, write organized!
• Summary: final sales pitch for idea!
“99 Problems”
• 2004, Jay-Z
• Dir. Mark Romanek
• 4 VMAs, 3 MVPAs
“Heard Em Say”
• 2005, Kanye West
• Dir. Michel Gondry
• 2 versions (2nd is all animation)
• Macy's (Christmas them...release mid-December...commerce?
“The Unforgiven”
• Metallica, 1991
• Dir. Matt Mahurin
• Connection between performance and narrative, musician and actor
• Uses shots and elements of continuity in disjunctive editing (spatiotemporality.)
“Rap Song”
• 2010, T-Pain feat. Rick Ross
• Dir. Todd Angkasuwan
• Freeze effect w/ 3D renders, and “gags”
“Doo Wop (That Thing)”
• 1998, Lauryn Hill
• Dir. Big TV
• Juxtaposition of historical eras / split screen
• Connection between 60s soul and 90s “neo-soul”
“If I Ruled the World”
• 1996, Nas feat. Lauryn Hill
• Dir. Hype Williams
Release Forms
• Talent / Model / Minor Release Form
• Large Group / Concert Release Sign
• Copyrighted Materials Release Form
• Location Release Form or Permit