The Treatment — develop your short film

Working title

01 · Ideas

Find the spark, then pin it down

The study design asks you to explore ideas for your production. Spin if you're stuck — click a slot to re-roll it, 🔒 locks it.

Now write it as one sentence — the logline (who + want + obstacle + stakes)

02 · Intention

The intention statement

Your intention covers the purpose, impact and desired outcome of your product, its main themes or ideas, and its style and genre.

I intend to… Genre

…my audience so they feel / think / question… Main theme or idea Style — two or three words

03 · Narrative

A structure that fits a short

Shorts aren't small features. Set your runtime, respect the scene budget, and land a final image.

4:00

04 · Scope reality check

Can you actually shoot this?

The most common reason student films fail isn't talent — it's scope. Be honest.

Locations Speaking cast Night scenes Rain / weather effects Stunts / fights / VFX Period costumes / sets Animals or babies Crowd scenes (6+ extras)

05 · Specified audience

Who is this actually for?

Describe your specified audience's attitudes, expectations and knowledge — not just their age.

Age / who Where it screens

Their attitudes — what do they care about? Their expectations — what do they expect from this genre? Their knowledge — what do they already know that you can play with?

06 · Media codes & conventions

Commit to your conventions

For your genre, decide which conventions you'll use and which you'll subvert — and how. (Revise them in Codes & Conventions.)

Folio readiness

Built on the development stage of the media production process — ideas · intentions · narrative · audience — and the language the School-assessed Task criteria use: intention (purpose, impact, desired outcome), specified audience (attitudes, expectations, knowledge), and media codes & conventions.