Business of Producing

PRODUCING: TREATMENT EXAMPLES

Working Title: Moments
Genre: Feature length film (Young Adult/ Adult Drama)
Comparable films: Sliding Doors, Serendipity
Introduction: Do you every think about your life and ponder how you ended up where
you are? If you have a good memory you can probably simplify your life to a few simple
moments and decisions. It is the smallest choices that form the glue of our complicated
lives.
Synopsis: This film will open your eyes to the way in which our lives are mapped,
drawing attention away from the moments which we claim are those of highest
importance and focusing on those which are usually dismissed as merely everyday
decisions. This story explores the phenomenon of chance, fate and coincidence. These
three concepts can alone explain how the pieces of everyones lives fall into place. This
story focuses on the lives of five individuals of different ages, classes, geographical
locations and lifestyles. Each character vignette is a flashback and focuses on a different
period of time in the characters life and the critical choices that that one individual
consciously or unconsciously makes that will ultimately link their lives with the other
characters. The relationships between the characters vary in type from lovers, friends and
mentors. Whether it is a simple decision to smile at a stranger, step foot into one coffee
shop instead of the other across the street, make a seemingly inappropriate comment to an
acquaintance, decide to attend an event which you are dreading, do a favor for a stranger,
or even drop a belonging on the street. These events go unnoticed to most, though they
are the most critical in retrospect. It is these trivial moments in our lives which propel us
in certain directions and connect us to the most important people, best friends, lovers, and
mentors. Through an intricate story line the lives of these five characters will be drawn
together, placing focus on the negligible moments which links them into a beautiful web
of relationships. The development of the characters and the detailed look at the evolution
of meaningful relationships will show that the smallest gesture can sometimes make the
greatest impact.

Business of Producing
Based on the novel:
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Genre:
Romance, Drama
Comparable novels turned movie:
Waiting to Exhale, How Stella Got Her Groove Back
General Concept:
Written by Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, is the story about the many
stages of love, survival and finding yourself. It is the story of Janie Crawford, a strong black
woman who is articulate, self-reliant, and radically different than most women in her time period.
This story is not about a pathetic woman in love, but about a powerful woman who defied
everything expected of her. Janie's marriages to Logan Killicks, Jody Starks, and Tea Cake are
the most crucial elements in her development as a woman.
Synopsis:
Janie has just returned home after running off with her younger lover-boy, Tea Cake. Everybody
wants to know what happened, especially since there is no Tea Cake by her side. The whole town
believes that he swindled her and left her penniless and that is why she is returning home.
However, to everyones dismay she comes in calmly and at peace with herself and only tells her
story to her best friend, Pheoby.
Janie recounts her story from the time that she was born to the present so that Pheoby may gain a
better understanding of Janie the person, Janie the woman. She recounts her marriage to Logan
Killicks, the old man her grandmother married her off to so that she may have a better life.
Janie was bored with her marriage and soon ran off with the smooth talking, nicely dressed, Jody
Starks. She married Jody Starks without even divorcing her first husband. Jody proved to be a
good husband at first, but his need for attention and control soon got the best of his love for Janie.
She was not happy in her marriage, but she always put her foot down, which made Jody try to be
the man even more. He would embarrass Janie and treat her as if she was ignorant, but it could
not be done because Janie was strong and articulate. When Jody died, Janie paid her respects to
her husband and soon fell for the younger Tea Cake that had the whole town of Eatonville talking
non-stop.
The novel shows how Janie develops into the woman that she is in a male dominated world. It
tells her story of finally being able to live life fully and for herself and not by anyone elses
standards including her grandmother, Logan or Jody. Janies story is about the female experience
in a world that they do not control. Pheoby character is very important (even though her voice is
not heard very often throughout the book). Her attention to Janies story is an examination of not
only Janies inner life, but her own inner life. Listening to Janies story makes her realize a lot
about herself in the end and thus she too has grown as a woman.
This movie is not just for the African-American audience, but for all women it is about
experience, which makes promotes growth and all women can relate to that.
Casting Suggestions

Business of Producing

PITCH PROPOSALS
SECTIONS of THE PROPOSAL
1. Who are you, what is your experience and why are you here to sell
us this idea?
2. What do you want - money, production help, distribution help,
legal advice, milk & cookies?
3. The Treatment - same as or revised, or changed completely if you
do desire
4.
Whom do you have attached for actor, dircetor, script - or if
no one - whom do you suggest or are you thinking about
5. What are your marketing thoughts - the audience you are seeking,
the advertising ideas, the media you would like to use - anything that
will convince the audience that you are pitching that you wil make this
production a success
6a A Budget, even a superficial one. Anything about a timetable,
how long to get everything done
6b. What is the Locations, (Foreign and distant or studio backlot)
any special effects or is it going to simple
7.
If it is a book or any published idea - what are doing about
getting the rights (make it up if you don't have an
answer
yet)
8. Is there any supplementary revenue posiibilities, or any
international possibilities
9. Are you passionate about this project, do you really want to
make it and why (as a closing)
THE END