Imagine this: You're a filmmaker, full of coffee and ideas, and you're going to propose the great concept that's been eating away at your mind. There is a catch. You have to convince a room full of businesspeople that your idea is the best one for their money. The director treatment template comes in. It's your secret weapon; think of it as a Swiss army knife instead of a cookie cutter. Read more.
Some people think the blueprint is the word of God. Some people cut things up like Picasso to meet their own needs. There isn't just one right way to go. That's what makes it beautiful. You can find everything from elegant, photo-filled PDFs to crazy, hand-drawn collages when you flip through ten treatments by different directors. The one rule that never changes? Tell them something they can't see yet.
Forget boring bullet lists. Your treatment isn't a list of shots you can buy. It's the mood, the tempo, the color, and the feeling. It's bits of a screenplay, a little bit of your favorite lighting language, a collage from an old fashion magazine, and maybe even a worn-out Polaroid. The work? Make a picture of a realm that exists between reality and fantasy.
Your compass should be a solid template. Talk about the five main things: the idea, the visual reference, the casting, the style, and the mood. Don't let yourself get stuck. If the notion is a fever dream, put that mess on your mood boards. Did you get ideas from a kung fu movie from the 1970s? Say it. Do you worry about a shadow in a picture from your vacation? Get a still.
Want to win over people? Talk like a person. Stop using buzzwords and jargon. For rhythm, write short, snappy lines. A picture can sometimes say more than a thousand run-on phrases. Let the pictures do the talking, but connect them to your vision. Don't write on every page. Negative space is a good thing. Clients are fatigued, and making them browse through a lot of footnotes is just mean.
If you’re stuck, start messy. Rough drafts on sticky notes, voice memos, and scribbles at 2 a.m. After that, look for a template that speaks to you. Some directors enjoy straight lines and symmetry, while others do best with messy doodles and color splashes. Having choices is like having a closet full of outfits; each endeavor needs something different.
It helps to be funny. Put your personality into it. You want your excitement to show through, maybe even in red ink if that's what you like. A bland therapy is exactly what it sounds like: bland. Allow for surprises and mistakes. People shouldn't fall asleep during a treatment; it should make them curious.
You'll get a response. Sometimes it's clear, and other times it's not. Don't freak out. Change, reshape, or completely ignore some of the recommendations. You did your job as long as your vision dances off the page.
Director treatment templates: begin with a skeleton and end with a soul. That's how show business works.