There is no official rulebook that teaches you how to write a treatment, and the resources available on the internet are limited. So far, the only book that shares some insight into treatment writing is The 30 Second Storyteller. In reality, it offers only a few pages on treatment writing. The rest is largely dedicated to the career journeys of ad film directors, global markets, and how Michael Bay found his way into Hollywood.
So before you look for the answer to this million-dollar question, what I am sharing here is my personal experience of winning treatments and my own mistake.
SCREENPLAY WRITING SKILL:
Why is it so important? To understand the DNA of a film and write line after line, it is crucial to visualise the film first. This is where screenplay writing skills come into play. After two or three drafts, your film becomes crystal clear in your head. Once you see the film this way, the other parts naturally fall into place.
By the time the agency goes through the film section, they will already have a clear picture of the story. The clearer the film is, the stronger the director’s vision reflects in the treatment. Some agencies provide a locked script, some strictly limit the number of pages, and some specify the duration of the film. You have to be mindful of all these factors.
PERSONAL TOUCH:
You may have seen lines like this in an introduction page:
“I own the same car myself. Whenever I get some quality time with my family, we take it out for a short trip. To me, this car is more than a vehicle; it feels like a part of the family.”
By sharing a personal bond with the brand, the director subtly tells the agency,
“Before I direct your film, I am already a genuine user of your product.”
This instantly builds trust and positions the director as someone who understands the brand and can do the best justice of their film.
BE SPECIFIC:
An agency may receive five different treatments for the same script. Some may be well developed, but what truly makes a treatment stand out is clarity. When your writing is specific, the agency instantly understands what you intend to create on screen.
For example, instead of writing something like: The camera will be a silent observer and occasionally capture the nuances of our characters’ expressions.
Write it with clear direction: We will play with Master and Close Up. The Master will capture the entire scene and the Close Up will highlight the nuances of the character’s expression.
This way of writing shows that you know exactly what you want, and it allows the agency to picture your film with accuracy. The more concrete and detailed your choices are on the page, the stronger and more confident your treatment becomes.
WHAT ELSE:
Creating a treatment is more than turning a brief into a stunning presentation. What else can you bring to the table while staying true to the brief?
Whether it is Tarantino’s crash zoom, Hitchcock’s style of hiding the camera inside a fridge, Wes Anderson’s symmetry, a signature way of revealing a character, a creative transition from product demo to the comeback shot, or a specific POV shot, this “something extra” is what can set your treatment apart from others.
LAYOUT:
Last but not least, layout matters a lot. It is what distinguishes professional work from lazy work.
Some directors prefer minimal design and let the text speak. But a treatment with only a small logo in the corner feels outdated today.
A strong treatment reflects the brand identity through colour and typography. When an agency sees the effort and intention in a layout, it communicates professionalism and commitment. Keeping that norm in mind, a layout should never overshadow the content.
In the end, it is also an unvarnished truth that the agency sometimes selects a director’s reel long before the brief is even circulated.
