There was a time when a treatment, by Hollywood standards, was simply a text document describing the highlights of your script and ranging from 6-60 pages; it usually included a logline, a synopsis, character introductions, and a truncated/condensed version of your story. This document, in many ways, was the best route to getting a film made. We’ve progressed a long way since then, and treatments are much more involved. A treatment can now be an incredibly detailed document that fleshes out every detail, and usually ends up becoming the groundwork for the entire project.
In the ad world, a treatment is used to woo the creatives, account people, and agency producers—convincing the entire gang that the potential director (or production company) is the right person for the job. A treatment is practically used the same way in the Hollywood studio system. “They” are trying to find people who have a unique vision, passion, and understanding of the material.
