The Silent Treatment
Sending and hoping. It's the final action and emotion, having inevitably spent days piecing together a director’s treatment. I've always tackled my treatments solo. Generally, once I'm past staring at the blank page and I shake off doubts about whether I'll nail it in time, I love the process when I get into the flow.
The reason I've usually turned down help with image research or writing copy is twofold. Truth be told, I've seldom been in a situation where treatment requests have piled up so much that I needed outside assistance. But the main reason is I feel the need to express my words my way and showcase the best images to convey how I envision the project unfolding. It's part of my pre-production process, even if I never actually reach that stage. I still question whether I'm doing them right. Is there too much information and detail, or not enough? Am I bombarding with imagery or being too stingy with the eye candy? It's a mysterious craft that I've both triumphed and stumbled in. Such is the life of a director. I can't recall hitting a deadline and ever thinking, 'That's rubbish, I've no chance', but some treatments definitely feel stronger than others.
And then, 'click', off it goes into the ether, and the waiting game begins.
But should this part of the journey end here? For me, clinching a job (and successfully delivering it) should be about more than just the words or images in a PDF sent to inboxes. We should be able to discuss our treatments, pitch them, talk through our decisions, address concerns, and infuse our personalities into the bidding process. As directors, a big part of our job boils down to how we connect with people, from agencies and clients, to talent and crew. It's not just about creativity; it's about relationships. So, I reckon a treatment should only be part of pitching for a job, accompanied by the director’s passion and personality.
Last year, this took a step further when a producer set up an intro call with the creative team alongside my reel that had been submitted. A scheduled 20-minute call stretched into over an hour and a half. That call, backed by the reel, was enough to land me a global TVC without a formal treatment. Of course, the treatment still happened afterwards, but from a position of clarity and alignment. And the production was one of the smoothest, most enjoyable projects I've done in years.
I understand creative teams and agencies are busy, and finding time to discuss three directors' treatments in person or over Zoom can be tough in a jam-packed schedule. But by this stage, weeks and months have gone into shaping the creative with the client. This extra step in pre-pre-production would surely enhance the outcome and likely save time in the long run. Having a conversation to get to the heart of the idea, talking through the treatment pages, delving into the concept, meeting the people who might be collaborating for weeks, building a relationship and understanding, and ironing out any kinks where the vision falls short, feels like a golden opportunity to make a definitive decision.
So, why not spare some time for directors, to lift their treatment off the pages/screen and breathe life into their vision? That hour or two would surely be worth it, don't you think?
