Director's Treatment: The Ultimate Guide to A Winning Pitch

Summary

In this informative video, commercial director Noranya shares her expertise on crafting director's treatments, a crucial component in the pitching process for commercials. She discusses the importance of a treatment in showcasing the video's look and feel, offers insights into what to include, such as approach, visuals, and post-production, and emphasizes the need for high-quality imagery. Noranya also recommends using tools like Frameset for image searches and suggests that treatments should be tailored to the audience and project, with a length that communicates the idea effectively.

Takeaways

• 🎬 A director's treatment is a crucial document in the pitching process that outlines the creative vision for a commercial or music video.
• 💼 Noranyas, the speaker, is a commercial director with experience working with major brands and has written over 100 treatments.
• 📝 The treatment has no defined structure and should reflect the filmmaker's unique approach tailored to the specific audience and project.
• 🤔 Starting to write a treatment can be challenging, but it's important to communicate the approach, concept, and visual elements clearly.
• 🌆 Visuals are key in a treatment; details like shot type, lighting, camera movement, and time of day contribute to the story's perception.
• 👗 Wardrobe and character details can provide insights into the characters' backgrounds and add depth to the narrative.
• 🖼️ High-quality images are essential for selling the visual concept, and using watermarked or low-quality images can appear unprofessional.
• 🎨 Post-production details like editing style and color grading can significantly impact the video's look and feel and should be described if relevant.
• 🛠 The choice of software for creating treatments is subjective; comfort and familiarity are more important than the specific tool used.
• 📚 Noranyas offers an ebook and templates for writing treatments, which can be valuable resources for those looking to improve their skills.
• 📈 The length of a treatment can vary greatly, from 8 to over 50 pages, depending on the depth of detail needed to convey the concept effectively.
• 🔍 There are services that offer to help with treatment writing, design, and research, which can be useful when time is limited or budgets allow.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of a director's treatment?

A director's treatment serves as a document to present the director's vision for a project, including how the video will look and feel, after the initial briefing with the agency or client.

Why did Noranyas decide to create a video on treatments?

Noranyas decided to create a video on treatments because there was very little information available online about them, and she had learned valuable lessons from her own experience that she wanted to share.

How many years of experience does Noranyas have in directing commercials?

Noranyas has over five years of experience in directing commercials.

What brands has Noranyas worked with in her commercial directing career?

Noranyas has worked with brands such as Samsung, Toyota, BMW, Red Bull, and Coca-Cola.

What is Noranyas' approach to writing treatments?

Noranyas emphasizes the importance of tailoring the treatment to the specific audience, being clear in communication, and using high-quality images to support the visual aspects of the treatment.

What are some elements that Noranyas suggests including in the treatment to describe the visuals of the video?

Noranyas suggests including elements such as the aspect ratio, lighting style, camera movement, time of day, location, and any specific visual techniques that will contribute to the story's perception.

Why is it important to use high-quality images in a director's treatment?

High-quality images are important because they help to accurately convey the director's vision and mood of the project, and using watermarked or low-quality images can appear unprofessional.

What platform does Noranyas recommend for finding high-quality images for treatments?

Noranyas recommends using Frameset, an AI-powered platform with various search filters that can help find specific images that match the mood and requirements of the project.

What is the significance of the color grading in Noranyas' approach to treatments?

Color grading is significant in Noranyas' approach because she believes it greatly influences the look and feel of the video, and she is very specific about the color decisions in her work.

What software does Noranyas prefer for building her treatments?

Noranyas prefers using Keynote for building her treatments, as she finds it comfortable and effective for her needs, although she mentions that any software can be used as long as the treatment is clear and understandable.

How long should a treatment be according to Noranyas?

Noranyas suggests that there is no fixed length for a treatment, but it should be as long as needed to communicate the idea well, with her personal preference being between 20 to 25 pages for a comprehensive yet concise presentation.

What is the 'Dark Secret' Noranyas mentions regarding treatments?

The 'Dark Secret' Noranyas refers to is the existence of companies that offer services such as visual research, design layout, and writing for directors' treatments, which can be helpful when time is short or when dealing with multiple pitches.

What advice does Noranyas give for improving treatment writing skills?

Noranyas advises to practice writing treatments, ask for feedback, and analyze other directors' treatments to learn and improve one's own writing style and flow.