For years, director’s treatments have been both an art and a challenge—translating an idea into a tangible, evocative vision that resonates with clients and collaborators. It’s a process that has relied on an intricate blend of reference images, moodboards, and poetic descriptions.
Traditionally, crafting a treatment meant combing through thousands of images, piecing together the perfect visual narrative. A process that required patience, intuition, deep understanding of commercial storytelling (and often a freelance reference researcher). But now, AI is changing the game. Not just as a tool, but as a new creative language.
Down the Rabbit Feed
In the 1990s, treatments were primarily text-based documents, punctuated by a few carefully selected film stills. Not so long ago, directors spent hours collecting and saving frames from films and commercials into meticulously labeled folders on their computers – their personal, curated libraries of visual references.
The advent of digital photography and the internet in the 2000s transformed them into sophisticated visual presentations. Some directors became known for their elaborate treatments that sometimes rivaled art books in their complexity and beauty. However, the rise of Pinterest, Instagram, and other algorithm-driven platforms in the 2010s had an unexpected effect: while access to visual references became easier than ever, the pool of references paradoxically became more homogenized. The platforms’ algorithms, designed to show users more of what they already like, created echo chambers of visual aesthetics. What started as a tool for inspiration became a catalyst for creative convergence – suddenly, directors worldwide were pulling from the same curated feeds, leading to a noticeable similarity in treatments.
From Curated to Created
What once took days of research can now be accomplished in hours. But speed isn’t the only advantage. For years, directors found themselves trapped in a cycle where treatments relied on existing reference materials—materials that, by their nature, were already familiar and widely used. Clients often demanded direct visual references, making it difficult to propose truly original ideas.
This reliance on pre-existing imagery created a loop where directors kept reinforcing their visions with the same visual language, rather than breaking new ground. AI-generated imagery means no two treatments need to look alike. Where once directors pulled from the same limited pool of references, AI now allows them to create truly unique visual worlds.
Consider the recent Travis Scott x Nike collab campaign by Gibson Hazard, where AI-generated concepts influenced key production design decisions. The technology didn’t just serve as a tool—it became part of the creative development process. The spot’s surreal athletic environments, where gravity-defying basketball courts morphed into urban canyons, were first conceptualized using Midjourney. This allowed the director to experiment with various architectural impossibilities and lighting scenarios before committing to costly CGI and location scouting. What might have taken weeks of back-and-forth between concept artists was achieved in days, with each iteration pushing the boundaries of what seemed possible.
A Double-Edged Sword
Yet, with every revolution comes concerns. Some directors worry that there’s a danger in showing something too specific too early. When agencies see a highly detailed AI visualization early in the process, expectations solidify. The creative fluidity that happens on set—the organic evolution of an idea—may face constraints. The conversation shifts from “Here’s the feeling we want” to “Can you match this exact AI-generated image?”
The other thing is that the ability to generate endless variations creates a new challenge: clients now often expect to see every possible option before making a decision. What was meant to streamline the process can paradoxically lead to longer and more complicated approval cycles, as teams get caught in the loop of generating and reviewing countless variations. And even the small projects grow into comprehensive visual presentations.
Next Generation Treatments
So, what does the future of director’s treatments look like? Maybe treatments will become more interactive, allowing clients to tweak and experiment with different visual options in real-time. Maybe there will be tools allowing for immediate visualization of suggested changes during agency calls. But as we navigate this new landscape, the most successful treatments will likely be those that use AI not just as a shortcut, but as a springboard for human creativity. After all, while AI can generate endless variations of an image, it takes a director’s vision to know which one serves the story.
