Screenplay treatment vs outline

An outline is a document used by the writer to set out the basic film story. It is a tool to help keep the story on track. Treatment is an official document and often used as a sales tool. It is often a contractual step that must be completed before getting the green light to go to script.

Is an outline the same as a treatment?

So What's the Difference? As you can see, to put it simply, outlines are meant for the writers while treatments are meant for those in the position of acquiring and producing the eventual screenplays that have been written or may be written.

What comes first outline or treatment?

A treatment is a detailed overview of a screenplay or script idea written in prose form that is used as a marketing tool for both spec and for-hire screenwriters to sell their project. It is sometimes referred to as a written pitch.