Can treatments be sold to film studios or production companies to adapt them into screenplays?

The short anwser is yes, but you better be an “A” list screenwriter or director. It is not unheard of for a director or screenwriter to come to a studio, pitch the idea, and then sell it to that studio, but it is rare. This usually come with a little compensation. For instance, lets say you have this great idea, but dont have any time to work on the script because of your nine to five job. With this method, instead of buying your script, they usually pay you a small fee, so you can quit that day job and work on your script twenty-four seven and get its on its feet. Then when you have it completed, you get your set amount that you have negotiated. It’s as easy as that…if you’re Spielberg.