In the first blog of this series, we explored the differences between a TV Series Pitch Bible and a Series Bible, as well as why you might need a bible in the first place. Now let’s break it down a bit more.
How to Write the TV Series Pitch Bible
Use your storytelling skills to hook the audience. Tell the story in a way that makes them want to read more, see more. Make them care about your story and characters in your pitch. This means leaning in to your creativity. Don’t look at this as a dry sales presentation, but as a way to tease your audience and intrigue them. Make them want to back the show so they can find out what happens in the end.
The best way to learn how to write a pitch is to read some successful ones. They are available on the Internet. You can find series pitch bibles for dozens of shows. Look at them and learn how to pitch in a way that makes the story come alive. Some are longer than others, but they all have certain qualities in common. They strongly convey story, style, tone, and a feel for the characters.
The important thing to remember is that it must tell and show enough to make someone want to buy it, back it, support it. That’s the point of the TV Series Pitch Bible.
Writing a Series Bible
The Series Bible is a bit different. It exists to preserve continuity. It is not designed to sell or pitch a series, but to be consistent once that series is in production. Series Bibles refer to both television series and novel series (or any other kind of series that requires continuity or relies on canon). We’ll discuss how to do this in the next blog.
Formatting a TV Series Pitch Bible
Look at your favorite samples and then organize your materials into a format that works for you. Make sure the pitch is easy to navigate and understand.
There are no industry standards when it comes to length. Most will say that shorter is better (somewhere around 5 to 15 pages), but it varies from producer to producer, director to director, and writer to writer. If you are the type of writer who does detailed plots before you write, then your bible likely will be long. If you are not that type, then you may be good with a shorter bible. Do what suits your story. Use the length you need.
It is easier to grab a studio’s attention with a concise approach. But there are exceptions to this rule, as always. The Pitch Bible for The Wire was 79 pages long and available online. If you look at it, pay attention to the date on the document. It is dated two years before the series aired. It also contains detailed information on the series, including how many beats per episode there would be (18-27). Not all bibles need that level of detail, at least not at the pitch stage.
Samples of Good Series Bibles
Again, your best resource for this is to look at examples from successful shows. There are many you can find with a simple search. I highly suggest looking at the bibles for Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, Stranger Things, Freaks and Geeks, Adventure Time, Carnivále, Lost, Fargo, Grey’s Anatomy, and New Girl. They are all available online and easily accessible, as are many other great examples. Pick your favorite shows and do a quick search to see if you can find their bible.
Now I am not suggesting that you look for bible examples to copy, but rather to read for inspiration. The ones mentioned above do a great job capturing the tone and feel of the shows they are representing. That approach works best, but there are many series’ bibles that take a more practical approach, like True Detective. Use the style that matches you and your pitch.
What to Include in Your TV Series Pitch Bible
There is no one right way to write a Pitch Bible. Choose a format and style that matches the series you are pitching. But there are key points of information that should find their way into the Pitch at some point, even if it not in this order or listed as separate points.
A First Impression—Optional
You may want to start with a quote from the series itself or some other source to set the mood. Or include location shots or concept art to set tone.
Table of Contents
This helps producers, agents and executives scan through your pitch more easily. This is a must if your bible is on the longer side (more than five pages).
Working Title
The series should have a title, even if it changes later on, as many do.
You need to claim your idea by putting your name on it. It’s also how people know who to hire and pay.
Contact Details
This one seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people forget to include ways to get hold of them after a pitch. Use your agent’s details or your own if you are representing yourself (which is not the best idea unless you are a production company). Even then, you will need someone skilled at negotiation and contracts to complete the deal, such as an entertainment lawyer. Use their details for contact purposes.
The Format
This is where you let the studios know how many episodes of a particular type (drama, sit-com, police procedural, medical drama, etc.) you want to produce and how long those episodes will be. Include the genre in the format or separately. Also include if the show will be episodic or serial. That is, are the episodes standalone or do they build on each other to tell a longer story? How many episodes are you pitching? Ten? 13? 22? How long will they be? Thirty minutes or 60? Are they a serialized drama or a sit-com? You need to pitch a specific configuration, be it 10 x 30, 22 x 60, or some other number. Be sure to include the genre too. It makes a difference if you are pitching a crime drama vs. a sit-com. Both have standard formats and runs.
Series Logline
A sentence (ideally 25 words or less) to a short paragraph that summarizes the series. Think of it as your elevator speech for the idea. The shorter the better.
One-Pager
Expand on your logline to one page. Go into more detail about the series by adding up to five paragraphs about the show on a one-page document. This is what will be shopped around if someone reacts to the shorter logline. If your show is serial, meaning that the story builds over several episodes, the one-pager should explain that story arc. If, however, your story is a series of self-contained episodes, give an idea of what those individual episodes would be like. Add in any major plot points or character development that will happen in the first season, even if the show is episodic instead of serial.
Why This Idea?
You may want to include what inspired you to write this story and why you think it would fit a particular studio. You can do that separately within the pitch or include it in the one-sheet, if it fits the pitch mood.
Characters
Introduce your characters with a quick breakdown of their story and backstory. Who are they? What role do they play in the series? Be sure to include their internal and external conflict, flaws, fears, secrets, and key points in their character arc. Include all major characters and any side characters that play a significant role in the series.
Theme
What is the theme of the show? What’s it really about? Why do you want to tell this story?
Location/World
Where does this story take place? Is it mainly in a police station? A hospital? A foreign country? A certain section of the city? A school? This lets the studio get an idea of your location and set budget. A sweeping historic drama set in a foreign country will cost more than one that can be filmed on set.
Tone and Style
What do you see as the final look of the show? Is it creepy Gothic? Modern? Futuristic? Heart-warming? Gritty? What feel are you going for? What role does that play in the series? Is the tone related to theme? What does the show look, feel and sound like? You can include as much or little as you want in this section, depending on how important your world building and sets are to the story itself.
Season One Overview
This is where you summarize the entire first season of the show. It’s best to do this with an introductory section that lays out the line of the first season, followed by a paragraph about the story arc for each episode.
Season Two And…
Give a glimpse at your future plans for the show. Where do you want it to go? How long do you anticipate it will run? Is there a hard end to the story or is it open-ended? Keep this short. One to two paragraphs is sufficient. The point is to show that the show has “legs” and can sustain the story for more than one season, unless this is a limited run series that is designed to run in a single season.
Longer-Running Story Arcs
If your series has story or character arcs that will span seasons, include that information. Show how the story or character will progress over time so the producers, studio execs and agents can evaluate the future potential of the story.
Other Information
If your pitch requires more information to sell your story properly, add that information with a new topic. It could be anything that is relevant to your series. Perhaps it is more information about the lore the series it based on or additional history to make the details come to life. Whatever it is, add it. You don’t want to leave anything important out of this document if it could reduce your chances of being picked up by a studio or agent. This may include concept art. If you choose to go this route, use a professional to design the art.
The TV Series Pitch Bible is about risk and story. Is the story strong enough and impelling enough for a studio to invest their money into it? Is it visually compelling and will it work on television? Will the idea translate to other audiences and outlets? Have you shown the value of this idea? Have you hooked your audience and investors? What is missing to make the sale? If you can think of something that will turn the tide in your favor, add it.
In the next blog, we’ll look at expanding the pitch bible into a living document that will preserve canon and continuity.