Screenwriting : TV Bible by Keith Hannigan

https://jengrisanti.com/uncategorized/bible-formula/

There is no set or standard, guide, or format to a series bible other than the obvious, the idea (of the show) the format: serialized or procedural, characters, tone, and what the first season will/could consist of. Everything else is just favoring. And if anyone says any different is flat-out wrong.

If done right, you won't need to write a page or two on the "philosophy" behind the show. One thing to consider, having a pitch bible as well as your series bible. The series bible you can have it as long as you want, every detail of every aspect of the show whatever, but your pitch bible does the same thing, in 5 pages or less. That's the one you send to interested parties.

To add to Gary Floyd's suggestion, pick any from this site https://sites.google.com/site/tvwriting/home

See Stage Blog and Education Section.

You can also find a few examples here. :) https://screencraft.org/2019/08/12/21-series-bibles-that-every-tv-screen...

I don't mean this in a chastising way, but how could you write a pilot and not have a bible? How do you know who the characters are, what's the story's about, how does it progress, etc., etc., without a bible? :)

I know there's a lot of focus out there (contests and consults and so on) on writing a pilot (even here on S32), but virtually everyone I've talked to, learned from, and have been mentored by says (and these are all working pros and execs):

DON'T WRITE THE PILOT

Craft a killer bible if you want to get anywhere in the TV biz. At the top of this page is a banner for the Netflix Pitch Workshop. Watch it. Learn. Chris Mack says Netflix doesn't look at pilots - they want to see bibles.

To hone your writing skills, write pilots, but don't think that's the way into a deal for a TV show.

Both the shows I've created that are gaining real interest is because of the bibles. I've written the pilots to both shows for my own improvement (and, once greenlit, I may be asked to provide the pilot as a writing sample), but they're NOT what I pitched, nor did they have anything to do with the traction they've gained - it was ALL due to the bibles.

Think of a bible as not only a clear, compelling vision for the show, but also as a writing sample (because it is - execs will look at the writing in the bible to determine if you can write). And if you can master the bible-writing skill, it will absolutely improve your script-writing skill.

To come full circle, this is not meant as a rant, Keith Hannigan, but just the truth of my experience. :)

Hi, Keith Hannigan! I completely understand... If you look under the “Education” tab here on Stage 32, there’s a webinar called “How to Write a TV Series Bible” with Michael Poisson (Development Executive and Writer on Netflix’s “Raising Dion”). I’ve taken several webinars on S32 and have learned so much. Highly recommend!

How to Write a TV Series Bible by Michael Poisson is way down on page 34 of the next level webinar listing. There are a few others as well by other presenters.

The impression I got from Chris Mack's free pitching webinar is that the pitch document is the critical tool for selling a series, not the pilot. If execs don't buy into your pitch, they're not going to care about your pilot. If they do like your pitch, and they don't like your pilot, they'll have you re-write it. That was my impression. Maybe some other people got a different impression.

Try to think of the bible as a full script treatment and then see your pilot as the first ten pages. If you look at it that way, it will make more sense as to why the bible is so important and what it covers.

Your bible is your story's universe. Networks want a story universe that can deliver limitless amounts of content because they want tv shows that can go on indefinitely.

A lot of this also has context with your personal aims.

If you want to work in a writer's room as a low-level writer, write and submit episodes and pilots, some of which can be based off existing IP if you wish. You need to know about universe building but the bible is less critical.

If you want to sell a show concept then focus more on bible than anything else. A pilot is almost redundant in this situation. I know showrunners who only want to see bibles.

Evelyne - Good link to Screencraft. I found the New Girl Bible quite helpful.

My pleasure, Richard. :)

hi keith -- don't know if it would help with a script bible, but i think it would. i e-pub'd my story bible for #TheCasebookOfElishaGrey series (it's also registered with WGAW). You can download it for 99 cents from Smashwords.com (adult content, mark off the upper right hand corner prompt) for any platform. I'll be updating it again once i finish Casebook X. It's highly useful. Won't take you that long.

I new to screenplay writing (artist), here are my thoughts. (1) At some point you have to break from working at the craft and just start writing the script. I learned the basics (from a book and various places on the Internet), learned the format and terminologies (using old-school index cards), then took the leap. I had a lexicon of my characters, locations, etc., I even mapped everything out using my whiteboard; so I had an idea of where I was going, I just need to put it all into the screenplay format and create believable dialogue. (2) As for this script bible. It all depends on what you're presenting. Is your screenplay a one-off movie? Well I don't think there is a real need for a bible; UNLESS your movie has potential for a trilogy, spin-offs, and a series. I think a bible (which I've been calling a springboard) is necessary for a series because (besides showing that you can be creative beyond the first script) you each episode has something to keep viewers invested. My screenplay is an animation about superheroes dealing with the accustomed super villains, but I'm using real world matters (e.g. human trafficking) as the cores (almost like the old 80's cartoons did). So my characters are doing 'crazy save the world' stuff a la AVENGERS style and harmoniously dealing with things that people really going through, but the situations correlate. So each of my springboards touches on both and how each is dealt with in each episode. BUT I had things to draw from: the characters bios, the location where they reside most, their relationships, backstories, etc. All I had to do was research the most common problems and creatively build from there. Maybe this helps, maybe I'm off, let me know.

Thank you all for your insight! I like to say I’m just a scribe looking for my tribe — and clearly I found mine with Stage 32! (Fist bump emoji)

Hello - If you are writing a tv series you will need both a Pitch Deck and a Series Bible and they are definitely NOT at all the same, even though some people who monitor this platform think they are. - A pitch deck is usually done using PowerPoint and is a max of 12 slides. A series Bible on the other hand is a max of 25 pages with photos depending on the executive you are speaking with and they are both needed to not sell your script but they are both needed if you would like to have your scripts produced by a network or a studio.. If you are only looking to sell your script, you rarely need either one. Hope this helps to clear things up. This is based on my experience with working with network producers over the last several months.

@barry you are actually totally wrong especially thinking they are similar - in addition, I was referring to pitching straight to networks, not to production companies. If you do not think you need both then never pitch to any networks or studios as they will always want both!

I've done two versions of my pitch doc, one with episode summaries, and one without.

Just to clarify how I've experienced things.

Pitch docs are ambiguous at best and are a business proposal tool designed to entice money into a project. They cover the basics of the story, the attachments, the budgeting, the projected returns, etc. They have become a little ridiculous of late as form is starting to overtake function.

Show bibles are designed to cover the entirety of a proposed TV show's story, characters, and universe because a pilot episode can't do that. They typically don't have anything to do with the business side and are for execs to read much like a feature script treatment.

Sometimes, either of these can be blended with a Look Book which is collection of images that put across the look and feel of the project.

I've not personally run into any specifics in terms of format or length (but I operate outside the studio system) and opinions on them vary wildly. I know of long-time working producers who can't stand what pitch decks have become.

the new booming script service business- look books/pitch decks. Whatever you want to call them. The folks who I know personally, who write for a living, laugh at all the silliness fleecing $. They just verbally sell pitches and write; nothing else needed but words & story execution.

Dan M & Dan G - I agree with both of you.

I had a beautiful pitch deck sent to me once and I mean stunning. This thing had been laid out professionally like it came from a big studio with concept art and even a bespoke logo. The proposed lead was outside the top 25,000 on IMDb, two of the six main cast were the producers, it predicted a minimum of $3.5M in sales on a $500K budget, and used two action movies from the 80's as examples of similar projects along with box office returns. It also claimed Avatar gave a poor return on investment and then cited Mad Max (made over forty years ago) as a better business model. It was a dozen pages of highly polished BS no sane investor would ever take seriously.

The script wasn't great, hence why this doofus was allowed to see anything but here's the kicker; they'd spent so much on pitching services (over $10K) they didn't have anything left to pay a writer.

So basically, $10K that could have been spent getting the script in shape so there was an actual viable movie that could have secured investment, made profit, and employed a load of people was just sucked out the system by a bunch of parasites selling "access" and glossy pitch brochures.

Dan Maxx's comment about the booming script service business prompted me to write a satirical 5 page script about a man who makes a fortune in the look book business, until it all goes wrong. It's titled "Look Booker" and it's posted on my profile page if anyone wishes to check it out.

Other examples of series bibles, pilots and pitch decks from professional screenwriter Daniel Knauf

https://knauf.tv/unseen

Dan, Dan & CJ - you've confirmed that how i was going to pitch is just fine: a cover letter and my story bible. thanks!