Bible tv series

 

The Bible TV series

Good ! Several users of How to Make A Film ask me what should be in a Bible TV series or Web series. In this article we will therefore take note of everything that needs to be put in the bible to approach a producer and create a case file : concrete.

A bible what is it ?

The bible is the document of reference for your project. It must contain “the essence” ! (Thank you Rabelais (J ), it is the soul, the heart, the lungs, the arms, the legs, the head of your series. The bible describes the foundational elements necessary for the writing (to write, if you prefer) of each episode.

Because it may be that other authors write for the series, in this case, they must be able to comply with all the rules, the characters, the backstory of your baby, thanks to this bible your series will remain consistent, on the same rhythm and the same tone…in Short, you will keep the control ! :o)

I strongly recommend to all those who want to embark on the adventure of taking the bible lightly. It must be more than an idea griffonnée on a piece of paper explaining in broad outline, the concept and the characters. Possibly this may be enough (and even) if you have a network monstrous and already completed a plethora of projects.

Concretely it is necessary to put what ? :

If I told you everything ! it would be a lie….although not far from the truth. Your bible must explain :

How does every episode have to be built because each series to its model. What elements of drama do they have in common ?

– The duration

– The kind

– The places

– The themes

– The dramatic progression. Even if each episode can be watch separately, it is necessary that there is an overall story. Take CSI Miami, Horacio tries to find his brother, and learns that he is still alive…in short, in all of the series you will find a plot general advance from time to time. For the Psychic it is to find John The Red.

I think that you have understood :o)

It must also be a detailed description of the main and secondary characters. This does not mean that you must necessarily describe how they are dressed ! Unless this is part of the characters. For example in the bible of colombo, surely it must be mentioned that his mac is part of the character.

– ATTENTION : you need to describe physically your characters.

– You can linger on their character, where they come from, what brings them together or divides them. What are their motivations ? In the mentalist the motivation for Patrick Jane to find John the red, then as for Lisbon, it is to turn its service and prevent Patrick to kill John The Red if it is found…

– The bible should also tell what happened before the beginning of the series, and that fact that your hero is here today.

Can it do…more the short ?

I sometimes hear of authors who only send the bare minimum. By that I mean : a synopsis of two or three pages, a treatment, a presentation of characters summary and a note of intent.

And then they expect this to take….by chance a producer takes the bait and gives him an appointment.

And there is the drama ! Because he has not taken the time to work as it should be his project. He does not know where to go exactly, its characters, its history etc…

If you are a canadian veteran then yes you can afford the minimum. If this is not the case, then make a bible from A to Z.

Once that is done you can very well send your project in a version more light.

And After ?

This is not finished ! It is also important that you were embarking on the pump :o)

In fact, it will be necessary to write the synopsis of several episodes so that we can be aware of the progress of the hero, in short, of the story.

As well as to write at least the “pilot” of the series. That is to say : the continuity of dialogue.

So let’s recap, you need to :

– The Synopsis of several episodes

– The plot of the first season

– Scenario of the ” pilot “

– Idea for the following seasons

Why a Pilot ? :

The first episode of the series is crucial, since it is he who gives the : (note huh ! ;o) )

In fact, it is in this first episode that the characters, the plot, the tone and the pace are going to be fed to the spectators. It is he who is going to hang (or not) to the viewers and give them the taste of return. This first scenario should be ” silver “.

And after (bis) ?

Here you are with your bible brand new under the arm, ready to swallow the first producer that goes by. But you are you prepared ? Can you answer this kind of question ?

– What is the concept ?

– What angle have chosen to treat your subject ?

– In what way is this concept differentiates you from others ?

– Do you think that your idea is innovative ?

– What is the message or point of view that you want to defend ?

That is why I invite you not to forget : The notice of intent. Thanks to it you will be able to answer all of these questions and you will know how to defend yourself…well, almost :o) the exercise of the face-to-face with a producer is quite unsettling…you play your “life” or not ?! Relativize a little bit…but it is all the same a year apart. This is why you need to prepare. The notice of intent and the perfect knowledge of your bible is your salvation.

One last thing :

Never forget that you write for television. You manufacture a “product” for the purpose of the market. Therefore, you must find an innovative concept but in the air of the time. You need to meet the demand of the viewers or at least respond to a “need” in the air or to the social context. But also don’t lose sight of the editorial line of the (of the) chain(s) of tv that you are aiming for.

I advise you to make a table of contents and number your pages.

Good Luck,

I remain at your disposal if you have any questions,

Tom Weil