Series bible questions

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  • Series bible questions

    Hey guys. I've checked out a bunch of different bibles, but I wanted to ask for all of your opinions as well.

    I guess for my purposes, the term "mini-bible" is more appropriate, as it would be more of a document for pitching purposes, and not for an actual writers room.

    1) Should a series bible be written as if the person reading has also read the pilot episode? Or is it a standalone document?

    2) How much "mystery", if any, is acceptable in a bible? I get that it's important to paint a picture about what the show is, but it can be quite difficult to stage a reveal that might otherwise have more weight if it was built up to across multiple scripts.

    3) Is it important to give synopses for each episode of season one? Or is a general description of major season one arcs better? I'm not opposed to doing the work, more so wondering if execs/etc don't want to be bogged down by minutiae.

    I've actually written a mini-bible for one of my projects in the past, but really want to improve in this aspect as I optimistically inch closer to a possible career.

    Any input is appreciated. Thanks for reading!

  • #2
    Re: Series bible questions

    Originally posted by nitrohawk91 View Post
    Hey guys. I've checked out a bunch of different bibles, but I wanted to ask for all of your opinions as well.

    I guess for my purposes, the term "mini-bible" is more appropriate, as it would be more of a document for pitching purposes, and not for an actual writers room.

    1) Should a series bible be written as if the person reading has also read the pilot episode? Or is it a standalone document?

    2) How much "mystery", if any, is acceptable in a bible? I get that it's important to paint a picture about what the show is, but it can be quite difficult to stage a reveal that might otherwise have more weight if it was built up to across multiple scripts.

    3) Is it important to give synopses for each episode of season one? Or is a general description of major season one arcs better? I'm not opposed to doing the work, more so wondering if execs/etc don't want to be bogged down by minutiae.

    I've actually written a mini-bible for one of my projects in the past, but really want to improve in this aspect as I optimistically inch closer to a possible career.

    Any input is appreciated. Thanks for reading!
    I've been pitching a series recently with a pilot and bible, so hopefully this will be of some use to you.

    1.) In my (limited) experience, the bible has been a supplementary document people have read after they read the pilot and I've gone in to pitch. Generally. I actually sat down with an exec last week to talk about a series after they read the pilot and the bible. But generally, they will read the pilot first and will want to talk more about the series before the bible even becomes a topic of conversation.

    2.) I wrote a bible for a sci-fi series that revealed a major twist at the end of season one that propelled the series in an entirely new direction. And people loved it. The twist hooked them in and they wanted to know more. The current one I'm pitching has a bible with five seasons laid out. I did this because it's a serialized show for cable and execs usually want to know where things are going. You don't have to be super detailed or anything, and you can also point out that the storylines are not set in stone. However, it will show that you have a vision for the series and that your premise has legs.

    3.) I've never done synopses for episodes; only season arcs. I typically lay out the general idea of the series, the tone, the series engine, maybe something on location, brief character summaries/arcs, and then season arcs. Generally my bibles run about 12 pages.

    Hope that helps.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Series bible questions

      Originally posted by nitrohawk91 View Post
      1) Should a series bible be written as if the person reading has also read the pilot episode? Or is it a standalone document?
      I've only seen ones that assumed the pilot had been read.

      2) How much "mystery", if any, is acceptable in a bible? I get that it's important to paint a picture about what the show is, but it can be quite difficult to stage a reveal that might otherwise have more weight if it was built up to across multiple scripts.
      You're not really "staging" the reveal, though. You're to worried about maximizing the weight of it. It's not a script.

      Anybody who might read the bible in a production capacity is not going to first encounter the reveal in a finished script, anyway: you'll be writing outlines and synopsis which get shared up the food chain and approved.

      e.g., the Grey's Anatomy Bible gives away that Derek is married - something that played as a major reveal in season one. Heck, it gives it away twice: first in the description of Derek, and then in the last line of the bible. (I strongly recommend reading that bible if you can find it).

      But the point is that anybody you were trying to "save" the reveal for will have it spoiled for them anyway if the show goes - and if the show doesn't go, it will never happen anyway. So what are you trying to accomplish by hiding it?

      3) Is it important to give synopses for each episode of season one? Or is a general description of major season one arcs better? I'm not opposed to doing the work, more so wondering if execs/etc don't want to be bogged down by minutiae.
      I think this depends on how serialized the show is.

      With highly episodic shows, I think you just want to give a few episodes, to help show that the show has legs. Write a few sentences showing some ideas that exploit the concept.

      With more serialized shows, I'd follow Shonda (who laid out the first ten episodes in some detail - about a page each).

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Series bible questions

        I guess because series bibles are informative in nature, the ones I've read have all seemed very "tell, don't show". I think I need to focus on making mine a better marketing tool, and worry less about about shrouding reveals.

        Thanks you guys. Very helpful.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Series bible questions

          Originally posted by nitrohawk91 View Post
          I guess because series bibles are informative in nature, the ones I've read have all seemed very "tell, don't show". I think I need to focus on making mine a better marketing tool, and worry less about about shrouding reveals.

          Thanks you guys. Very helpful.
          I would think about tone as well dude.

          If it is possible, give the reader a sense of what the show is about, what are you saying here, who will it appeal too thematically and visually.

          I haven't read to many bibles as they are hard to get hold of, but the Batman and the Wire ones give a real sense of the writers sensibilities, while fulfilling the other requirements.
          Genius sees everything.
          Genius sees.

          Posey Mund.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Series bible questions

            I can't escape you, can I Posey

            Good points! I'm definitely working to incorporate tone. Too bad there aren't more bibles available online. Would be really interested to see one for Breaking Bad and The Leftovers in particular.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Series bible questions

              Originally posted by nitrohawk91 View Post
              I can't escape you, can I Posey

              Good points! I'm definitely working to incorporate tone. Too bad there aren't more bibles available online. Would be really interested to see one for Breaking Bad and The Leftovers in particular.
              Yeah I get around, would love to read BB too, good luck dude.


              fingers crossed as always.

              Genius sees everything.
              Genius sees.

              Posey Mund.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Series bible questions

                A couple of you mentioned reading bibles. I'm pretty new to screenwriting and was wondering where you guys have found copies of bibles.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Series bible questions

                  Originally posted by TMCan View Post
                  ...where you guys have found copies of bibles.
                  Google TV Writing Archive, the have bibles, pilots, regular scripts, and a few pitch documents.
                  Just my 2 cents, your mileage may vary.

                  -Steve Trautmann
                  3rd & Fairfax: The WGAW Podcast

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Series bible questions

                    Originally posted by KitchonaSteve View Post
                    Google TV Writing Archive, the have bibles, pilots, regular scripts, and a few pitch documents.
                    Oh my goodness. Thank you so much. I am already addicted to the TV Writing Archive.

                    Comment

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