The Television Presentation Bible
A presentation bible contains the following (often in this order):
- Title page with the series name and logo if there is one, plus the names of
the writer/developers, copyright, and trademark information (if you have a
trademark). - One-page description of the show or concept including any myths or legends that are
absolutely necessary to explain your cartoon world and how it came into being. If
necessary, include a brief description to explain the time period and the rules of your
project’s universe. You may want to begin by telling the basic concept in a logline,
twenty-five words or fewer. - Brief description of the arena (setting) and any important props, especially unique
and interesting ones that can be made into toys. - Thumbnail description of the four to six main characters, relationships between char-
acters and with the villains. Devote no more than a half page to each character, listing
only a few traits (the essence). The character is this, but he’s also that (a meek man
but a devil behind the wheel of a car). If you do include minor characters, each should
be limited to a sentence or two. - Three to thirteen great storylines showing the kind of conflict, humor, and jeopardy.
The best format for these is a logline summary of each followed by an expanded one-
paragraph version. Usually, one of these stories will be the pilot episode. Six really
great storylines are better than thirteen that aren’t so good. - Context. Context is the makeup of the show. Is this traditional animation, 3-D,
or some other form, like Claymation? Is this fantasy or is it realistic? Comedy or
action/adventure? Is there special music? How long is each episode and each
segment? What’s your target demographic age?
Approach the whole series. Think of yourself as the producer and director. Skip
the nuances and sell in broad strokes. Style is important in writing the bible. You should
capture the tone of the show. Let the executives know where the fun is and why it will
continue. You should know how the series would evolve. Everything should be clear and
easy to read. Leave nothing to the imagination. The buyer wants the facts, not just a sales
job. Be specific. Write concisely. Be descriptive. Misspellings and poor grammar are bad
salesmanship. A presentation bible usually has some artwork included. The main purpose of
the bible is to get a development deal and ultimately sell the project. It’s a tool for the buyer
after you’ve left the presentation or pitch. Most executives will have to pitch a series to their
boss.
The shorter the bible, the better! Be precise. Three pages are good, five pages are
okay, and fifteen pages are normally too many! If a busy development executive has to read
fifteen pages, the bible is likely to sit there until she has the time, which may be never!
Also, longer bibles give the executive more to think about and more to dislike. The bible is
a tease.
Development and the Animation Bible 85