How to make a TV Bible

TV BIBLE:

A bible is the blueprint for a TV series. It is important to distinguish between a proper paper format bible, a writer’s guide bible and a sale bible:

1. Paper format bible consists of all elements needed to create the TV series, including production timelines, set decorations, budgets, etc. You can advance it as much as possible, the key is that the most advance it is the easier it will be for the crew to successfully create the show. Paper format bibles are confidential and to be used internally. Paper formats are an asset and could be sold as is to a production company to develop.
2. The writer’s guide bible only includes elements relevant to the screenwriters. So basically character bios, theme, storylines, synopsis, etc.
3. The sale bible is a reduced version of the paper format bible which you use to sell the TV show. It is kind of like the pitch deck of the show. It should have enough to give a feel for what the show will be like but not too much.

The bibles are usually accompanied by a promo reel to help sell the show.

Note that this is one way to create a bible, depending on the circumstances of the production this might be different. There are many ways to do it. However, a TV format is not intellectual property until the idea has been developed, therefore in order for this to be an asset it is best if it is as developed as possible.  

Index of a bible:

You want to start with some sort of mission statement that describes the fundamentals of the show. It is an introduction to what the show wants to accomplish.

1. Format Info:
1. Title
2. Genre
3. Number of episodes and duration: 12 Episodes x 50 minutes
4. Number of Seasons if relevant
5. Periodicity (Weekly)
6. Time Slot (Prime Time)
7. Target Audience

Points e and f are to be used if you are approaching a traditional network, if not you can avoid them unless the production timelines depend on it, because your periodicity might dictate your delivery dates.  

2. Pitch: The TV series pitch in one sentence
3. Logline, tagline (if you have one) all the stuff that can be used for marketing purposes.
4. The Set Up: Series mood and world of the series: Here you would describe the episodes and the series. You must define the overall mood of the series as well as the universe in which the story will take place. For example: “Due to the city’s budgetary cuts Miami has been rundown and taken over by drug lords. The police force tries to cope with the surge in crime but they are heavily under resourced (etc)”
5. Characters: The character’s biographies and backstory, also include pictures of the type of actor you are after. Their goals and objectives so you can clearly establish their character arc. Also, their interpersonal, intrapersonal and extrapersonal conflicts. The more developed the characters are the easier they are to write and the more naturally you might be able to develop plot lines. It needs to include the relationship between the different characters.
6. Secondary Characters: Description of recurring secondary characters.
7. Argumental structure: Depending on the TV series you are developing the structure will be one way or the other. It can be serialized or self-contained. Usually there are one or two main plot lines that start in episode 1 and get resolved in the last episode of the season. This is the seasons main storyline. Then you have a series of main plotlines which will bleed from episode to episode, these are the ones you use for cliffhangers in order to keep the audience coming back. They might go over three episodes, four episodes, two or six or more. And finally you have the episode plot lines, these are the plot lines that start in the beginning of the episode and are resolved by the end of the episode. If you know you will want to have a second season, you introduce some main plot lines in the last episodes of the prior season so that they will bleed into the new season.
8. Plot map: This is a breakdown of the sequences that compose the plot lines placed within each episode. You will want to start your series with the inciting incident within the first couple of minutes, this would be the first sequence of your main season’s plot line. For example, Lost starts with the plane crash, this incites the audience but also sets the action into motion.
9. Set Descriptions: This describes the main sets you will be using in the season. If you can include art or pictures as reference even better.
10. Episode Synopsis: You want to include synopsis for every episode. You must weave into the synopsis the sequences from your main plot lines.
11. Pilot Script: This is not essential but it is much better when you have the script for the pilot, this helps set the style that other writers must follow.
12. Future Seasons: If the series is a multi seasonal series, here is where you would give  a brief description of the following seasons.
13. Notes: This is where you describe any elements that would need to be clarified, for example costume design.
14. Production Plan: This is the plan of how the show is going to be produced, it might be shot as if it was a very long movie like game of thrones does and then the timelines set in post production or you might have two crews shooting in parallel or whatever. If it is netflix who you want to target then you can plan the production as a long film. Ideally you want to be as efficient and as cost effective as possible but you need to plan for some flexibility and some last minute changes. Part of the production plan is the script delivery schedule and the pre-produccion. Also, you always want to try and shoot one of the middle episodes first in order to get the actors and the crew up to speed. If you shoot your pilot first, the acting and the directing might be weak which would be in detriment of the show.
15. Timeline: This is a plan on how to execute the production plan.
16. Crew needed and if you already have key crew locked in then you would put it here.
17. Budget: it should include 10% contingency and then add a 20% profit over the cost. First seasons are rarely profitable. You need an idea on the cost per hour because this is usually how a broadcaster will pay. You always want to try to have the broadcaster cover the entire cost.
18. Annexes: Here you add any annexes.