Screenwriting : Pitch documents by Thames Ellis

Hi, Thames Ellis. Welcome to the community. Stage 32 has a blog that'll help you navigate the platform and connect with creatives and industry professionals all over the world (www.stage32.com/blog/how-to-successfully-navigate-the-stage-32-platform-...).

Stage 32 had a live Community Open House the other week. The recording will be available to watch soon (www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-s-june-community-open-house-...). It'll also help you navigate Stage 32 and connect with creatives and industry pros.

I suggest adding more info to your profile bio. It’ll help you build relationships/network on here. You could add things to your bio like why you became a screenwriter, your accomplishments, your goals, and what movies and shows you like. Click the gear symbol in the top right-hand corner of Stage 32, then select “Edit profile” in the drop-down menu and scroll down to "Bio" underneath "About Thames."

Your series bible can be 40+ pages if it needs to be.

Also, I’m a Stage 32 Lounge Moderator. I wanted to let you know that I moved your other post from the TV Series Pitch Document Writing Lounge to the Anything Goes Lounge since the TV Series Pitch Document Writing Lounge isn't active anymore. Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks, Maurice.

You're welcome, Thames Ellis.

Hey Thames Ellis Great question! Your instincts about creating both a pitch deck and character bible show you understand the importance of comprehensive development materials for a character-driven drama.

For character bibles, the sweet spot is typically:

15-25 pages for most series pitches

This gives you enough space to flesh out your main characters while keeping executives engaged. Remember, they're reading dozens of these a week.

Your current breakdown:

- 18-page pitch deck - This is on the longer side but acceptable if every page serves a purpose

- 40+ page character bible - This is likely too detailed for initial pitches

Recommended structure for character bible:

- Main characters (4-6 pages): Deep dives on your core cast

- Supporting characters (2-4 pages): Brief but meaningful profiles

- Character relationships (2-3 pages): How they connect and conflict

- Character arcs (3-5 pages): Growth trajectories across seasons so we can see how they will change and evolve over the course of the story

- World/tone (2-4 pages): How characters fit into your series' universe

Strategy tip: Create a condensed 15-page version, but keep your detailed 40+ page version as a reference document. If executives want deeper character exploration after your initial pitch, you have comprehensive materials ready.

For character-driven dramas, executives especially want to see how your characters will evolve and sustain multiple seasons. Focus on emotional journeys and relationship dynamics rather than exhaustive backstory details.

You'll also want to have a one-pager handy. The whole show at a glance. Only high concept pieces here. And you'll want a 2-page written pitch as well for ease of submitting to pitch opportunities. These short, pithy versions are important to exhibit that you can synthesize your story into something easily marketable. It's like my old high school English teacher used to say, write it like a mini skirt - long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to keep things interesting...

Thames Ellis very exciting journey already - wishing you continued good luck! super advice in this thread already!

Heya. So I've just completed a pilot for an 8x60 minute episodic drama series. The treatment is 35 pages, including 2 page episode synopses for each ep, and a full character bio at the back. I've also got a shorter one-pager. They're only going to read the bible if they liked the script. They're never going to touch it if they didn't, is my thinking.

Hey, Louis Clement. Welcome to the community. Congratulations on finishing your pilot!

"They're only going to read the bible if they liked the script. They're never going to touch it if they didn't, is my thinking." I've heard the same thing, but I also pitched a TV series to a company once, and they wanted the series bible along with the pilot.

Oh nice, I just started to look fo pitch deck info... one of my scripts needs one. It's a ~105 min drama... so not exactly wild and spectacular material. But even down to earth dramas ultimately need a pitch deck right?