Animation Bibles

[J.C. Rider II]

I have herd that to create a a successful series a BIBLE is a must have, especially when pitching it to a company.

1 What all goes into this BIBLE?

2 Where should you start?

3 Where on the internet are some of the best examples? links please

4 Do any of you have a BIBLE you would share as an example?

5 When in your project is the right time to start your own BIBLE?

[Daryl T]

A very good question. A question that I would like answered myself! I never pitched a show, or even worked on a show as of yet. Sorry. If you find out let me know.

[jaybird]

Daryl-
i know somewhat, but i just want to make sure I get my terms correct & follow 'industry standard' :) pitching is fun- and I know that it only gets better with practice. Going through boards is fun & is one of my favorite things to do whenever I get a chance :)

[Daryl T]

Thanks very much. I could use all the help I can.

[Stephen M. Levinson]

I like referring it to as "Animation Book" instead of "Animation Bible" since religious terms shouldn't be used to describe cartoons. Unless it's of that nature.

[TempleDog]

Hmm...The Bible gets it's name from latin roots...a 'biblia sacra' or holy tome. So, if we go with the latin 'anima', for 'to animate, give life to', we get 'biblia anima', or Tome of Animation. See, I can uses the internets! Got to admit, saying you created a 'biblia anima' for a series makes you sound all myffical n' stuff.

[Colin Wheeler]

Agreed! Biblia animia shall be the new technical term. All in accordance say "Aye!"
(Note, your ayes are as plain as the ayes on your face. No need to actually say aye, I can't hear you.)
Does anybody have any other samples they can find? I haven't had much luck scouring Google... but to me a quick storyboard can express as much about characters as any collection of prose.

[Floyd Bishop]

Here is an AWN article from a few years back about pitch bibles. Basically, you want to cover the basics. Having a great idea is one thing, but how do you plan to flesh out a series? Who are your characters? What do they look like? What kind of world do they live in.

I've done many pitches (and many to Fred and crew). No one has ever bought anything I've pitched, so I'm probably not the best person to talk to about this, but I would also add that you have to have a strong idea that is YOUR idea. Be prepared for tough questions to come up. Why is your main character a cow? It may make sense to you, but be prepared to back up and defend your vision of things. That being said, don't be totally unyielding. Would a slight color palette adjustment really be so out of line?

Best of luck with your pitching, and keep your ears and eyes wide open. Each pitch is an opportunity to hone your craft and make your next pitch that much better.

[J.C. Rider II]

Were getting a lot of great replies here.

As for Mr. Floyd Bishop the article is quite informative and a must read. I thank you sir for the light you spread on this subject.

I my self have gathered a small crew to work on/flush out the premise of my story. The world is fantastic, the story right on and with the help of my crew it is going from my ten year old concept and design to a real production series. I have found that your core crew is just as important as the world you create. It has taken me ten years to find the right people to work on this project, up until then it has constantly stewed in my brain.


PS Well worth the endless nights of sleep this project has caused.

[jaybird]

Floyd-

great article! thanks for putting it up :) everyone should read it who is interested in pitching.

[Eric Homan]

Know that a pitch bible and a writer's bible are two different beasts. The latter is a much broader document created after a show's picked up, the former is designed to give a brief but clear overview of what you want to do with your cartoon.

Everyone looks for something different in a pitch bible. I like to see a very brief overview, a few character descriptions, a bit about the world in which the characters live, and a handful of storylines. Make sure your storylines are brief but that they contain a beginning, middle, and end (i.e. no "Ben and Jerry get jobs at a car wash and hilarity ensues" or "Lucy has to cook dinner for Ricky's new boss - will she be able to pull it off?"). Three or four sentences should be enough.

Be as brief as possible overall. A total of twelve to fifteen pages should suffice. A paragraph or two, using the right language, should be more than enough to give an exec the information they need to decide if they want to see more of that character. Put yourself in the exec's position - what would you like to see? Remember, most development executives see an awful lot of bibles, many drastically similar. Be short, sweet, and distinctive.

Include a mix of artwork. Not everything should be finished or finalized, although I always like to see one piece of art showcasing how the creator envisions how the show will ultimately look. However, remember every project goes through a lot of development and will look different than what you initially present. One more note: I, personally, dislike character art in which your characters are more or less standing there, as in the standard model sheet pose. I see it all too often, when I'd rather see the characters doing something that reflects their personality.

Keep in mind the purpose of a pitch bible is to get a network interested in seeing more, kind of like a movie trailer. It's a first impression and should grab attention.

Good luck.

[J.C. Rider II]

Thank you for helping, this is a important step for me on a couple of ideas being flushed out right now, and very important for the one I have brought in a small crew to set up for a pilot episode.

I have been told that the writer's bible is the one used for daily production and to keep everyone on the project on the same page as far as creative direction, character sheets, world synopses, episode summaries, and much more. I am now doing research into that side now.

To prepare for animation under Techedout Empire or for if/when it gets picked up by a larger studio than the one I have started (Techedout Empire), this writer's bible is a must have for production. We plan to take this animation to production after we have all the tools prepped.

Can you shed some light on this side to help us better prepare? I have studio equipment, crew and a small budget to work with. We are independent an have not had the luxury of major studios help in the past. Having brought in enough talent/equipment with a small budget to create "Lil'guy The Graphic Novel" we are expanding into one of my creator owned pieces, I am not allowed to talk about it until the copy rights are filed with the government as is our protocol for all such series and would like your input to greater expand our professionalism in the realm of cartoons.


Thank you for all your help it means allot to me and my crew.
J.C.

[Eric Homan]

J.C., are you asking about a writers' bible? If so, I'd strongly advise you not to worry about it until your show gets picked up. If you're lucky enough for that to happen, your project will go through a development process, changing, refining, and (one would hope) improving your project. Also, put yourself in the position of a development executive. A project you believe needs your input is more likely to get your interest compared to something that arrives on your desk completely wrapped up. Your writers' bible is developed with your buyer.