Forget films. Television Shows are the prime medium for visual storytelling.
Almost everyone can access television (an important feature of everyday life in some form or another), but movies and films? Just a few individuals in the system and the vast majority of creatives can access them.
Television is a “mysterious” and untapped industry yet global television subscription revenue reached nearly $200 billion in 2019.
With such massive popularity and sales, how can you develop your idea into a TV series?
Compose a Series Bible
To understand the reason for creating a TV series, compose a series bible.
This is a document explaining the background of your idea. The series bible introduces us to your characters, their actions in the series, and the situations they’ll face.
In simple words, a series bible holds your ideas and supports them.
It paints a picture of your characters and the reason they exist, what they intend to solve, and the lessons they’ll achieve (for your audience to relate with).
Break Down Characters
A TV series has main characters. They have different roles and epitomize the many goals and ideas “hidden” in your story.
You want characters to experience numerous conflicts—think internal and external conflicts—to help you sustain a complete TV series over an extended period.
And the best way to do this is to break down the show’s main characters.
Write down short paragraphs explaining each of the main characters and their conflicts.
Struggling to break down your characters? Hire a TV series writer to help you. If onboarding a scriptwriter is expensive, apply for a short-term loan. Use terms such as “affordable car title loans” or “car title loans near me” to get the best loan. These types of loans are short-term and have quick approvals.
Present Episode Breakdowns
The TV series needs to flow to glue your audience to the screen.
This flow is achieved when you portray how your characters are embracing conflicts affecting them both internally and externally.
Breaking down episodes (in the form of short paragraphs) creates a flow of issues and problems facing characters—helping you identify seasonal arcs and character arcs.
Your idea will only come alive when you arrange all episodes in a smooth flow.
Write the Pilot Episode
You may pitch a great idea and present a beautiful TV series, but without a pilot episode your idea won’t fly.
A pilot episode paints a vivid picture of the process of creating the series. In essence, how you executed it—from the tone and subtexts up to your characters' actions.
A pilot episode comprises dialogues between your characters. It highlights how the story flows including the pace and all the unique aspects shining in your script.
The audience has no idea where your characters are heading next, but a pilot episode will help them figure out without guessing.
If you have an idea for a TV series, sit down and plan everything from start to finish to bring your idea to life. Otherwise, your idea will remain just that—an idea.