Story Consulting
Series bible review for TV writers.
A series bible has to do two jobs at once: make someone fall in love with a world, and prove the show can keep going. We review yours for both.
What we look at
- World and tone
- Whether the setting feels specific, lived-in and impossible to confuse with another show.
- Characters
- What each lead wants, what stands in the way, and how they change over time.
- The engine
- The reason the story can keep going, season after season.
- Season arc and pitch
- How the first season builds, and how the document sells it.
Where bibles stall
Most bibles that stall are missing the engine. The characters are vivid and the world is rich, but there's nothing that makes episode six different from episode two. Notes focus on finding it.
Experience
J. Penberth Rabold spent fifteen years as a unit production manager and first assistant director before making writing his full-time job in 2015. His series bibles, pilots and features have reached desks at Netflix, Apple, Starz and HBO.
He developed the series Ghosts of War, a second-round selection at the Austin Film Festival.
Questions
Good questions
What should I send for a series bible review?
The bible, the pilot if you have one, and a logline. If you're stuck on something specific, tell us.
Do you review for streaming or network shows?
Both. The notes are about the story: the engine, the characters and the season arc, whatever the platform.
Can you help with the pitch itself?
Yes. Notes can cover how the bible reads as a pitch, including what to lead with and what to cut.
How much does it cost?
It depends on the size of the document and the kind of help you want. Send us a note and we'll tell you.
More in Story Consulting
Script Notes
Honest script notes on plot, structure, character and theme for features, pilots and shorts, from working writer-director J. Penberth Rabold. Not coverage.
Learn more →Story Coaching
One-on-one Zoom story coaching and outline sessions for screenwriters who want a collaborator to help them work out the story and finish the script.
Learn more →