THE BOOK.

I think a set of shorter episodes, maybe 22 minutes long (even though it’ll be online and not televised traditionally). Five episodes for each character.

The finale of the show would be a 90 min-2 hour movie.

I liked the format of Prison Break (first two seasons), where something ‘happens’ every episode, something of significance.

Concept:

THE BOOK. is a drama/sci-fi series set in the world of 2084.

Seven characters in different times (how far apart) and places find pages (maybe chapters or booklets) of “THE BOOK”, a manuscript that has instructions for super-powers.

The way the powers are described in the book are more like technology than magic. They are broken up into chapters like: “Air pressure”, “Spacetime Manipulation”, etc. Rather than all contained in one printing, the information is spread all around the world and through time. One chapter may be written in the hidden code of an internet page, another on cave walls in China, another on the back of a Renoir painting. They’re also not written in chronological order, adding further to the mystery: this could make a good cliffhanger twist at the end of an episode, maybe even a season.

Our initial protagonist, Abrinet, is tasked with finding the other members of “the seven”, and helping to guide them to find the author of the book and to discover their purpose (and why they were chosen).

One of the characters is abducted by a ‘rebel’ group.

One of the characters is abducted by an Incsoc-type, ministry of love organization

This character is convinced by the rebels to join them, as the other 6 work to find and rescue her. This season is dedicated to showing how they were able to convince her to join them; essentially by subtly twisting the truth.

Choose a format for your show. Do you want to write a 30-minute comedy or a 1-hour drama? This will affect the tone, structure, and length of your scripts. You can also decide if you want to write an episode of an existing show (a spec script) or create your own original pilot (the first episode of a new series) ¹.
Develop your concept for the series. What is the premise or the “what if?” question that drives your story? What genre is it? Who are the main characters and what are their goals, motivations, and conflicts? What is the setting and the tone of your show? You can use brainstorming tools such as mind maps, outlines, or loglines (one or two sentence summaries) to clarify your concept ¹².
Research your market and audience. Who is your target audience and what kind of shows do they watch? What are the current trends and opportunities in the TV industry? What are the strengths and weaknesses of similar shows in your genre or niche? You can watch existing shows, read scripts online, and follow industry news and blogs to learn more about the TV landscape ¹².
Outline your season arc. How many episodes do you want to have in your season? How will your story progress from the pilot to the finale? What are the major plot points, twists, and cliffhangers that will keep your audience hooked? You can use index cards, spreadsheets, or software to map out your season arc and break it down into individual episodes ²³.
Write your pilot script. This is the most important script of your series, as it introduces your characters, setting, and premise to potential viewers and producers. You need to grab their attention from the first page and make them care about what happens next. Follow the standard TV script format and structure, and use clear and engaging dialogue and action. You can find examples of TV scripts online to guide you ²⁴.
Revise your script. After you finish your first draft, set it aside for a while and then read it again with fresh eyes. Look for ways to improve your story, characters, dialogue, and pacing. Cut out anything that is unnecessary, confusing, or boring. Get feedback from other writers or readers who are familiar with your genre and format. Rewrite your script until you are satisfied with it ²⁴.