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How to Pitch a Transmedia Graphic Novel as a Student Project: Lessons from The Orangery

iinstruction

2026-01-28

9 min read

A practical student guide to turning graphic novels into transmedia IP—using The Orangery's WME signing as a classroom model. Includes decks, timelines, and legal checklists.

Start strong: turn your student graphic novel into sellable transmedia IP — fast

As a student, your biggest frustrations are clear: scattered guidance on how to build a project that’s both creative and commercially viable, and no single roadmap for pitching an agent or studio. The Orangery’s January 2026 signing with WME shows a clear model: package bold IP, demonstrate adaptability, and lead with a compact, visual pitch. This guide turns that model into a classroom-ready, step-by-step plan you can use this semester.

Why The Orangery matters in 2026: a concise model students can copy

The Orangery—an independent transmedia IP studio founded in Europe—landed representation with William Morris Endeavor in early 2026 after packaging multiple graphic novel properties for cross-platform adaptation. For students, their success offers three actionable lessons:

Package IP, not just a story: The Orangery presented stories as adaptable ecosystems (characters, themes, secondary worlds) rather than single-format content.
Show intent to adapt: They brought adaptation-ready materials: treatments for TV and audio, character bibles, and visual proof-of-concept.
Sell the vision and the rights: Agencies like WME sign entities that can supply both creative talent and clean, transferable rights.

Core strategy: what agents want from student-led IP in 2026

Agents and managers in 2026 evaluate student projects against professional benchmarks. Focus on these core elements and you’ll be competitive:

Clarity of rights: Demonstrate who owns what and that you can grant options or assign rights.
Adaptation pathways: Present realistic routes to TV, film, podcast, game, or immersive experiences.
Visual proof-of-concept: High-quality sample pages, a short animatic, or a playable demo elevates a pitch.
Audience and market fit: Back your pitch with contemporary comps and an audience map.

Step-by-step: Turn a student graphic novel into transmedia IP

Below is a practical workflow you can use as a teacher or student. It’s written for a standard 12–14 week semester but adapts to shorter sprints.

Weeks 1–2: Define the IP and rights strategy

Write a one-sentence elevator logline aimed at a non-comic reader.
Draft a 1-page core concept that covers world, stakes, tone, and hero/antagonist dynamics.
Clarify ownership: who created the work, whether collaborators are contractors or co-creators, and whether the school needs to sign anything.

Weeks 3–5: Create the adaptation bible

Build a world & character bible (10–20 pages): character sheets, visual references, maps, timelines.
Write two 1-page adaptation treatments—one for a 6–8 episode TV season and one for a 6-episode audio drama.
Create a transmedia map that shows storylines suitable for comics, TV, podcasts, and a short-form mobile experience.

Weeks 6–8: Produce visuals and proof-of-concept

Finish a 6–10 page polished comic sample with final lettering and color (or strong black-and-white art).
Produce a 60–90 second animatic (pan & zoom over panels + temp voice/music) to show tone and pacing.
Create a 1-page sales sheet that distills the pitch (logline, one-sentence hook, comps, target audience).

Weeks 9–10: Build the pitch deck and materials

Assemble a 10–12 slide pitch deck (structure below).
Compile a rights packet: authorship statements, contributor agreements, and a proposed option template to present to an agent or producer.
Prepare a short video pitch (2–3 minutes) where the creator explains the story and adaptation vision on camera.

Weeks 11–12: Pitch practice and outreach

Run live pitch sessions with peers and invited industry judges (alumni, local agents).
Polish the deck based on feedback and finalize the rights package.
Prepare a tailored outreach list of agents, managers, and small boutique studios, and send targeted, personal queries.

Pitch deck structure: slide-by-slide (student version of a WME-ready deck)

Make your deck visual. Keep text short and use strong imagery from your sample pages.

Title slide: Project title, one-line genre tag (e.g., sci-fi noir), and a 1-sentence hook.
Logline: One tight sentence that captures stakes and uniqueness.
Elevator pitch video: Embed or link a short creator pitch (optional for initial email).
Synopsis: 1-paragraph series/novel synopsis and 1-paragraph pilot/issue synopsis.
Audience & comps: Two to three comps (titles and why) and target demographics.
Visuals: 3–6 sample pages, character art, mood board.
Adaptation pathways: Bullet-list of viable formats with brief justification (TV: serialized arcs; Podcast: serialized episodes; short-form mobile experience).
Market strategy & monetization: Licensing, merch potential, and transmedia release schedule.
Team & bios: Short bios with key credits or relevant coursework, link to portfolio.
Rights & ask: Who owns what, availability, and specific ask (e.g., representation, introductions to producers, or optioning).

Adaptation treatments: what to include for each format

Draft one-paragraph seed treatments and a short outline of structural changes required.

TV (8 episodes): Episode-by-episode beat sheet for the first season, character arcs, and pilot hook.
Feature film: Three-act structure focusing on a single high-stakes story within the graphic novel.
Audio drama: Soundscape notes, narrator choices, and how visuals translate into audio cues.
Game (narrative mobile/indie): Core mechanics, progression loop, and how player choices relate to canon.
Immersive/AR: A short AR scene or interactive comic vignette with user interaction mapped to story beats.

Practical classroom exercises and deliverables

Turn theory into practice with these assignments. Each one builds portfolio-ready assets.

One-Page Pitch: Logline, one-paragraph synopsis, and 3 visual thumbnails.
Adaptation One-Pagers: Short TV and audio treatments (max 1 page each).
Animatic Lab: 60–90 second animatic, produced in pairs (director + artist).
Rights Checklist: Students submit a simple chain-of-title document.
Mock Pitch Day: Public presentation with 7 minutes pitch + 5 minutes Q&A judged by pros.

How to approach agents and managers (WME-style outreach)

Agents receive hundreds of queries. Make yours easy to read and package-ready.

Target a short list: identify 3–5 agencies that represent transmedia or graphic-novel adaptations.
Lead with the hook: your email subject should be the logline + format (e.g., "Logline — TV Opportunity").
Include 1–2 attachments: a 1-page sales sheet and a link to your animatic or sample pages.
Be transparent about rights and collaborators and offer a clear next step: a meeting or a look at the full deck.

Sample outreach subject and first two lines: "Logline: A lost colony sends postcards to Earth — a sci-fi mystery (TV, 8 eps) — sample pages + animatic attached. Hi [Name], I’m a final-year media student with a finished graphic novel and adaptation materials. May I send a full deck?"

2025–2026 trends students must use to strengthen pitches

The industry landscape shifted noticeably in late 2025 and into early 2026. Students who align with these trends are more likely to be noticed:

High demand for IP: Streamers and boutique studios continue to acquire packaged IP, favoring properties with built-in extensibility.
Cross-border partnerships: International deals rose in 2025; present global universality and localization options.
AI tooling for preproduction: Use AI for quick thumbnails, voice prototyping, and animatics — but keep records of training data and clear ownership due to ongoing rights debates in 2025–26.
Immersive and short-form formats: Festivals and platforms now reward short transmedia experiments (vertical comics, AR vignettes).
Diverse voices and global stories: Buyers are prioritizing underrepresented perspectives; highlight unique cultural origin stories.

Legal basics students must cover before pitching

Never pitch to agents or producers without basic legal hygiene. At a minimum, provide:

Chain-of-title document: Author declarations, contributor agreements, and any school IP policies.
Option proposal: A one-page term sheet that shows you understand how options work.
Clearance notes: Any trademarked names, borrowed imagery, or music must be cleared or replaced.
AI use disclosure: If AI tools were used for art or writing, note how they were used and who owns the outputs.

Consult campus legal clinics or a freelance entertainment lawyer before outreach. A short paid consult (or clinic review) is a small cost that removes a major pitch blocker.

Case study exercise: Adapting "The Orangery" model to a student project

Use this as a template for a classroom case study. Replace names and specifics with your own project details.

Identify a core property (your graphic novel) and create a 12-page portfolio: 6–8 pages of finished art + 4 pages of world/character bible.
Draft a 1-page transmedia map showing at least three adaptation pathways (TV, podcast, short AR experience).
Write a 2-paragraph rights summary and draft a simple option term sheet.
Pitch to a mock agency panel that includes an industry-aligned rubric (below).

Assessment rubric for instructors (quick rubric)

Concept clarity (20%): Is the logline and synopsis clear and compelling?
Visual execution (20%): Are sample pages and animatic professional and expressive of tone?
Adaptability (20%): Are the adaptation pathways realistic and justified?
Rights & packaging (20%): Is chain of title clear and is the rights package coherent?
Presentation & pitch (20%): Is the live pitch tight, persuasive, and market-aware?

Recommended tools and resources (2026 update)

Art & layout: Procreate, Clip Studio Paint, Krita for budget projects.
Animatics & editing: DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere, CapCut for quick cuts.
Story & scripts: Arc Studio, Final Draft, or Google Docs templates for treatments.
Prototyping & interactive: Figma for UI/AR mockups, Construct or Unity for simple game demos.
Rights & legal: campus clinics, local entertainment lawyers, and publisher rights guides (verify current 2026 policies around AI-generated art). For a quick checklist on reviewing your stack and tools before professional outreach, see How to Audit Your Tool Stack in One Day.

Key takeaways — make your student pitch stand out

Package your story as IP: Provide adaptation routes, not just a comic.
Show visuals & proof-of-concept: Sample pages and a short animatic dramatically increase interest.
Be rights-ready: Clear chain-of-title and a proposed option make you credible.
Leverage 2026 trends: Use AI responsibly, emphasize global appeal, and show transmedia potential.
Practice pitching: Run mock pitches and refine the ask before you contact agents.

Final classroom action plan (one-week kickoff checklist)

Write and polish your logline and 1-page core concept.
Assemble 6–10 sample pages (final or refined thumbnails).
Draft two adaptation one-pagers (TV and audio).
Create a 1-page rights summary and chain-of-title doc.
Build a 10-slide pitch deck and rehearse a 7-minute pitch.

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