How to Pitch an Adaptation: A Student’s Guide Inspired by The Orangery and WME Deals

Beat the deadline, land the meeting: a student’s step-by-step checklist for pitching an adaptation

Pitching an adaptation of your graphic novel or short story can feel impossibly high-stakes—especially when you don’t know what producers, agencies, or managers actually want. In 2026, the demand for strong IP and ready-to-adapt packages is hotter than ever: boutique transmedia studios like The Orangery are signing with major agencies such as WME, proving that clear packaging, visual assets, and market-ready treatments convert into representation and deals. This guide gives you a practical, step-by-step checklist to turn your work into an adaptation pitch and a student-ready pitch deck you can include in a student portfolio.

Why this matters now (2025–2026 trends)

• Streaming platforms and studios continue to chase IP with pre-built audiences and transmedia approaches—linking graphic novels, games, short films, and serialized streaming—are a differentiator. The Orangery’s WME signing in early 2026 signals how agencies value packaged IP and clear adaptation strategies.
• Transmedia approaches—linking graphic novels, games, short films, and serialized streaming—are a differentiator. The Orangery’s WME signing in early 2026 signals how agencies value packaged IP and clear adaptation strategies.
• AI tools speed up drafting and visual mockups, but legal clarity, original creative voice, and human-led storytelling remain non-negotiable for buyers.

At-a-glance checklist: What your adaptation pitch deck must prove

Top-level: a decision-maker should be able to understand your project and next-step ask in under 90 seconds. Your pitch deck must answer these four questions clearly:

1. What is the story? Clear logline and one-sentence hook.
2. Why will it work as an adaptation? Tone, format, running time/episodes, and a short adaptation plan.
3. Who will make it happen? Creative attachments, showrunner or director vision, and your team.
4. What do you want? Representation, option, development partnership, or financing—state the ask.

Quick checklist (printable)

• Logline (one sentence)
• One-paragraph synopsis
• Two-page treatment
• Visual mood board (3–6 images)
• Main character bios (1 paragraph each)
• Format & episode breakdown (if TV)
• Comparable titles & target audience
• Rights status and chain of title
• Samples: 10–20 comic pages or 10–15 pages of prose; one sample script scene
• Portfolio page link and contact info

Step 1: Start with a killer logline and hook

Your logline is the fastest filter—if it’s weak, your deck won’t get read. Use this simple formula:

Protagonist + goal + opponent/obstacle + stakes = logline.

Example for students: "A graffiti artist in a flooded coastal city must smuggle a lost map into the hands of an exile to save her community before a corporate reclamation wipes their history." That contains protagonist, goal, antagonist, and stakes.

Actionable: three logline checks

• Keep it under 35 words.
• Include the emotional hook and unique world detail.
• Test it out loud—would it make you ask one follow-up question?

Step 2: Write a 1-paragraph and 2-page treatment

The one-paragraph synopsis is what you paste into emails and cover letters. The 2-page treatment is for producers who want more but not a full script.

1-paragraph template (50–100 words)

Sentence 1: Setup and protagonist. Sentence 2: Inciting incident and goal. Sentence 3: Key conflicts and stakes. Sentence 4: Endgame or tonal promise.

2-page treatment structure

1. Page 1: Expanded synopsis (act beats), primary characters and dramatic question.
2. Page 2: Tone & style notes, visual approach, adaptation decisions (what changes and why), and why the story fits a specific format (feature, limited series, animation).

Step 3: Build the visual pitch - mood boards and sample pages

For graphic novels, your strongest asset is visual proof. For short stories, create comic or concept art mockups to show cinematic possibilities. In 2026, buyers expect a quick visual language—producers don’t want to imagine; they want to see.

• Mood board: 3–6 images showing color palette, lighting, and production design references.
• Sample pages: 8–12 comic pages or illustrated key scenes; for prose, include a visually-minded scene or storyboard.
• Style frames: Two framed images showing how a key sequence could look as a shot.

Step 4: Adaptation plan — format, arc, and audience

Producers want a clear plan: are you offering a feature film, a 6-episode limited series, an animated show, or a game adaptation? Be realistic. For students, a well-reasoned limited series plan (6–8 episodes) often sells better for layered graphic novels.

What to include in your adaptation plan

• Format and episode/runtime breakdown
• Three-act outline or episode arcs
• Target audience and demographic metrics
• Comparable titles with reasons why (distribution and format examples)

Step 5: Attachments and creative team

Even as a student, demonstrate awareness of who could lead the adaptation. If you can’t secure names, explain the creative profile you’re seeking—directors, showrunners, writers with relevant credits.

• List any attached creatives and a 1-line reason they fit.
• Include your CV: credits, awards, festivals, and relevant coursework.
• If you’ve used AI in early drafts, disclose it and show what you contributed personally. Transparency matters for trust and rights.

Step 6: Rights, chain of title, and legal basics

No meeting happens without clarity on who controls the rights. The Orangery’s value proposition to WME included clean rights and an IP-first approach—agencies and studios buy clarity.

Student legal checklist

• Confirm you own or control adaptation rights to the work.
• Gather written agreements for collaborators and artists.
• If you used third-party artwork or music, have licenses or replacement plans.

Step 7: The pitch deck slide order (printable template)

Keep it concise—12 to 18 slides is ideal. Each slide should be visually clean and focused. Use this order:

1. Cover: title, logline, one image
2. Hook: one-sentence emotional hook
3. One-paragraph synopsis
4. Why adapt now: market hook and 2026 trend relevance
5. Main characters (1-sentence each)
6. Sample pages / visuals
7. Treatment highlights / act beats
8. Format & episode breakdown
9. Comparables & target audience
10. Transmedia potential (games, comics, merch, festivals)
11. Team & attachments
12. Rights & legal status
13. What you’re asking for (next steps)
14. Contact & portfolio link

Step 8: The outreach email and subject line

People receive dozens of cold submissions. Your email must be polite, succinct, and tailored to the recipient’s recent work.

Email subject line examples

• 'Adaptation pitch: [TITLE] — 6-ep limited series, graphic novel source'
• 'Short pitch: [TITLE] — cinematic YA graphic novel with transmedia plan'

First 3 lines template

Sentence 1: Reason you’re contacting them (recent credit or representation relevance). Sentence 2: One-line logline. Sentence 3: Ask and what you’ve attached (deck link, sample pages).

Step 9: Build a student portfolio that convinces

Your portfolio is your credibility engine. For adaptation pitches, curate a focused page that includes:

• Project snapshot: title, format, logline, and one image
• Downloadable pitch deck and treatment
• Sample pages and demo reel (if you have animation or live-action shorts)
• Festival selections, awards, publication links, and social metrics (readers, sales)
• Contact and representation status

Step 10: Practice your pitch and get feedback

Practice a 60-second verbal pitch and a 5-minute walk-through of your deck. Use feedback from mentors, professors, or industry-focused workshops. In 2026, agencies prefer creators who can articulate transmedia potential and commercialization pathways—practice those two talking points specifically.

Lessons from The Orangery’s WME signing

The Orangery sealed a high-profile relationship with WME in early 2026 because it presented:

• Consolidated rights across multiple graphic novels and IP.
• Ready-made transmedia strategy that showed film, TV, and ancillary opportunities.
• Visual identity and strong storytelling—sample pages and clear creative leads.

For students, the takeaway is clear: even small-scale IP can compete if you present a clean rights picture, a realistic adaptation plan, and compelling visuals. Agencies are looking for packaging as much as they look for concept.

Advanced strategies for 2026 and beyond

If you want to go beyond the basics and make your pitch stand out in the current market, try these advanced moves:

• Data-driven comps: Include audience metrics and social engagement data from your graphic novel or short story platform reads, if available.
• Proof-of-concept short: A 3–6 minute proof-of-concept short can shorten negotiation cycles; filmed scenes or animatics are persuasive.
• Transmedia one-pager: Show how the IP can expand into a game, podcast, or web series—agencies like WME value multi-platform income streams.
• Ethical AI use: Use AI tools for ideation or image roughs, but credit them and show your own creative contributions. Attach a human-authorship statement.

Common student mistakes and how to avoid them

• Sending too much material. Solution: Lead with a short deck and offer the full treatment on request.
• Unclear rights. Solution: Document ownership and collaborator agreements before outreach.
• Ignoring platform fit. Solution: Tailor the format to the buyer (feature for festivals, limited series for streamers seeking retention).
• Relying solely on text for a visual story. Solution: Include images—storyboards, style frames, or sample pages.

Templates and quick checklists (copy-paste)

One-line logline template

"When [inciting event], [protagonist] must [goal] before [stakes], facing [antagonist/obstacle]."

60-second pitch script

1. Intro: name, project title.
2. Logline.
3. Why now: one market reason.
4. Format and ask (representation, option, development).

Final checklist before you send your deck

• Logline tested and short.
• Deck is 12–18 slides, visual-first.
• Rights and chain of title documented.
• Portfolio link works and downloads open.
• Your contact info and next steps are clear.

Closing: turn your creative work into a compelling, investable package

In 2026, studios and agencies like WME are actively hunting packaged IP that looks ready for adaptation. The Orangery’s deal shows that even newer transmedia outfits can capture agency interest with clean rights, strong visuals, and a clear adaptation strategy. For students, the advantage is agility: you can iterate quickly, assemble visual proofs, and present a focused, compelling pitch deck that makes decision-makers see the project as lower risk and higher potential.

Want a ready-made version of this checklist? We offer a pitch-deck template, email script, and portfolio checklist tuned for students adapting graphic novels and short stories—plus affordable feedback from editors who specialize in adaptation materials.

Next step: Download the free student adaptation pitch template and submit your deck for a professional review. Get targeted feedback that helps you book that first meeting.