How Transmedia Studios Turn Graphic Novels into Multi-Platform Franchises (Behind The Orangery’s Playbook)

Turn your graphic novel into a cross-platform franchise—what The Orangery did, and how you can package IP to get agencies like WME knocking

Pain point: You built a vivid world on the page, but studios, agencies, and merch partners keep asking for things you don’t yet have: show-ready materials, audience metrics, licensing roadmaps, chain-of-title clarity. That gap kills momentum. In 2026, the winners are creators who deliver a production-ready IP packet, not just great art.

Why this matters now (2026 context)

Late 2025 and early 2026 accelerated two trends that change the game for graphic-novel-to-franchise conversions:

• Consolidation and global expansion of streaming platforms means buyers want multi-territory, multi-format IP with pre-built audiences.
• Industry gatekeepers (top agencies, networks, and streamers) now demand demonstrable formats and revenue opportunities—podcasts, short-form video, merch, and licensing-ready plans—that reduce execution risk.

Case in point: The Orangery, a European transmedia studio founded by Turin-based producer Davide G.G. Caci, recently signed with WME after packaging recognizable graphic-novel IP like Traveling to Mars and Sweet Paprika. That move is exactly the playbook we’ll dissect: how a small studio turned comic-book rights into agency-level opportunity.

"Transmedia IP Studio the Orangery, behind hit graphic novel series ‘Traveling to Mars’ and ‘Sweet Paprika,’ signs with WME." — Variety, Jan 16, 2026

Behind The Orangery’s playbook: 7 strategic moves creators should copy

1. Own or control clean, negotiable rights

The Orangery started by ensuring chain-of-title for each IP was clear and transferable. That meant solid contracts with creators, written assignment or exclusive license agreements, and documented permissions for any third-party art or music used in the books.

Actionable: If you’re a creator, get a simple rights audit. List who owns what (story, art, characters, logos, merchandising designs), and have legal templates ready for option or assignment. Agencies like WME won’t commit unless the legal packet is airtight.

2. Build a transmedia story bible, not a one-page pitch

A show bible that only covers the pilot is table stakes. The Orangery packaged a comprehensive transmedia story bible that mapped:

• Character dossiers and arcs across 3–5 seasons
• Key locations, visual language, and tone of voice
• Spin-off opportunities (side characters, prequels, episodic anthology ideas)
• Adaptation notes for TV, film, limited series, children’s animation, and audio dramas

Actionable: Draft a 20–40 page bible that includes season arcs, potential episode maps, and two-sentence spin-off hooks for licensing partners. Make it easy for development execs to see a 3–5 year content roadmap.

3. Produce proof-of-concept visuals and sizzle reels

Graphic novels are inherently visual, but buyers want moving images or showproof. The Orangery invested in high-quality sizzle reels and short live-action/animation proofs that translated page beats into cinematic language.

Actionable: Create a 90–120 second sizzle using panels, concept art, temp score, and motion design. Use affordable tools—animatics, small film crews, or even AI-driven motion techniques—to produce something that demonstrates tone and pacing.

4. Attach creative leadership early

Attachment equals credibility. The Orangery made early attachments—showrunners, directors, or composers—before shopping the IP. Those names, even emerging talent with relevant credits, make agencies take a project seriously.

Actionable: Create a list of target showrunners, indie directors, and composers whose past work aligns with your tone. Offer first-look creative packets and a modest development fee or producer credit to secure verbal attachments for pitches.

5. Build demonstrable audience demand

Graphic-novel sales and social traction are currency. The Orangery leveraged original sales, translations, and community metrics (Discord engagement, Patreon tiers, newsletter opens) to quantify demand and retention potential.

Actionable: Collect and present hard metrics: print and digital sales, read-through rates, conversion metrics from free previews to paid editions, crowdfunding numbers, email open rates, social engagement rates, and retention cohorts. Add real testimonials and press clippings. Agencies like WME want to see a nucleus of fans—they can scale it faster than they can create it from scratch.

6. Design a licensing and merchandising roadmap

The Orangery didn't treat merch as an afterthought. They produced licensing mockups, price tiers, and partner targets—apparel, collectible figurines, tabletop games, and a limited-run artbook. That commercial thinking made the IP attractive to both WME and potential brand partners.

Actionable: Build a two-tier licensing plan: consumer merch (t-shirts, enamel pins, prints) and premium collectibles (limited editions, signed artbooks). Include projected margins, suggested retailers (DTC + boutique + mass), and a sample licensing agreement outline. Consider microfactories and small-run production options to keep MOQ low and design cycles fast.

7. Sell the IP as a franchise, not a single-product deal

Where many creators pitch a single adaptation, The Orangery pitched a franchise: a TV show with spin-offs, audio-first releases, and licensed products. Franchises are more valuable and more appealing to agencies that monetize multiple revenue streams.

Actionable: Package a primary adaptation (e.g., a limited TV series) plus at least two secondary formats (audio series, YA novelization, mobile game concept) that can be developed in parallel. Show revenue and timeline for each lane.

What to include in your 'agency-ready' IP packet (complete checklist)

Below is a practical checklist—prepare these materials before approaching agencies like WME or production companies:

1. Title packet
   • One-page logline and 250-word synopsis
   • Series bible (20–40 pages) with season breakdowns
   • Pilot script (optional but preferred)
2. Visual materials
   • Sizzle reel or animatic (90–120 seconds)
   • High-res character sheets and key visuals
3. Creative attachments
   • Signed letters of intent/interest from showrunner, director, composer
4. Audience & commerce data
   • Sales by format and territory
   • Social & community metrics (Discord, newsletter, Patreon)
5. Legal packet
   • Chain-of-title report
   • Copyright registrations and trademark filings (if any)
   • Contributor agreements
6. Monetization roadmap
   • Licensing plan + sample product mockups
   • Projection model (3–5 year) and revenue lanes
7. Marketing & distribution strategy
   • Launch calendar, festival/market targets, and localization plan
8. Ask & deal terms
   • Clear statement of desired representation/co-production terms

Negotiation and deal strategy: what agencies and buyers actually look for

When a top agency like WME takes a meeting, they’re evaluating three things: creative upside, commercial upside, and legal clarity. Here’s how to posture your project:

Lead with creative universe, follow with commercial proof

Start with the best visual and story samples. Immediately follow with data that proves people care: strong presales, sold-out print runs, robust Discord engagement. Creativity opens the door; commerce keeps it open.

Offer flexible rights windows

Buyers appreciate a clear, staged rights matrix: offer first-look TV rights, reserve merchandising and gaming rights for separate negotiation, or propose a revenue-share model. The Orangery kept flexibility to negotiate co-productions and licensing deals without surrendering full control.

Price your option intelligently

Options should reflect demonstrated value. If you have sizable sales and a built audience, a higher option fee and a short development timeline are reasonable asks. If you’re earlier-stage, consider lower fees but keep strict reversion terms if development stalls.

Transmedia execution in 2026: channels that pay off

The landscape in 2026 favors multi-lane launches. The Orangery’s kit emphasized five executable lanes—do at least three in parallel:

• Premium streaming/linear — the flagship adaptation (limited series or feature).
• Audio — serialized audio dramas and character podcasts; cheap to produce and great for worldbuilding. Consider on-device capture and low-latency stacks for remote talent (on-device capture).
• Short-form video — TikTok/YouTube Shorts for character POVs and microstories to recruit Gen Z fans. Use a cross-platform playbook for promos (cross-platform live events).
• Merch & collectibles — DTC drops and retail partnerships; thinking in product cycles (seasonal drops). Use microfactories and pop-up flows to enable small runs (microfactories & pop-ups).
• Interactive tie-ins — tabletop games or simple mobile experiences that expand the universe without huge dev budgets. Think modular mobile experiences and simple companion apps (mobile creator tooling can help producers ship small interactive pieces).

Important 2026 nuance: while web3 experiments peaked earlier, the sustainable path now is utility-first collectibles (limited digital assets that unlock physical goods or event access) rather than speculation-heavy tokens. Agencies prefer licensing models with clear revenue and fulfillment paths.

Budget and timeline example: how long before you can sign an agency deal?

Average realistic timeline for a creator to reach agency interest, assuming starting with a published graphic novel and basic fanbase:

1. 0–3 months: Rights audit, draft bible, pilot / sizzle concept
2. 3–9 months: Produce sizzle, secure small creative attachments, begin merchandising mockups
3. 9–18 months: Build audience metrics (campaigns, translations, community growth); approach agencies with full packet

Budget levers (range estimates, 2026):

• Sizzle reel / animatic: $2k–$25k (depends on production values)
• Legal & chain-of-title audit: $1k–$8k
• Creative attachments (development fees or token compensation): $5k–$50k
• Merch mockups and small-run production: $3k–$15k

These are investments: The Orangery’s ability to front or broker small development budgets made their IP far easier to package and sell to WME.

Common pitfalls creators should avoid

• Unclear ownership: Missing contributor agreements or orphaned music/art will kill interest.
• Over-reliance on hype platforms: Viral moments don’t equal sustainable fandom—buyers want retention metrics.
• Lack of monetization thinking: If your IP can’t plausibly produce merch or secondary revenue, agencies discount its value.
• Poor localization planning: Global buyers want modular content that can be localized cheaply and effectively.

Real-world example: what The Orangery packaged (lessons to copy)

Based on public reporting about The Orangery’s WME signing, here’s a distilled, practical reconstruction of what likely sold:

• Strong, translatable core IP: Two distinct titles with clear audiences—one sci-fi, one adult/dramatic—giving tonal range.
• Rights consolidation: The Orangery controls rights in multiple languages and territories, simplifying agency packaging.
• Prepared multi-format plan: TV/feature strategies plus merch and licensing roadmaps.
• Market-proven traction: Sales, translations, or festival accolades that prove international appetite.

Advanced strategies for creators ready to scale

If you have a working packet, use these techniques to increase valuation:

Data-first pitches

Use cohort analysis—how often readers return, conversion rates from free previews to paid editions, and ARPU across channels. Presenting these KPIs moves your pitch from art into business. Use social search and discoverability playbooks to surface retention signals (see tactics).

Hybrid co-development deals

Offer co-development with staggered rights: a partner funds a pilot for exclusive streaming rights for a 12–24 month window in exchange for higher backend royalty splits. This reduces upfront risk for buyers and keeps long-term upside for creators. Consider hybrid pop-up and subscription experiments to fund development (hybrid pop-ups).

Localized IP variants

Create grabbable variants—short arcs or one-shot issues tailored for specific territories (Japan, South Korea, US) and languages. A localized pilot or teaser increases the attractiveness of your package to global agencies. Look to market playbooks for regional pop-up and localization flows (micro-retail playbook).

Checklist: Ready to pitch to WME or a top agency?

Quick self-audit. Say yes to at least 7 of 10 before outreach:

• Chain-of-title completed
• Transmedia story bible done
• Sizzle reel produced
• Pilot script or treatment ready
• Creative attachments secured
• Audience metrics collected and presented
• Merch/licensing mockups included
• Localization & platform strategy drafted
• Projected revenue lanes (3–5 year) modeled
• Clear ask & intro materials tailored for agencies

Final takeaways: package like a studio, act like a creator

In 2026, agencies and buyers want predictable, scalable opportunities. The Orangery’s WME signing shows that even small transmedia studios can compete when they present clean rights, a clear franchise roadmap, and demonstrable audience demand. Creators who adopt that posture—packaging their graphic novels with production-ready assets, licensing strategies, and data—move from hopefuls to partners.

Next steps (practical, immediate)

1. Run a 2-week rights audit: collect contributor agreements and register copyrights.
2. Draft a 15–25 page transmedia bible—focus on season arcs and spin-off hooks.
3. Produce a 90-second sizzle using panels + voiceover + temp score (see immersive short examples like Nebula XR).
4. Gather three months of audience metrics and package them with testimonials; use community and discoverability playbooks to present retention stats (digital PR + social search).

Do this and you’ll have the material agencies like WME expect. Want a template? We’ve built a creator-ready IP packet template and a one-page rights checklist specifically for graphic-novel creators preparing for representation.

Call-to-action: Audit your IP now—download the free IP packet template and rights checklist, or book a quick review session with our transmedia editors to see where your project stands. If The Orangery’s trajectory teaches us anything, it’s that preparation turns page-level art into global franchises.

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