contesttransmediashowcase

Write the Next 'Traveling to Mars': A Transmedia Adaptation Contest Brief

wwordplay

2026-02-14

9 min read

A creator challenge: submit a three-page pitch adapting a graphic novel like Traveling to Mars into TV, podcast, or game—win showcase & mentoring.

Beat writer's block and level up your adaptation game: a creator challenge inspired by Traveling to Mars

Staring at a blank page isn't just frustrating — it's a time-suck that kills momentum and kills careers. If you’re a creator who needs repeatable short-form outputs, a fast route from idea to pitch, and a shot at real industry visibility, this transmedia creator challenge is built for you. We’re calling writers, podcasters, game designers, and indie showrunners to submit a three-page pitch treatment imagining a graphic novel — think Traveling to Mars — adapted into TV, podcast, or game. Prize: a public showcase and one-on-one mentoring from industry pros (and yes — visibility pathways like WME-level interest are now part of the ecosystem).

Why this transmedia contest matters in 2026

Late 2025 and early 2026 crystallized a clear industry pivot: traditional IP holders now treat graphic novels as transmedia launchpads. The Orangery — the European transmedia studio behind Traveling to Mars — signing with WME in January 2026 shows how agencies and IP studios are actively packaging multi-format adaptations. That means opportunities: studios are asking for creative, compact, and adaptable pitches that prove you can translate visual storytelling into audio-first episodes or interactive mechanics.

At the same time, advances in AI-assisted writing, lightweight narrative engines for games, and the boom in serialized audio in 2025 mean your three-page pitch can leverage tools for rapid prototyping and shareable proof-of-concept scenes. This contest is designed to help creators capitalize on those trends with a focused, publish-ready submission.

What we’re asking: the brief

Submit a three-page pitch treatment imagining a best-selling graphic novel (we’ll call it Traveling to Mars for inspiration) adapted to one of these formats: TV, narrative podcast, or narrative-driven indie game. Your treatment should be creative, feasible, and deeply rooted in the source’s spirit while demonstrating format-specific strengths.

Required elements (keep this tight)

Format: TV / Podcast / Game (choose one)
Logline (1 sentence)
High concept (50–75 words)
Tone and visual/audio palette (one short paragraph)
Three-episode arc for TV/podcast OR core loop + progression for game (6–8 short bullets)
Why this format? One paragraph explaining adaptation choices
Hook sample: 120–200 words — first scene or audio game moment
Submitter bio (50 words), plus links/handles

How to write a three-page pitch that actually gets read

Three pages is a discipline. It forces clarity. Treat it like a micro-portfolio: each line should sell format potential plus your unique author voice. Below is a battle-tested structure and tactical tips.

Simple structure (your three-page spine)

Page 1 — Hook & Big Promise: Logline, high concept, tone. End with a one-paragraph hook sample.
Page 2 — Engine & Arc: Three-episode arc (TV/podcast) or core mechanic + progression (game). Include stakes, antagonist, and how the world changes.
Page 3 — Market, Team & Visuals: Why this now, target audience, comparable titles, and a short team bio. Finish with clear next steps (e.g., pilot script, sizzle, playable prototype).

Actionable tips (format-specific)

For TV: Emphasize episodic hooks and theme. For each of the three episodes, name the episode, offer a 2-sentence synopsis, and state the cliffhanger. Visual beats matter — show, don’t tell.
For Podcast: Focus on sound design and cadence. Include a line about how visuals from the graphic novel translate to audio cues (e.g., synth hums for Mars winds, layered foley for spacewalk suits). Provide a 120–200 word audio scene to demonstrate voice.
For Game: Explain the core loop in one sentence. Then list 4–6 progression milestones (early, mid, late-game). Tie mechanics to character and theme (e.g., narrative choices affect crew sanity and mission outcomes). Consider best practices from browser and indie game guides when designing a playable vertical slice or prototype.

Sample three-page pitch — condensed example (Traveling to Mars, TV)

Below is a compressed, example treatment to model clarity and economy. This is a 300–350 word condensation of what three pages might feel like.

Logline: When a misfit crew boards the first civilian ship to colonize Mars, old secrets and new political factions collide, forcing them to choose between the planet and the people they left behind. High Concept: A character-driven sci-fi thriller in the vein of Battlestar Galactica meets indie graphic realism. Every episode peels back a weaponized memory and a moral compromise. Tone/Palette: Gritty neon interiors, red-dusted horizons, and intimate close-ups. Sound is sparse; dialog carries long silences. Three-episode arc: • Ep 1 — Launch Day: Introduction to crew, first malfunction, and a political leak. Cliff: an unscheduled detour to an uncharted moon. • Ep 2 — The Passenger: Tension rises as a stowaway reveals a banned tech. Cliff: the ship’s AI makes a moral calculus. • Ep 3 — Martian Approach: Factions within the crew split over colonization ethics; final scene shows the colony marker with someone already there. Why TV? Serialized TV allows emotional slow-burn and visual spectacle: the novel's mesmerism is best realized episodically to broaden character arcs. Hook sample: (120 words) — the captain hears the first Martian wind through a damaged hatch, a tiny sound that becomes the opening motif for the season.

Judging criteria — what wins

We asked industry pros and early 2026 advisors what they want in a pitch. Here are the top scoring dimensions:

Clarity of concept (is the adaptation idea instantly graspable?)
Format fit (does it use the selected medium’s strengths?)
Original voice (is the writer’s tone fresh and promising?)
Market awareness (audience and comparable titles identified)
Feasibility (could this be prototyped with a pilot, sizzle, or demo?)

Prizes: showcase + mentoring (how the winner benefits)

The top submissions will receive:

Showcase Slot — a live online showcase screened to producing partners, managers, and media (we’ll aim to include agency reps and boutique transmedia studios — community showcases and pop-up events are now core discovery channels).
Mentoring Package — three 1-hour mentoring sessions with a showrunner, a podcast EP, and a narrative game designer. These mentors will help you convert the treatment into a pilot script, audio proof-of-concept, or playable vertical slice.
Community Promotion — a feature on our site and social push across creator communities plus feedback rounds from peers and pros.

Legal and IP basics — short and essential

When adapting known IP (or imagining a public-facing riff like this contest does), you must understand rights and permissions. If you’re entering an original work inspired by an existing title like Traveling to Mars, label it as homage and avoid reproducing copyrighted text or art. If your pitch expands on an IP under active representation (The Orangery’s deal with WME is a recent example of IP being packaged by agencies), note that the submission is speculative and you don’t claim ownership of the original IP.

We recommend including this short line on your cover page: "This submission is a speculative adaptation proposal inspired by the graphic novel space; rights to underlying IP are not claimed." For legal certainty, consult counsel before attempting to commercialize an idea tied to existing IP — start with a practical audit like how to audit your legal tech stack.

2026 tools & advanced strategies to prototype faster

Use these proven 2026 workflows to transform your treatment into a high-impact pitch package quickly:

AI-assisted sizzles: Use controlled generative tools to produce a 60–90 second sizzle script or audio mockup. In 2025–26, agencies accepted AI-assisted prototypes as long as human authorship and edits are clear. Be mindful of ethics and image rights; read up on AI-generated imagery risks and set clear attribution rules.
Playable vertical slices: Low-code narrative engines (Ink, Yarn, Unity Dialogue tools) let you ship a 3–10 minute playable demo — ideal for game-track entries. See tactical guidance for small teams launching browser or indie prototypes in our micro‑brand browser game playbook.
Audio pilots: Produce a 3–5 minute audio pilot using remote voice actors and layered sound design; serialized audio consumption remains high in 2026. If you need compact kit suggestions for remote recording, check hands‑on reviews of compact home studio kits and the PocketCam Pro field review for on-the-road capture.
Visual pitch decks: One-sheet or 6-slide decks can be generated from your treatment to help judges skim and get excited quickly; building a clear deck is part of learning to build a transmedia portfolio.

Community and distribution — how we’ll amplify winners

This contest isn’t just about a trophy. We’re building a creator loop: entrants get peer feedback, finalists get live critique sessions, and winners enter a curated showcase streamed to industry channels. In 2026, discovery often begins in community showcases and local activations — see playbooks for micro-events and showcases and the Makers Loop for night-market style discovery. Winners will receive guidance on next steps for submission to agencies, festivals, and transmedia studios.

Timeline, eligibility, and submission checklist

Planned timeline (example):

Submissions open: Feb 1, 2026
Deadline: March 31, 2026
Finalists announced: April 20, 2026
Showcase & mentoring: May 2026

Submission checklist:

Three-page PDF treatment (follow required elements)
Optional: one-page deck, 3-minute audio/video sizzle, or 5–10 minute playable link
Bio and contact info
Speculative adaptation notice (if inspired by existing IP)

Examples of strong entries — micro-case studies

Here are three micro-examples of strong approaches we’ve seen from advisers in 2026 workshops:

Podcast-first: A writer translated the graphic novel’s internal monologues into a multi-voice audio tapestry, used layered sound to recreate visual motifs, and produced a 3-minute audio pilot — judges loved the immediacy.
TV-first: A creator delivered a polished three-episode arc with clear visual beats and a 1-page director’s moodboard; the episodic stakes were undeniable. Consider portable LED and lighting approaches for your moodboards (see portable lighting reviews like this field review).
Game-first: An indie team mapped the protagonist’s emotional state to a core mechanic (resource = memory). They shipped a 10-minute vertical slice; studios could instantly imagine expansion.

Final coaching notes — how to stand out

Be ruthless with language. Every sentence should advance idea or voice.
Show format empathy. Don’t force TV beats into a podcast pitch.
Provide a clear next step. Tell judges what you need (pilot script, budget, voice cast, dev team).
Leverage community feedback before submitting — use beta readers and audio/listen tests.
Clarify ownership. If you want to pursue commercial deals later, state your rights and expectations up front.

Ready to write the next Traveling to Mars?

This is a creator challenge with real stakes: exposure to industry decision-makers, mentoring that can convert a treatment into a marketable pilot, and the community support to iterate fast. In 2026, transmedia contests are more than competitions — they’re pipelines. If you can prove a compact idea in three pages, you can be noticed.

Submit your three-page pitch — pick a format, follow the brief, and tell us why your vision elevates the source material for a new audience. We’ll help polish, showcase, and mentor the winning creators toward the next development step. See the submission portal for dates, templates, and legal guidance.

Call to action

Got a bold idea for a transmedia adaptation? Turn it into a three-page treatment and enter the challenge. Pitch a TV series, craft an audio pilot, or design a playable slice — then join a community that amplifies creators with showcase opportunities and tailored mentoring. Submit now and get feedback before the deadline.

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Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.