featuresindustryadvice

Exclusive: What Agencies Look For in Transmedia IP — Lessons from WME’s Orangery Deal

UUnknown

2026-02-15

9 min read

Why agencies like WME are signing European transmedia houses — and exactly how creators should package graphic novels and rights to win representation.

Why you still can’t find a single verified lane for transmedia IP — and how to fix it

Creators and indie studios tell us the same complaint: their best graphic novels and transmedia projects sit in fragmented feeds, unclaimed by major representation, and die in inbox limbo. Meanwhile agencies are hunting for fresh IP with global potential — especially from Europe. The recent WME signing of The Orangery (Jan 16, 2026) crystallizes exactly why: high-quality European IP combines distinct creative voice, built-in audience loyalty, and exploitable rights that translate into film, TV, games, and consumer products.

The headline: what WME’s Orangery deal means for creators

Quick takeaway: Representational interest in European transmedia IP has accelerated in 2025–26. Agencies like WME are not just buying single-title options — they are signing studios and catalogs that offer multi-format, cross-border adaptability.

Transmedia IP Studio the Orangery, Behind Hit Graphic Novel Series ‘Traveling to Mars’ and ‘Sweet Paprika,’ Signs With WME (EXCLUSIVE)

The deal is emblematic. The Orangery is a Turin-based transmedia studio led by Davide G.G. Caci that controls graphic-novel properties like Traveling to Mars and Sweet Paprika. WME’s move underlines three evolving realities in 2026: agencies want consolidated rights packages, Europe is a fertile creative pipeline, and transmedia IP is measured by how readily it converts into premium audiovisual and interactive projects.

Why agencies pursue European IP now (a 2026 snapshot)

Since late 2024 and through 2025–26, several market shifts made European IP especially attractive:

Content diversification pressures at streamers and broadcast groups — platforms expanded and relaunched European windows and national feeds in 2025, increasing demand for authentically local IP with global draw.
Under-exploited catalogs — many European publishers and studios have rich libraries not fully packaged for adaptations, offering upside for agencies that can repurpose and scale.
Cost arbitrage + incentives — European tax credits, co-production treaties, and festival pipelines lower adaptation risk and increase upside for producers and agencies.
Audience appetite for distinct voice — post-2024 audience trends favor unique worldbuilding and authorship; European graphic novels offer stylistic diversity agencies need.
Rights clarity in emerging tech — agencies now need titles where rights owners understand AI, game, and merch clauses — a premium as AI-driven content tools emerged across 2025 and 2026.

What agencies look for in transmedia IP: the checklist

When an agency like WME evaluates a European IP portfolio, they apply a rapid filter. Below are the core criteria — treat them as a checklist when preparing to pitch:

Chain-of-title and rights clarity — clean contracts showing who owns film, TV, gaming, merchandising, and translation rights.
Transmedia readiness — material (bibles, format treatments, episode outlines, game concepts) that demonstrates story adaptability. See design patterns for avatar-led episodic storytelling for format-minded examples that translate to short-form and interactive formats.
Audience signals — sales data, social metrics, community engagement, festival buzz, awards or nominations.
Creative leadership — named creators, showrunner-capable writers, or attached producers who can shepherd adaptations. If you’re scaling a vertical series, the guide on building a vertical series business outlines emerging freelance roles and attachments that increase conversion.
Monetizable worldbuilding — IP with clear locations, lore, and character arcs that support spin-offs and licensing. Practical fulfillment and drops for game and merch can follow patterns in advanced fulfillment for GameNFT drops.
Localization potential — narrative elements that translate across markets or that can be localized without losing core identity.
Packaging assets — visual decks, motion sizzles, and casting wish-lists that speed development conversations. For production teams, a cheat sheet on integrating video generation APIs can speed sizzle creation when budgets are tight.
Business terms — realistic expectations on options, splits, and time-limited exclusives.

Why rights clarity rises to the top in 2026

Rights ambiguity is the fastest dealkiller. Since 2024, rights questions have expanded: does a graphic novel license include AI training, in-game cosmetic goods, or experiential IP for theme parks? Agencies now prioritize IP where the owner has already mapped rights and proposed clean grant-back language. Without this, deals stall at legal review — especially for cross-border adaptations where national law and collective rights societies complicate licensing. For help balancing generative tools and editorial authority, see frameworks in AI-first ops and machine co-creation.

The Orangery as a playbook: what they brought to the table

The Orangery’s appeal to WME was not accidental. From public reporting and industry signals, several elements likely made the studio attractive — and these are replicable lessons for creators:

Catalog depth — owning multiple titles with complementary genres (sci-fi and mature drama) increases cross-format potential.
European authenticity + global themes — stories grounded in Europe but universal in stakes draw international interest.
Founder credibility — Davide G.G. Caci’s role as CEO and an established presence in Italian comics created confidence in creative stewardship.
Transmedia positioning — branding as a transmedia studio signals an intent and capability to shepherd IP beyond books. For teams thinking about live performance and badges as engagement levers, leveraging live badges and platform features can create acquisition and retention hooks.

Actionable advice: how to prepare your IP to attract representation

Below is a prioritized, actionable roadmap for founders, creators, and small studios seeking agency representation in 2026.

1. Clean your rights and document the chain of title

Start with a simple file: a rights ledger that lists every contract affecting the IP (publishers, co-creators, illustrators, translators). Include start and end dates, territory restrictions, and what rights were granted. If you can’t afford an entertainment lawyer, hire a rights-savvy paralegal or adviser for a focused audit. Agencies will ask for this first.

2. Build a concise transmedia bible

Make a single document that explains your world at multiple scales:

One-paragraph logline
Series bible (8–10 page) with season arcs and character maps
Film synopsis and a 10-minute pitch script
Game concept and merchandise opportunities

Putting these formats in one package shows you’ve thought beyond the page. If you want specific format templates for short-form or avatar-driven formats, review adapting vertical episodic formats for short-form adaptation patterns.

3. Produce minimal-but-effective assets

Agencies rarely need polished pilots at first — they need clarity. Deliver:

A one-sheet (visual + 250-word pitch)
3–5 key art images or sequence pages
A 60–90 second sizzle reel or animated comic excerpt (even simple motion-comic)

These assets let executives and agents quickly see the tone and potential. For creators building sizzles with limited budgets, the video generation API cheat sheet shows practical integrations.

4. Gather audience proof

Provide verifiable evidence: sales numbers, preorders, crowdfunding results, social engagement, translations sold, festival selections, or reader reviews. Agencies are increasingly using data-driven scoring to prioritize pitches.

5. Clarify your commercial expectations

Is the goal an outright sale, a long-term co-production, or retained ownership with licensing? An honest, realistic set of expectations speeds conversations. Include a sample term sheet or preferred deal structures so agents know whether to shop the IP aggressively or pursue development-only tracks.

6. Attach talent where possible

Having a showrunner-ready writer, a producer with credits, or initial director interest materially increases valuation. If you can’t attach top-tier talent, show a credible talent wish-list and existing relationships with European producers or collectors.

7. Prepare a rights-management plan for new technologies

Outline how you intend to license AI uses, in-game items, AR experiences, and international sub-licensing. Agencies want owners who understand the modern rights landscape and can propose reasonable controls. For immersive and experiential IP (theme parks, location-based experiences), review considerations in how theme-park expansions reshape local transit and retail and plan grant-backs accordingly.

Packaging and pitching: the sequence agents prefer

When you approach agencies in 2026, follow this recommended sequence to stay decisive and professional:

Initial outreach with a 100-word hook + one-sheet
Follow-up with a transmedia bible and rights ledger
Deliver audience data and assets on request
Be ready for rapid NDA or term-sheet negotiations if an agent is interested

Keep all materials versioned and time-stamped. Agencies move quickly once they see an exploitable package. For operational best practices around platform features and engagement hooks, see leveraging live badges and platform features.

Rights management: common pitfalls and fixes

Several recurring rights pitfalls stall deals:

Undisclosed co-creator claims — fix by obtaining written reassignments or co-adapt clauses.
Publisher grab rights — publishers sometimes claim audiovisual rights; negotiate carve-outs or buybacks early.
Undefined digital/AI rights — add explicit language for machine learning, in-game assets, and NFTs/collectibles.
Territorial ambiguity — make clear what rights are available in which territories; most agencies want global film/TV rights or clearly segmented packages.

Practical templates: what to include in your initial submission

Prepare these five files before you reach out. They are the minimum that will get you a meeting in 2026:

One-sheet (PDF)
Transmedia bible (10–20 pages)
Rights ledger (spreadsheet or PDF)
Key art + 60–90s sizzle (video or link)
Audience proof (sales reports, crowdfunding receipts, social analytics)

Lessons from recent trends: what’s changed since 2024

Two realities shifted how agencies value transmedia IP:

Faster option timelines — agencies expect owners to have clear option windows and to negotiate realistic development timelines. Long, ambiguous option periods are less attractive.
Data-first decisions — beyond creative fit, agencies increasingly use audience analytics and micro-monetization proof to estimate conversion probability. For monetization tactics and product-first thinking, the IP monetization playbook can be helpful: IP Monetization Roadmap.

Forecast: where transmedia representation heads in 2026–2028

Expect three trends to accelerate:

Studio-level signings — agencies will continue signing boutique European transmedia houses that offer curated catalogs, replicating the Orangery play.
Vertical rights products — representation packages will include pre-negotiated co-production deals, game studios on retainer, and merch partners.
AI-aware contracts — standard agency deals will include clauses for generative AI, synthetic performances, and algorithmic adaptations. For thinking about AI’s role in editorial and ops, review AI-first cloud ops.

Final checklist for creators pitching in 2026

Rights ledger completed and verified
Transmedia bible ready
Assets: one-sheet, key art, sizzle
Audience proof and festival/award mentions listed
Clear commercial expectations and a sample term sheet
Contact list of preferred agents & agencies (do your research)

Closing: turn attention into representation

WME’s signing of The Orangery is not just another headline — it’s a template. Agencies now prefer consolidated, transmedia-ready European catalogs that combine authentic storytelling with clean legal frameworks and data-backed audience interest. If you’re a creator or small studio, your competitive advantage in 2026 is preparation: rights clarity, a concise transmedia package, and measurable audience signals.

Actionable next step: Assemble your five-file submission package, run a targeted rights audit, and prepare a 60–90 second sizzle. Then approach agencies with a clear, time-limited ask. Agents respond to readiness and clarity — not to vague hopes.

Want a ready-made checklist and pitch template?

Subscribe to Official Announcements at officially.top for a downloadable pitch checklist, transmedia bible template, and an industry-vetted rights ledger sample. If you already have a package, use our “Submit for Review” feature to get fast feedback from industry advisors before your agent meetings.

Unknown

Contributor

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.