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| - The defined rules or procedures of a series as gleaned from writers, producers and directors which are followed to maintain a sense of pacing or continuity. Can get very long if a franchise runs long enough. These usually include: A Universe Bible is an actual physical document, and is standard fare for any television production; it contains virtually everything about the series, and is constantly updated and referenced during production -- thus, if it's written in the Universe Bible, it's considered de facto canon, even if it's never mentioned in the series itself.
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| abstract
| - The defined rules or procedures of a series as gleaned from writers, producers and directors which are followed to maintain a sense of pacing or continuity. Can get very long if a franchise runs long enough. These usually include:
* Main characters, supporting characters, and major recurrers, and their basic relationships with each other.
* Existing sets, and whether they are redresses of other sets or permanent structures on their own. There may also be a list of warehoused sets built for one purpose but available for reuse or recycle.
* Standard prop and set usages ("Plasma guns have three settings, and they work thusly...").
* What counts in the official storyline (Canon), including established history where necessary.
* The structure of The Verse including both internal information such as history and notable persons, and meta-level advice like the rules of Crossover.
* Inherent Natural Laws (e.g., Magic A Is Magic A, Cartoon Physics).
* What not to do in a story, what's old hat, and what's just bad.
* Sometimes a glossary of show-specific jargon is included. A Universe Bible is an actual physical document, and is standard fare for any television production; it contains virtually everything about the series, and is constantly updated and referenced during production -- thus, if it's written in the Universe Bible, it's considered de facto canon, even if it's never mentioned in the series itself. Sometimes animation guidelines, in-depth notes for people animating a given series, can fall under this heading, but it's technically a different field. This can result in the production of an actual book for the fans (see Universe Compendium), commonly called "Official Guides To __". These can be useful in combating Fanon. Examples of Universe Bible include:
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