REFERENCE VIDEOS FOR INSPIRATION OR TONE: In the past, Advance has had creators produce videos that were specifically about the history and future of Advance Auto Parts. For this project, we would love to see videos similar to these in style and tone, but with a focus on Black History and original stories.

• 90 Years of Driving You Forward
• Advance Auto Parts Stores and You Throughout the Years
• Past Present and Future with Advance Auto Parts

Advance Auto Parts is looking for Black filmmakers, animators, creators, and visionaries to step up and seize the opportunity to share their unique automotive experiences, stories, and characters, in a fun and entertaining video.

This month, we're spotlighting Black voices and Black history, and we're looking for Black filmmakers, animators, and storytellers to help share videos that reflect the positive experiences they've had within the automotive industry. We're open to authentic retellings of real, uplifting stories, but we're also open to original narratives, or something else more interpretive. If you've ever imagined that you're Wendall Scott driving down an empty road, you could show us what it feels like using papercraft stop motion. Or if you know an auto shop owner who's a staple in their community, you could produce a docu-style piece. We’re open to any automotive-related creations like a creation video of a massive automotive mural or a 3D rendering of car parts. Weird works too. Maybe you've experienced some other-worldly or strange phenomenon while on the road, with no other witness but your car. Great! Go get some puppets and show us what happened. 

If you're wondering where to start, think about the time you got your first car and what that meant to you, about the first time your check engine light turned on and how you dealt with it, or how despite all the elements against you, you managed to change a tire out in the desert miles from any help. Think about your community, your family, your unique POV, and create something that feels like a reflection of you. Feel free to reference Black history, but know that your video does NOT directly have to tie in to or reference Black History Month.

We are primarily looking for animated executions with a voiceover component, given the time constraints, but we are open to seeing how you could bring this to life in an organic, TikTok style live action video if you feel you could tell a more compelling story that way. You may have a lot of ideas for how you might want to tackle this, so for your pitch, we'd recommend submitting several different ideas for your video. If Advance likes where your head's at and you're greenlit, we'll work with you to develop ONE of your ideas during the pre-production process.

 

For any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.

 

DELIVERABLES: There are 2 total video assets.

• One up to :60 video (9x16, 1x1)

 

TIMELINE: Full project timeline

 

EXPOSURE:

• Advance Auto Part's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tiktok
• Please review the platform best practices page.

 

TARGET AUDIENCE:

• Men, aged 35+ 
• Secondary target audience: car enthusiast Millennials

 

TONE: Fun, inspiring, uplifting, celebratory, respectful

 

EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES: 

• This project is specifically meant for filmmakers/animators in the Black community; animators can work in  2D animation, stop-motion animation, claymation, creative motion graphics, mixed media, etc. 3D animation is acceptable, but hyperrealistic VFX work is difficult given the timeline and budget, so you must show that you can execute within these parameters. 
• You may use voiceover, narration, and visual text but it is not required
• All work MUST be original, and should NOT include or reference existing IP or characters. Any persons, places or things rendered should be of the artist’s own creation and should not be referential of any existing properties.
• All content produced can only to be shared, published or distributed by Advance Auto Parts or its subsidiaries.
• If text is used, all text MUST be placed for TikTok in-feed safe zones in the 9x16 videos.
• You SHOULD keep Advance Auto Parts Brand Guidelines in mind when creating your videos, with a focus more on yellow and black coloring, rather than red.
• Your casting SHOULD be diverse.
• Your video SHOULD NOT include any third party signage or logos, unless specifically provided or requested by Advance Auto Parts.
• If you want to use trending TikTok audio, you MUST use audio only from the TikTok Business Music Library or you can re-create the trending audio yourself you can.
• If your videos will need to feature music from the TikTok Business library, your final delivery will need to consist of a video exported without music, along with the exact timecodes for where music tracks should be added to your video when posted.
• Videos CANNOT feature anything vulgar or any profanity.

 

By participating in this project, creators acknowledge that the Sponsor is under no obligation to greenlight a bid. Though most projects on our platform do move forward with a greenlit bid, we will notify you in the event the Sponsor decides not to fund any bids via the project forum. Regardless of the result, all submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by the Sponsor and the project team.

Shooting live action or stop motion? Our priority is ensuring everyone's safety, so please review our COVID-19 Production Safety Guide and check federal, state, and local rules before and during your shoot to make sure your on-set protocols are up to date. We're working hard to keep people working during this extraordinary time, and you should ensure your submission is executable within the anticipated timeline and budget, while also ensuring everyone's safety.

In order to be considered for this project, you must include the below materials in your pitch submission. For examples of effective pitches, check out this gallery.

 

• TEXT (REQUIRED): Up to 500 characters synopsizing how you plan to approach and produce the content listed out in the Deliverables.
  
  
• TREATMENT (REQUIRED): A more detailed and specific description of how you propose to execute all of the content listed out in the Deliverables, both in terms of what we can expect to see, and how you’ll make it. If it's helpful to you, we've provided a treatment template, which you can find here.
  
  
• LINKS (REQUIRED): To your previous video work. Please specify your role (producer, director, cinematography, etc.) and DO NOT INCLUDE LINKS TO YOUR SHOWREEL. Please link to individual videos.

• SCRIPT (Optional): This should include dialogue from the video you intend to create.
  
  
• HEADSHOTS/CASTING BOARDS (Optional): Casting notes or concepts, headshots of actors, etc.
  
  
• PITCH VIDEO (Optional): This is your opportunity to be face-to-face with the Sponsor and show them what you're capable of. Consider submitting a pitch video in which you tell the Sponsor what they can expect should they choose your pitch. Also, test videos, animatics, etc. are welcome. For some examples of effective Pitch videos, check out this gallery. All Pitches will remain private until after the Sponsor gives creator(s) the green light to move forward.

1. Preferred format for upload to the Tongal website is HD 720p 16x9. Acceptable file formats are .mov, .avi, .mp4, .wmv. Acceptable codecs are H.264 (MP4), MPEG-4, H.263, MPGV, WMV, DivX. Should your submission be greenlit, you will also be required to provide a 1080p .mov master file, using a ProRes, Animation, or Uncompressed Codec.
   
   
2. Unless provided otherwise, all work must be your own original creation and free of any copyrighted material. You shall provide detailed information of your work regarding the source, the creator and background information as requested by Tongal.
   
   
3. In the event you utilize any third-party materials, such as music provided by a third-party music provider not provided by Tongal, you must obtain full written license and consent from the owner of such third-party materials and provide such license and consent forms to Tongal.
   
   
4. BY SUBMITTING A VIDEO ENTRY, YOUR SUBMISSION IMMEDIATELY BECOMES THE SOLE PROPERTY OF TONGAL OR ITS ASSIGNEES – SEE OFFICIAL RULES FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT OWNERSHIP OF ENTRIES. YOU MAY NOT PUBLICLY SHARE OR PUBLISH YOUR SUBMISSION IN ANY MANNER AND YOU MAY NOT POST OR UPLOAD YOUR SUBMISSION TO ANY WEBSITE OR VIDEO HOSTING SITE (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE OR VIMEO), WITHOUT THE PRIOR EXPRESS WRITTEN CONSENT OF TONGAL. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS REQUIREMENT MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION OF YOUR ENTRY IN THE PROJECT.
   
   
5. You may not contact any employees or members of the Sponsor’s organization, their affiliates, or any of their partners. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in disqualification of your entry in the project.
   
   
6. Submissions cannot contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Sponsor.
   
   
7. Submissions must not portray Sponsor in a negative way, the determination of which will solely reside with Sponsor.
    
8. By submitting to this project, you acknowledge that your work may become subject to public voting on the Tongal site. Public voting may be used to help the project sponsor determine the final rank order.
    
9. Videos must be in the English language or subtitled.
    
10. Limit 5 submissions per member, per Phase.
     
11. You must be at least thirteen (13) years or older to enter.
    
    
12. The Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest.
    
    
13. In addition to the judging criteria stated in the OFFICIAL RULES, Pitches will also be evaluated on that member's ability to execute the final Video based on their prior work and experience as a filmmaker.
    
    
14. The Sponsor will be entitled to reasonable revisions on the finished Videos without providing additional compensation. Remember it's easier to re-edit than re-shoot so try to get as much coverage as possible.
    
    
15. In addition to the standard Tongal W-9, Winner Affidavit, and IP Assignment, greenlit Video creators MUST also provide Talent, Location, Music (or other) Releases for all assets appearing in their Videos, as well as a photograph/headshot OR copy of a photo ID for all On-camera Talent releases. You must also provide all project files, editing sequences and a 1080p .mov master file, using a ProRes, Animation, or Uncompressed Codec to claim your earnings.
    
    
16. See OFFICIAL RULES for additional contest information, terms and conditions. If there is any conflict or inconsistency between these requirements and the Official Rules, the terms and conditions of these requirements shall prevail.