THE TONGAL BRANDED CONTENT MENTORSHIP PROGRAM:

Launched in 2021, Tongal's Branded Content Mentorship Program is an initiative designed to equip emerging creators with the tools and experience to excel in a branded content environment. By developing real-world lessons around branded content skill development and pairing emerging creators with seasoned mentors from within the Tongal community, the program will teach mentees how to pitch creative, interface with clients, meet deadlines, address feedback, and deliver a final product. Each mentee will work towards developing a specific skill based on their mentor’s lesson plan (e.g. editing a video for social, or animating a logo) that will help them further their career as a branded content creator. By the end of the program, each mentee will walk away with a completed piece of content for their own portfolios. You can learn more about the first wave of the program - which was a workshop around creating for vertical video - here 

Also, take a look at our second wave of the program - all about social suites - here

EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS GOOD LESSON PLAN CONTENT: The below links are examples of the videos that were created during our previous waves of the Branded Content Mentorship Program:

Vertical Video

• What is Vertical Video and How is it Used?
• Ideation & Production for Vertical Video
• How to Elevate Existing Content for Vertical Video

Social Suites

• What is a Social Suite?
• Strategies for Creating Social Suites
• 1 Graphic, Many Ways

ABOUT TONGAL:

Tongal believes creativity drives human potential and that everyone has the potential to be creative. We empower Creators by connecting them to each other and to opportunities for top networks, studios, and brands, setting into motion a never-ending cycle of opportunity and growth.

Ever wanted to share your creativity & knowledge with the next generation of writers, filmmakers, animators and editors? Here's your chance! Tongal is launching the next wave of our Branded Content Mentorship Program to support new & emerging talent, and we are looking for established video creators - specifically in the fields of live action filmmaking, writing, 2D or 3D animation, and editing - who have a lot of wisdom to share. This is part of an ongoing program, and you can read a bit more about the previous waves in the Background section below. 

The selected mentor in this program will receive funding to build out a full lesson plan (which will later be public on the Tongal website), and help oversee a simulated branded content project for two mentees in the program. Lesson plans will consist of written & video elements that clearly break down the skill you are teaching, basic steps & workflows, helpful tips & tricks, and ways to learn more. Video content can be more produced, or more of webinar format, depending on your production capabilities and what you think works best for your lesson. Exact lesson plans will be dependent upon the skill you're teaching - and you'll work with teams from Tongal to build them out - but you can see good examples of previous lesson plan content in the Background. 

If you're interested in being a mentor, please give us some information about your background, why you'd like to become a mentor, and the lesson you'd like to teach within your field of expertise. We're specifically looking for established creators who have demonstrated experience in their field, and are looking to be a close collaborator with emerging video creators to help guide them through a simulated branded content project. In terms of lessons, we're open to any and all ideas in the fields of live action filmmaking, writing, 2D or 3D animation, and editing. Topics can be more technical in nature (such as how to tell stories in :06), or specific to certain verticals (such as food & beverage, consumer products, etc.). We're breaking down more details on the full process below. 

HOW IT WORKS:

1. Identify Mentor and Develop Lesson Plan: Potential mentors can apply to the next wave of the Branded Content Mentorship Program with ideas of lesson plans they'd like to expand upon. Once selected, a greenlit mentor will receive funding, work with the Tongal team to develop their lesson plan, and create a lesson that simulates a real-life branded content project, so potential mentees have the opportunity to think through all the creative considerations that come with creating branded content.
2. Identify Mentees: Once lesson plans are finalized, they will be published on the Tongal website, for anyone who is interested to follow along, and learn more about this skill. We’ll then launch a second project on the Tongal platform to identify emerging creators who would like to be mentored and create a new branded content sample for their portfolio, based on the specific skills laid out in the brief. To participate in the program, prospective mentees will be asked to submit a creator statement and an outline or treatment of their idea for a final project based on the brief. Mentors, along with the Tongal team, will review and select two mentees for the program. 
3. Mentees Creates Portfolio Pieces with Mentor Support: Let the creativity and learning begin! Mentees and mentor will take part in a kick-off call to discuss their concept and plan how they’ll bring their final projects to life. Check-ins meetings will be scheduled to provide guidance along the way. Mentees will be given a grant to help cover the cost of any software and materials needed.

WHAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN A LESSON PLAN:

Exact lesson plans will be different depending on the type of lesson you plan to teach, but below are elements we'll be aiming to include across all lesson plans.

• Introduction to the skill/vertical, and its potential uses
• Any software, equipment or material that would be helpful for this lesson
• Basic steps and workflow examples
• Helpful tips & tricks
• Ways to continue to learn more, should a mentee want to dive deeper into the subject 

 

DELIVERABLES:

• One written lesson plan PDF, to be developed with with teams from Tongal
• Two or Three 10-15 Minute Lesson Videos (16x9)
• Two Social Asset Videos (1x1; One introducing yourself as a mentor and one acting as a trailer for your lesson plan)
• Five 1-Hour Meetings (Two x 1-hour meetings in pre-production and Three x 1-hour meetings in post production) to interact with your mentees in a smaller setting, and give them any insight as they complete their own project

 

TIMELINE: For the full project timeline please see the Assets section.

 

EXPOSURE: Lesson plans will live on the Tongal website 

 

TARGET AUDIENCE: Emerging creators who are new to the branded content space, or are interested in learning a new skill

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.

 

• MENTOR APPLICATION/INTRODUCTION (REQUIRED): Up to 500 characters introducing yourself & why you'd like to become a mentor in Tongal's Branded Content Mentorship Program. 

• LESSON IDEA (REQUIRED): Up to 500 characters introducing your idea for a lesson, and why you think it would appeal to emerging creators.
  
  
• LINKS (REQUIRED): To your previous work in your specified field. Please specify your role (producer, director, cinematography, etc.) and DO NOT INCLUDE LINKS TO YOUR SHOWREEL. Please link to individual videos.
  
  
• INTRO VIDEO (Optional): If you prefer to talk through your ideas, feel free to make a quick intro video introducing yourself to the Tongal team, telling us why you're interested in becoming a mentor in this project, and what lesson you're interested in teaching for potential mentees. 

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.