Little Tommy had it right. You can’t kill the boogeyman. A full four decades have come and gone since the initial release of Halloween in 1978, but Michael Myers horrifying mask still haunts our dreams, and the upcoming sequel offers no salvation. For audiences everywhere – and for any true horror fan – that mask, and that theme, is permanently etched into our minds. Perhaps more interesting though, is how it is etched into the history of cinema itself. 

Halloween set the standard and left a mark on countless films, and whole generations of filmmakers. Now, with that rich history, and the official 2018 Halloween sequel on the horizon, SYFY Wire is looking for some true fans to step up and submit Concepts for a short digital documentary that can pay homage to Halloween’s significance, and offer up a new look, or a new spin, on the franchise. 

What that means though is entirely up to you – you’re the fans, and since SYFY is the place for fans, SYFY Wire wants the fan perspective. Dive deep, go “behind the mask” and spotlight this story and this franchise for other fans, new and old. From the launching of Jamie Lee Curtis's career to the genre precedents this film firmly set in place, there is a treasure trove of material to unpack. 

All we need now is your gift for creativity to help viewers understand, appreciate, and fear Halloween. 

Check out more details below…

Share your Concept for a 7-11 minute digital documentary video that gives an interesting perspective on some aspect of the Halloween franchise, with an eye towards the upcoming release of the new Halloween movie this October. The scope and scale of what you can cover is up to you, but whether you’re looking at the influences, the subsequent impact, or some little known story about the franchise, your Concept should be engaging and deepen the viewers’ understanding of Halloween. 

Think about interesting fan-made formats that you’ve seen online, and the unique perspectives that they’ve taken on other franchises. Does something like that seem interesting here? Alternately, think about things that you’d want to explore, or that you know other fans care deeply about when it comes to Halloween. You might even look at how Halloween has impacted YOU. 

“Behind the mask” does NOT necessarily reflect the subject matter here, so don’t get tripped up by the title – you don’t even have to cover Michael’s Mask. Additionally, since this is a documentary format, you should avoid “faux-documentary” narratives that take place in the world of Halloween, and that might affect the canon of Halloween.

There is a chance that we will have access to some of the cast and creative talent behind the new Halloween film, so your Concept can include that if you feel that it might make for an interesting angle, as long as it's still rooted in giving a fan perspective on the franchise.

--Target Audience: Halloween and horror fans. Given the scope of Halloween’s influence, they are multigenerational, but diverse, and metropolitan. The millions of people who geek out over this franchise and the horror genre all ages; all backgrounds; all shapes, sizes, and species. They understand the story of Michael Myers is significant in cinema, but might not appreciate the full scope of this film’s influence on the American film landscape. 

--Tone: Smart, edgy, self-aware, provocative and thought-provoking. You can incorporate elements of darkness, horror and suspense, but this not about trying to scare the audience: this is about revealing something they didn’t know about Halloween. 

--Exposure: Videos will be distributed on SYFY’s owned channels and digital platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, as well as SYFY’s website, and potentially on air.

This Project will consist of 1 Phase: a Concept Phase. Be sure to read the following information carefully as well as the Official Rules.

PHASE 1: CONCEPT – Tell us your Concept for short digital Halloween documentary in 500 characters or less. Remember, a Concept is not a detailed script; it is a spark of inspiration, or a distillation of what will happen in the Video.  As always, Concepts should be clever and engaging. 

The three (3) winning Concept creators will receive $500 each.

1. 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.

2. BY SUBMITTING AN 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.

3. Submissions cannot contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Sponsor.

4. Submissions must not portray Sponsor in a negative way, the determination of which will solely reside with Sponsor.

5. 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.

6. Limit 5 submissions per member.

7. You must be at least thirteen (13) years or old.

8. The Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest at their discretion.

9. Winners must submit the standard Tongal W-9, Winner Affidavit, and IP Assignment.

10. 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.