A meteor has struck Mount Boom! Disaster at the heart of Minutia! Welcome to the world of the Fiends – mythical, mischievous little creatures who, in a desperate race against slime, must build a courageous team of friends to take down the army of Slugs that has been rampaging across the land from deep within the caverns of Mount Boom, rounding up their families and glooping up the countryside. If you haven’t played the mobile game Best Fiends yet, you probably should – it’s a stunning and addictive blend of puzzles and adventure with RPG-style character building, and it’s got an immense fanbase, with millions of players around the world.
Within the game, players collect the cute and courageous little Fiends, leveling them up to discover special powers in the constant battle against the Slugs. Many of these Fiends have their own individual epic side quests that players need to complete. To bring these Fiends and their quests to life, and to connect with all of their fans, the Best Fiends team is asking YOU for a series of stop-motion animated papercraft Videos.
If you’re ready to help battle some greedy gastropods, check out more details below!
The end goal is to create a fun and subversively sweet series of stop-motion animated papercraft Videos that feature the different epic quests of 6 Fiends from the mobile game Best Fiends. Each Video should be approximately 25 seconds long, though you have flexibility to make something a little longer or shorter, and each Video should be accompanied by a cut-down up to 15 seconds in length, with 5 Still Images per Video. The Best Fiends team will provide you with digital assets of the characters and the world to use for your papercraft-style animation, but you’re encouraged to be creative and unique in how you bring your papercraft to life. Additionally, and separately, your series should be accompanied by a behind-the-scenes Video about your production experience.
Each of the Videos in the series should essentially be a trailer for an individual Fiend’s quest, and the series is primarily intended for Best Fiends players, so they should be engaging and shareable, but not framed as proper advertisements. Focus on telling the story and showing the personality traits of the Fiends. Stylistically, your Videos should reflect the animation of the game, but not necessarily represent a direct copy. Also, pay attention to the tone and voice of Best Fiends – though this is animation, it’s not intended specifically for children, and you should try to bring in an element of subversive playfulness. You’re not required to show any direct gameplay, though you can do so if it’s appropriate.
As for the behind-the-scenes Video, there’s one key thing to focus on – show the love! This is going to be a crazy and fun creative process, and you should capture exactly that.
PILOT PHASE NOTE: For the Pilot Phase, two filmmakers will each create a Video about the same character, Temper, and Temper’s quest. There will be pre-production before the Pilot, and before the Series, but you will NOT be required to deliver Stills, a 15-second cut-down, or a behind-the-scenes Video in the Pilot Phase. After the Pilot Phase, one Filmmaker will be selected to produce the rest of the series, at which point they will be required to produce a 15-second cut-down and 5 still images for their original Pilot, and the Best Fiends team will select additional Fiends and quests to be featured in their subsequent 5 Series Videos.
PRE-PRODUCTION NOTE: This project includes a Pre-Production Phase (What is a Pre-Production Phase?), but no specific elemental approvals for the Pitch Winner’s Videos. After the Pitch Winners are selected, there will be a series of Pre-Production calls to discuss and align on the creative approach, and distribute all necessary audio and visual assets required for production, after which the Best Fiends team will give a greenlight for commencement of the Video Phase.
IMPORTANT: You may not begin shooting your Video until you receive a greenlight from the Best Fiends team. If you begin shooting your Video during the Pre-Production Phase, there is a chance you will need to reshoot (at your own expense) so please don’t jump the gun.
--Deliverables Due:
--Key Marketing Messages: Seriously creates and shares fun, funny and extremely high quality content for Best Fiends, whether that’s in the game or through awesome short-form videos.
--Executional Mandatories:
--Characters and Assets: For the Pilot Phase, you will be producing a Video about the masked mite “Temper,” a pintsized powerhouse whose quest is to clear out all of the Slugs on the way to his lair, the Mitey Mound. You can see sample assets for Temper, his world, and his quest in the Assets Section here, and a Video of his quest and the first level of that quest here. Assets will be provided by the Best Fiends team, including character art, level background art, in-game texture sheets, game symbols, and audio for both sound effects and music cues.
For the Series Phase, the Best Fiends team will select additional Fiends and quests to be featured in each Video. Best Fiends may also provide an End Card with gameplay and/or a call-to-action to download the game, but you will not have not have to create these.
--Target Audience:
--Tone: Think “Minions” in tone – fun and funny, subversive yet sweet, playful and positive.
--Exposure & Format:
--Anticipated Timeline: Note that this is only a tentative timeline, and is subject to change.
This Project will be worth a total of $70,000 and consists of 3 Phases: a Pitch Phase, a Pilot Phase, and a Series Phase. Be sure to read the following information carefully as well as the Official Rules.
PHASE 1: PITCH - Submit your Pitch convincing the Sponsor why you should be selected to execute the Best Fiends Papercraft Character Quest Video Series. Please be sure to provide your vision for the Pilot AND address the 5 additional Episodes you plan to produce, should you create the winning Pilot.
The 2 most compelling Pitches will be selected and, upon submitting the Winner’s Affidavit and the IP Assignment, will each receive $6,000 to help create their Pilot. Additionally, upon submitting a Video that satisfies the criteria laid out in your winning Pitch, the Pitch winners will also be GUARANTEED a winning place in the subsequent Pilot Phase. So, if your Pitch is selected and you execute your Pitch effectively in your Video submission, you will win an additional $4,000 at a minimum, and have a chance to be green lit to produce the remaining 5 episodes of the Series.
For an example of an effective Pitch, check out Erik Beck’s winning “3 Artists & 5,000 LEGOs” Pitch video. All Pitches will remain private until after the winner of the Video Phase is announced and the Project is complete.
PHASE 2: PILOT – The TWO (2) winners from the Pitch Phase will each be awarded $6,000 to help create an approximately 25 second Pilot based upon their winning Pitch.
--Pilot Phase Payout: Winners will each earn an additional $4,000 for turning in their Pilot. The first place winner will move on to the Series Phase. The Judges will score the 2 winning Pilot Videos submitted by the Pitch winners to determine who will be green lit to create the remaining 5 episodes of the Series.
PHASE 3: SERIES – The winner from the Pilot Phase will create the remaining 5 episodes of the Series, along with a Behind-the-Scenes Video and 30 Still Images (5 per Video). The winning Pilot producer will be awarded an additional $25,000 to help create the remainder of the Series. Following the delivery of all 6 Final Revised Episodes, the Behind-the-Scenes Video, and 30 Still images, the producer will be paid an additional $25,000.
--Music: Tongal has partnered with premiere music providers: : JinglePunks, Killer Tracks and Epidemic Sound. Any of which can be used to source music for your Video submission to this Project. Music from these providers is available to registered Tongal members at no charge solely for their incorporation into Submissions to this Project and will not require a separate Music Release Form. To learn more about using each of these music providers, click on any of the provider’s names above.
Tongal members interested in a custom music solution for your project are invited to connect with SCORE A SCORE. They specialize in the creation of custom music, on-demand. Their business model is based on a "name your price" system, so you can tell them what your budget is, and they will work with you to create a deal configuration that will work within the discussed parameters. Check out the FAQ for more information and how to contact SCORE A SCORE.
If you are selected as a winner and choose to use custom/original music, you must fill out and submit our Music Release Form. If you obtain music from other catalog providers, you must purchase the appropriate license at your own expense and submit it with our Music Release Form when you turn in your Video paperwork.