What was Pac-Man’s original name going to be?  Why do super mushrooms make Mario grow?  What was the inspiration behind Mortal Kombat?  If your interest is piqued by this nerdy video game trivia, then THIS IS THE PROJECT FOR YOU.  Here’s your chance to combine your love of old school video gives with the awesomely addictive mobile game, Best Fiends. 

We recently ran a Concept project looking for unique new Concepts for a Best Fiends Video that ties into the game and ignites the passion of Best Fiends fans everywhere.  From there, the Best Fiends team identified a really fun Concept for a Digital Series that we now want filmmakers to help develop further!

FILMMAKERS: Pitch us how you would execute a Concept and bring it to life!  Read on to the Objectives section for a more detailed breakdown of the Concept and project.

The primary goal is to create a :90-2-minute Pilot Video in which two fiends find themselves immersed in an exciting and nostalgic world inspired by vintage video games.  

The Sponsor is open to seeing simple vignettes or having a unique hook that defines how the fiends enter and exit this world.  Overall, this video should not be dependent on heavy narrative - it should simply remind us of the 8-bit era with no VO and little to no on-screen text.

You can use this following single Creative Concept to inspire your Pitch:

In each episode, the same two fiends find themselves in a lo-fi retro looking world inspired by vintage video games and we watch as they mimic the game mechanics and assume the personality of their new environment.  They may follow the rules of this world or they may not – that’s up to you to decide and tell us!  The two fiends should be animated inside the game in the same cool lo-fi retro style, such as 8-bit animation.  NO 3D/CGI animation. 

*** We’re looking for you to come up with a fun take on how to bring these fiend characters to life in a different environment inspired by retro video games that plays on the nostalgia factor and lets fans enjoy seeing them in an exciting, new way. ***

It does not have to necessarily be the exact direction above.  You have creative freedom to play outside the box and tell us what you think would be really cool.  The big questions is: how to use the Best Fiends IP in a unique way that is nostalgic to 8-bit era?  

The hope is that the Pilot will be greenlit for a multiple episode series order.  In this project, the Sponsor will determine how many submissions it will select, if any.

This project is for a Pilot only.  If you knock it out of the park, then Sponsor may decide to move forward and produce a series with the Pilot producer.

--Deliverables: 

5 total videos (All videos should be based on the same creative concept - all other asset requests are strictly about conforming these original assets to the platform specs. Also, if applicable, videos will need to be delivered with subtitles - only if there are NON-fiend characters who have VO or dialogue).

:90 -2 min Pilot Video for Facebook in 1:1 aspect ratio

:15 Teaser Video for Facebook in 1:1 aspect ratio

90 -2 min Pilot for YouTube in 16:9 aspect ratio

:15 Teaser Video for YouTube in 16:9 aspect ratio 

:15 Teaser Video for Instagram Stories in vertical format

5 still images for marketing purposes

--Target Audience:

• Current Best Fiends players, women and men, who are 25-45.

--Executional Mandatories: 

• Keep in mind, the sponsor is NOT looking for mashups or other concepts that explicitly make use of third-party IP (such as games like Pac-Man), but rather concepts that are inspired by these old school games, i.e. a focus on the lo-fi retro look/feel rather than calling out individual games.
• No CGI/3D animation.
• May NOT include dialogue or VO from the fiend characters.
• May NOT show fiend personalities. Would also be careful about showing extreme emotional reactions such as shock, anger, dramatic crying, etc. – make sure it does not reveal too much about the fiend’s personality. We want to avoid anything that speaks to the backstory or lives of the fiend characters.  You can, however, show subtle versions of fiend personalities, especially when they may or may not be assuming characteristics of the game environment around them.
• You may ONLY feature 2 fiends.  You can choose from the core cast (Kwincy, Brittle, JoJo, Temper, Gordon, Howie, & Vega) or beyond – but these choices will need to be approved.

--Tone:  Think “Minions” or “The Simpsons” – funny yet subversive and playful.

--Exposure:  Best Fiends social channels and potentially other digital/mobile platforms.

What is required to Submit your Pitch:

• Text: 500 characters or less synopsizing how you plan to approach and execute this Video.

• Links to Past Work: Please specify your role (producer, director, cinematography, etc.) and DO NOT INCLUDE LINKS TO YOUR SHOWREEL. Please link to individual videos.

• Treatment: A detailed narrative description of what's going to happen in your Video.  Please include examples of 2-3 potential episode ideas.  Also, for this project, we are requiring that you use our Treatment template, which you can find here.

• Budget: Tell us your budget to produce all of the deliverables as outlined below. 
  • Feel free to download and use the Tongal budget template here.
  • Budget Range should fall between $3-7k.  Keep in mind, the style should be lo-fi 2D / 8-bit animation that has a pixelated and retro feel to it.

This is an open bid project, so you’ll get to set your overall budget proposal.  You can download the Budget template here.  Please make sure to stay within the budget range of $3-7k.

This Project will consist of 4 Phases: a Pitch Phase, a Pre-Production Phase, a Video Phase, and a Revisions Phase.  Be sure to read the following information carefully as well as the Official Rules.

PHASE 1: PITCH

Submit your Pitch (What is a Pitch Phase?)  convincing the Sponsor why you should be selected to execute a Video using:

• Text (REQUIRED): 500 characters or less synopsizing how you plan to approach and execute this Video.
• Links to Past Work (REQUIRED): Please specify your role (producer, director, cinematography, etc.) and DO NOT INCLUDE LINKS TO YOUR SHOWREEL. Please link to individual videos.
• Treatment (REQUIRED): A detailed narrative description of what’s going to happen in your Pilot. Please include examples of 2-3 potential episode ideas.  Also, for this project, we are requiring that you use our Treatment template, which you can find here.
• Budget (REQUIRED): Tell us your budget to produce all of the deliverables as outlined below.
  • Feel free to download and use the Tongal budget template here.
  • Stay within the budget range of $3-7k.
• Pitch Video (Optional): But highly recommended - this is your opportunity to have a face-to-face virtual meeting with Seriously. Tell us about your past experience and your capabilities.
• Script (Optional): This should include dialogue from the video you intend to create.
• Storyboards (Optional): Additional concept art, storyboards, shot list, anything that helps get your point across. You can download the Tongal storyboard template here.
• Headshots/Casting Boards (Optional): Casting notes or concepts, headshots of actors, etc.

The most compelling Pitch may be selected and, upon submitting the Winner’s Affidavit and the IP Assignment, may receive a portion of their agreed upon budget to help create the Video. Please note the payment of the Pitch award is subject to a payment schedule determined by Tongal. Additionally, upon submitting a Video that satisfies the criteria laid out in your winning Pitch, completing Sponsor notes, providing the necessary release forms, and providing all assets required by the sponsor the Pitch winner will receive a final payment. For an example of an effective Pitch, check out The Indie Machines 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: PRE-PRODUCTION – If the Sponsor selects a Pitch Winner from the Pitch Phase, then the one Pitch Winner will enter the Pre-Production Phase (What is a Pre-Production Phase?). During this phase, filmmakers will need to receive the following Approvals from the brand:

 

• SCRIPT – This project requires Script Approval before filmmakers move onto the Video Phase. The brand may provide feedback on your Script and ask you to submit a new version. There will be two rounds of feedback until a Script is approved by the brand. 
• STORYBOARD - This project requires Storyboard Approval before filmmakers move onto the Video Phase. The brand may provide feedback on your storyboard and ask you to submit a new version of the storyboard. There will be two rounds of feedback until Storyboards are approved by the brand.

No filmmakers may begin shooting their Video until all Approvals are completed and the Video Phase has officially begun. If you begin shooting your Video during the Pre-Production Phase before you have received final approval, there is a chance you will need to reshoot (at your own expense).

PHASE 3: VIDEO – Once the Pre-Production Phase is complete, the Pitch Winner will create a Video and cut-downs based upon their winning Pitch.

NOTE: All Videos and cut-downs will be due at the close of the Video Phase.  Please upload them as separate videos when submitting.

--Video Phase Payout: Upon submitting a Video that satisfies the criteria laid out in your winning Pitch, completing Sponsor notes, providing the necessary release forms, and providing all assets required by the sponsor the Pitch winner will receive a final payment according to the agreed upon budget.

--Music: Tongal has partnered with three premiere music providers: Jingle Punks, 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 more customized music solution for your project are invited to connect with our partner Score A Score. Email a brief description of your project (timing, creative, budget, etc.), along with any specific music direction and/or references to their creative team at music@scoreascore.com and include “Tongal Project - Your Name” in the subject line. Their creative team will be in touch within a few minutes to discuss the simple process and options with you. Please note that you will be responsible for the fees associated with using 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 third-party catalog providers, you must purchase the appropriate license at your own expense and submit it with your license purchase receipt when you turn in your Video paperwork.

PHASE 4: REVISIONS – Once the Video Phase has closed, the winning submitter will enter the Revisions Phase (What is a Revisions Phase?).During this phase, filmmakers will perform reasonable edits on their Pilot Video according to the Sponsor’s feedback. 

Note: This project has two rounds of revisions. 

PHASE 5: ASSETS DELIVERY –  You must also provide all project files, editing sequences and a 1080p .mov master file, using a ProRes, Animation, or Uncompressed Codec in order to submit final payment.  You will be responsible for the costs associated the hard drive (if necessary) and shipping.  For Tongal’s file delivery specs and any other questions you may have about post production please click here.

1. The Video MUST not exceed 2 minutes in length. 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 you win, 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. Submissions cannot contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Sponsor.

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

7. 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.

8. Videos must be in the English language or subtitled.

9. Limit 5 submissions per member, per Phase.

10. You must be at least thirteen (13) years or older to enter.

11. The Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest.

12. In this project the Sponsor will determine how many submissions it will select, if any.

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 Video 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, winning Video creators MUST also provide Talent, Location, Music (or other) Releases for all assets appearing in their winning 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 prize.

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.