Check out last year's Best of Block video. The tone for this year's video is higher energy and more celebratory and less heartfelt but this should give you a good sense of 

Where you work matters, but so does who you work with, especially in a world full of constant change, challenge, and growth. Your coworkers – your team – should keep you connected and help you innovate, get stronger, and find the wins. That's why this year, the theme for H&R Block's annual employee Town Hall, on August 24, is "Keep Climbing." It's been a year of unexpected change and the people who make up H&R Block deserve to be celebrated, because an outstanding team is made up of outstanding players. 

H&R Block employees are nominating about 25 of their peers to be named H&R Block's 2023 MVPs. Those winners will be announced during the Town Hall, through a high-energy, cheerful, and celebratory video that you will cut together using self-shot video of each winner, a few fun facts about each person, and some graphics and fun, pumped-up music to keep things vibrant and moving. 

H&R Block is envisioning the video unfolding like this: 

• Best of Block: a series motion graphics/lightly animated screens that compliment the Keep Climbing theme of the Town Hall and set up the winners
• A compilation of each winner in a self-submitted photo or video, presented two at a time in an athlete stat card-style presentation with motion graphics text presenting their 'stats' (i.e. accomplishments and/or fun facts) alongside their photo/video
• Intermixed with these intro cards will be self-submitted video of the winners celebrating (dancing, cheering, waving, etc)
• A final 'thank you' screen/endcard
• Dynamic, fast-paced, upbeat music throughout, and potentially VO to provide context and another layer of entertainment/excitement (script to be provided by H&R Block).

As you've probably already noted, there's a lot of cellphone-style footage you'll be working with here, from a lot of different people. To try to ensure a standard of quality we've created some Self-Filming Technical & Creative Best Practices for H&R Block to share with the MVP winners, but beyond that, we're looking to you to come up with a fun, energetic, and dynamic approach that will keep things moving and hold viewers' attention, as we all know that 10 seconds of 'meh' video production can feel more like 10 years. Therefore, it's crucial that your proof-of-concept video and previous work links demonstrate how you can bring all of this home-movie-style footage together in a compelling, high-energy, and attention-holding way that will keep viewers engaged throughout.

For the purposes of the Pitch Phase, we are including a folder of assets, including some sample videos, logos, brand colors, and font files, that you can use to put together a :10-:15 proof-of-concept edit to demonstrate your creative approach. Please note that these assets are not meant to be representative of the final self-filmed videos you'll receive from H&R Block. The greenlit editor will also be provided with an A/V script with more info about each MVP, a drive of additional creative assets, and branding elements to build out their video. We've also included a link to the 2022 Best of Block compilation video for insight, but the goal for this year's video is to be quicker, higher-energy, and to build a text graphics treatment vs heavy VO. 

 

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

 

DELIVERABLES: One ~5 minute MVP compilation video (16x9)

 

TIMELINE: HERE.

 

EXPOSURE:  Presented live at H&R Block's August Town Hall on August 24.  Be sure to review our Music providers in the Project Requirements, as well as the platform best practices page.

 

TARGET AUDIENCE: H&R Block employees!

 

TONE: Upbeat, engaging, high-energy, pumped up, celebratory.

 

EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES: 

• Your proof-of-concept video should use at least two of the provided sample assets as well as the font, logo, and color hex guides provided.
• Your proof-of-concept should also demonstrate how you'd incorporate motion graphics/kinetic type/on-screen text in a dynamic but organic way that fits the H&R Block brand.

 

OPEN BID: 

• This is an open bid project, so you will get to set your own budget proposal up to $6,000. If it makes sense, you may feel free to submit multiple versions of your bid at a budget, target, and reach price point.
• By participating in this open bid project, creators acknowledge that the Sponsor is under no obligation to greenlight a bid. Though most open bid projects on our platform do move forward, we will notify you in the event the Sponsor decides not to fund any bids via the project forum. Regardless of the result, all open bid submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by the Sponsor and the project team.

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.
  
  
• 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.
  
  
• BID (REQUIRED): This is an open bid project, and the Sponsor would like each producer to create all of the content listed in the Deliverables section within a budget total of up to $6,000. Please ensure that your budget factors in appropriate COVID safety protocols (i.e. testing, PPE, cleaning supplies, backup talent, etc.). You can download the budget template here.
  
  
• SAMPLE VIDEO (REQUIRED): Utilizing the provided assets, please provide a :10-:15 sample video demonstrating your approach to transforming the assets into a cohesive sizzle and how you would add motion graphics elements and transitions to build viewer energy and engagement.

1. 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.
   
   
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. 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.
   
   
5. Preferred format for upload to the Tongal website is HD 720p and formatted for the aspect ratios listed in the Deliverables (e.g. 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.
   
   
6. 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.
   
   
7. 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.
   
   
8. 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.
   
   
9. Videos must be in the English language or subtitled.
   
   
10. Submissions must not portray Sponsor in a negative way, the determination of which will solely reside with Sponsor, nor can Submissions contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Sponsor.
    
    
11. You must be at least thirteen (13) years or older to enter.
    
    
12. The Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest.
    
    
13. 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.