BLOCK ADVISORS: Block Advisors, a part of H&R Block, helps lighten the load for small business owners and the self-employed with expert tax preparation and other relevant services – so you feel confident and at ease.

VIDEO THEMES + PRE-APPROVED COPY OPTIONS: Please indicate in your pitch which pre-approved copy lines you would build into your videos if greenlit. For each, consider how VO, supers, or a mix of both can help elevate your videos and ensure that they're eye-catching and grab the attention of small business owners scrolling on TikTok.

Video 1: Bookkeeping for easier filing and tax prep
Video 2: Block Advisors provides more value and expertise
- Tax pros have an average of 12 years of experience
- 100% accuracy guarantee on taxes, bookkeeping, payroll services
- Find every credit and deduction
- Available year-round
- Up to date on federal, state, and local taxes
- Trusted by millions of small business owners
Video 3: Small business tax deductions can trim your tax bill
- Check out this link for more info
- Thought-starter: obscure deductions could make for fun content, i.e. meals, home office expenses, retirement contributions.
Video 4: A passion for helping "the little guys"
Video 5: Block Advisors is surprisingly affordable
- Block Advisors tax prep typically costs 30% than a CPA
Video 6: Year-round tax planning services
- Maximize cash flow through P&L review, expense tracking advice
- Avoid surprises by paying the correct amount each quarter
- Get helpful income tax tips and get your questions answered
Video 7: When are small business tax payments due?
- Check out this link for more info
- You might know the tax deadline is coming up, but you may not realize you don't have to pay right when you file.
Video 8: Credits and deductions
- Block Advisors will help you grow your bottom line by finding every credit and deduction you deserve.

REFERENCE VIDEOS:

Objectives

Running a small business is a complex endeavor, and that's before tax season descends with its own myriad complications. If you're a small business owner or self-employed, you should know about Block Advisors from H&R Block. Through personalized help and SMB expertise, Block Advisors helps lighten the load for small business owners and the self-employed with expert year-round tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services, and more, maximizing your small business tax deductions and guaranteeing accurate tax returns for your small business. And, even better: they do it all for 30% less than the average CPA (Certified Public Accountant).

This fast-moving project from H&R Blocks seeks to create awareness around some of the incredible services Block Advisors provides to make small business ownership easier. To do this, two Tongal filmmakers will each create four :30–:60 videos for TikTok and YouTube that each bring a core Block Advisors talking point to life in a snappy, eye-catching, and digestible way. You can do this in a first-person POV, with talent speaking directly to camera, or in a more traditional portrait style approach, but your videos need to look and feel premium and appeal to small business owners with ambitious, serious goals, while still speaking to the TikTok audience.

Video topics and pre-approved suggested copy (as dialogue, VO, and/or on-screen text) are available in the Background section. While you'll only be producing four of these videos (since you'll be one of two greenlit filmmakers) your pitch should include your creative approach for all eight topics so we can hit the ground running in pre-production. That's because this project is going to move really quickly: your first two videos must be mastered and delivered by the morning of Monday, March 6 – with your second set of two videos due to be mastered and delivered by Tuesday, March 14.

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

DELIVERABLES: There are four total videos per filmmaker. The eight topics will be split between each filmmaker.

Four :30-:60 videos (9x16, 16x9)

TIMELINE: Click HERE for the extremely expedited timeline.

EXPOSURE: TikTok, YouTube, organic and paid. Potential use on IG Reels and H&R Block's Block Advisors websites as well. Please review the platform best practices page.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Self-proprietors/small business owners without an existing business entity; 25+

TONE: Informative, optimistic, insightful, assuring, educational, supportive.

EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES:

You MUST be able to deliver your first two master files by Friday 3/6; speed is a crucial factor in this project!
Due to the quick timeline, H&R Block is relaxing some of the standard pre-production approvals; therefore, you MUST be sure to film without any third-party logos or branding.
Talent must look 25 or older.
Talent must not pose as a tax pro. A neutral third party, small business owner and/or narrator roles are all fine.
Audio must come from Tongal's partner libraries; you may not use trending Sounds (sorry!).
Additionally, the Siri/TikTok AI voice cannot be used in these videos.
Be sure to digest the video themes and pre-approved copy suggestions for each video in the Background Section to inform your videos.

By participating in this project, creators acknowledge that the Sponsor is under no obligation to greenlight a pitch. Though most projects on our platform do move forward with a greenlit pitch, we will notify you in the event the Sponsor decides not to fund any pitches via the project forum. Regardless of the result, all pitch submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by the Sponsor and the project team.

Shooting live action or stop motion? Our priority is ensuring everyone's safety, so please review our COVID-19 Production Safety Guide and check federal, state, and local rules before and during your shoot to make sure your on-set protocols are up to date. We're working hard to keep people working during this extraordinary time, and you should ensure your submission is executable within the anticipated timeline and budget, while also ensuring everyone's safety.

Details

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.
TREATMENT (REQUIRED): A more detailed and specific description of how you propose to execute all of the content listed out in the Deliverables, both in terms of what we can expect to see, and how you’ll make it. If it's helpful to you, we've provided a treatment template, which you can find here.
SCRIPT (REQUIRED): Clearly indicate which of the pre-approved copy options you intend to use for each video and how you'll bring them to life on screen through characters, dialogue, locations, etc.
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.
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.
PITCH VIDEO (Optional): This is your opportunity to be face-to-face with the Sponsor and show them what you're capable of. Consider submitting a pitch video in which you tell the Sponsor what they can expect should they choose your pitch. Also, test videos, animatics, etc. are welcome. For some examples of effective Pitch videos, check out this gallery. All Pitches will remain private until after the Sponsor gives creator(s) the green light to move forward.

Requirements

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Submissions cannot contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Sponsor.
Submissions must not portray Sponsor in a negative way, the determination of which will solely reside with Sponsor.
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.
Videos must be in the English language or subtitled.
Limit 5 submissions per member, per Phase.
You must be at least thirteen (13) years or older to enter.
The Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest.
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.
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.
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.
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.