The 2024 US Presidential election will be held on Tuesday, November 5th, and to help voters better understand both the election process itself, and where the major candidates stand on important issues, CBS News is looking two create two pieces of social content: one that breaks down the candidates' positions on five key issues, and another that explains the Electoral College and its critical role in determining who will ultimately win the election. CBS News will be providing a script for the content about key issues, along with a voiceover track for the Electoral College content, so they just need to bring the messaging to life.

The goal of this project will be to create either a video or a carousel of static images for the key issues content, depending on what ultimately works best, along with a separate short video about the Electoral College. When it comes to execution, we are looking for creative and eye-catching ways to make these important topics engaging to young adults on social media. The content will ultimately be posted on CBS News' Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X accounts, and while the posts should be tonally in-line with the established CBS News brand look and feel, they should also creatively "break the mold" by leveraging social-first trends, techniques, motion text, and transition styles, etc. that you would organically come across on your For You page. Any supporting imagery you might need - including images of the candidates - will be provided by CBS News.

For the messaging about candidates' positions, it's obviously important that we take a non-partisan stance in presenting everything (e.g. don't give primacy to one candidate's position over another or use font weights/colors/styling to suggest bias). We'll be addressing abortion, climate, taxes, immigration, and foreign policy (with an eye towards NATO and the war in Gaza), all of which are complicated topics, so how you handle text will be key here, and we anticipate that the cleanest way to present the information will likely be through a carousel with multiple static images. That said, if you feel video works best, CBS News is open to it. 

For the Electoral College content, the voiceover script being provided will be no longer than a minute, and we expect the video behind it to be primarily based in motion graphics. The key thing here is that we are looking for a clever way to animate the Electoral College process while making the information clear and easy to understand for viewers. The visuals in your video should closely mirror what's being said in the voiceover. Depending on your creative approach, you may choose to include motion text and captions, but that's NOT required. 

Both posts - whether video or static - should be stylistically cohesive. We'll be looking for two aspect ratios, but they can each feature the same content, so you can repurpose and reframe what you create. Also, while the Electoral College process is prescribed in the US Constitution and extremely unlikely to change before November, the candidates' positions themselves may shift and evolve over the next few months, so we are looking for a creator who is nimble and can adapt to changes, should they arise at some point.

For your pitch, CBS News would like to see a sample Electoral College video, so please create one roughly :15 video (9x16) that illustrates the information below. Full scripts will be provided to the selected filmmaker. You do NOT need to include scratch VO in your sample video (we are mainly looking for your visual approach), but if it's helpful to your process, you can include scratch VO.

• The Electoral College consists of 538 electors. A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. Each state has the same number of electors as it does members in its Congressional delegation: one for each member in the House of Representatives, plus two Senators.

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

DELIVERABLES: There are four total assets.

• One up-to-:60 video about the Electoral College (9x16, 1x1)
• One piece of social content on key issues (9x16, 1x1)
  • up to :60 if video
  • up to 10 slides if static

EXPECTED TIMELINE: HERE

EXPOSURE: We expect content will be used on the platforms below, but if casting talent, be sure they review our required Talent Release before they're cast, as it is NOT limited to these platforms. You should also review our Music providers in the Project Requirements, as well as the platform best practices.

• CBS News Instagram
• CBS News TikTok
• CBS News Facebook
• CBS News X 

TARGET AUDIENCE: Young adults in the United States, ages 18-35

TONE/FEEL: Informative, engaging, creative, eye-catching

EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES: 

• You MUST use the provided script and voiceover from CBS News. 
• If necessary for your creative approach, you CAN use imagery of the candidates as well as any imagery you may need to illustrate the Electoral College and key issues, but if so, you MUST use imagery provided by CBS News.
• All graphics and the most important visual content should stay within TikTok's safe zones.
• You MAY NOT include any logos or other branding within your video.
• Any video content should ALWAYS have sound - TikTok is a sound-on platform - but you MAY NOT use any trending TikTok or Instagram audios.

By participating in this project, creators acknowledge that the Sponsor is under no obligation to greenlight a submission. Though most projects do move forward, we'll notify you in the event the Sponsor decides not to fund any submissions via the Project Forum. Regardless of the result, all submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by the Sponsor and project team.

In order to be considered, include the below materials in your submission. For examples of effective pitches, check out this gallery. All Pitches remain private, even after a Pitch is selected, and Tongal strives to have Pitch selections made by the end of the Evaluation period, but additional time may be required by the Sponsor, depending on any number of factors.

• TEXT (REQUIRED): Up to 500 characters synopsizing how you plan to approach and produce the content listed in the Deliverables.
  
  
• LINKS (REQUIRED): To your previous video work. Please specify your role (producer, director, editor, artist, etc.) but do not include links to your showreel. Please link to individual videos.

• SAMPLE VIDEO (REQUIRED): Please submit ONE roughly :15 sample video (9x16) that illustrates the information below. Full scripts will be provided to the selected filmmaker. You do NOT need to include scratch VO in your sample video (we are mainly looking for your visual approach), but if it's helpful to your process, you can include scratch VO.
  • The Electoral College consists of 538 electors. A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. Each state has the same number of electors as it does members in its Congressional delegation: one for each member in the House of Representatives, plus two Senators.

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. Tongal also reserves the right to request all raw files associated with the project.
   
   
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 creator.
   
   
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.
    
    
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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.