If you haven’t experienced it for yourself, becoming a parent is almost impossible to imagine – suddenly there’s just this little baby, completely dependent upon you in every way, and all you want is for him/her to be healthy and happy.

 

There are many milestones for babies and their first-time parents. Whether it’s the first word, the first step, or the first time you let them watch Goodfellas. Okay, maybe wait a little while for that last one.

 

Cheerios is interested in one particular milestone: the first finger food.  It’s a crucial moment when a baby first starts to use his/her fine motor skills to eat. For Cheerios, it’s simple: there’s the reach, the pinch, and POP – down the hatch! The baby is one step closer to being self-sufficient… in 18 more years.

 

Cheerios wants your warm, genuine stories and videos showing why Cheerios is the perfect first finger food.    

The goal of this project is to create warm, sincere, and humorous 90-second videos (with 30-second cut-downs) showing why Cheerios is the perfect first finger food for first-time parents to feed their babies.

 

Your work should try to show that first finger food moment and the emotion that comes with it. Show that Cheerios knows and understands how stressful it can be to be a first-time parent giving a child their first finger food.

 

NOTE: The 90-second video and 30-second cut-down both due at the close of the Video Phase.  Please upload them separately when you submit.

 

--Key Marketing Messages:

 

Franchise-wide:

 

• “The one and only Cheerios.”

 

Finger Food Specific:

 

• “A great first finger food in more ways than one.”
• “See why generations of moms and dads have counted on Cheerios for a lifetime of wholesome goodness.”

 

--Target Audience: First-time parents.

  

--Tone: Genuine, Warm, Humorous, Honest, Purposeful

 

--Exposure: Digital and Social.

 

--Product: Cheerios will be made available to Pitch winners and Wildcard filmmakers. 

This Project will be worth a total of $35,000 and consists of 3 Phases: a Story Phase, a Pitch Phase and a Video Phase. Be sure to read the following information carefully as well as the Official Rules.

 

PHASE 1: STORY – Tell us your Story showing why Cheerios is the perfect first finger food in 500 characters or less.  Remember, a Story is not a detailed script; it is a spark of inspiration, or a distillation of what will happen in the Video.  The winning Story creators will receive $500 each. There will be no residuals for this project.

 

PHASE 2: PITCH - Submit your Pitch (What Is a Pitch Phase?) convincing the Sponsor why you should be selected to execute a Video based on one of the winning Stories from the previous Phase using:

 

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

 

• 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.

 

• Script (Optional): This should include dialogue from the video you intend to create. 

 

• Treatment (Optional): A detailed narrative description of what's going to happen in the video. 

 

• Storyboards (Optional): Additional concept art, storyboards, shot list, anything that helps get your point across.

 

• Headshots/Casting Boards (Optional): Casting notes or concepts, headshots of actors, etc.

 

• Pitch Video (Optional): This is your opportunity to show us 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.   

 

The 2 most compelling Pitches will be selected and, upon submitting the Winner’s Affidavit and the IP Assignment, will each receive $2,500 help create the Video.  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 Video Phase.  So, if your Pitch is selected and you execute your Pitch effectively in your Video submission, you will win an additional $6,500 at a minimum, and have a chance to compete for the $13,000. 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 3: VIDEO – The 2 winners from the Pitch Phase will each create a 90-second Video based upon their winning Pitch.

 

WITH CUTDOWNS:

NOTE: The 90-second video and 30-second cut-down are due at the close of the Video Phase. Please upload them as separate videos when submitting your Videos.

 

All other creators are invited to enter a Wildcard (What Is a Wildcard?) submission that can be based on one of the winning stories from the previous Phase or a totally original concept.  The Judges will score all Wildcard submissions and the ONE highest scoring Wildcard Video along with the 2 winning Videos submitted by Pitch winners will be scored to determine the standings for the Video Phase.  Remember, the 2 Pitch winners, along with ONE Wildcard creator, will receive prizes.

 

--Video Phase Payout: Winners of the Video Phase will earn the following prizes: 1st place $13,000 |2nd place $8,000 | 3^rd place $6,500.

 

--Music:  Tongal has partnered with three premiere music providers: Audiosocket, Killer Tracks and Epidemic Sound. Any of which can be used to source music for your Video submission to this Project. You may use up to THREE total tracks per Video submission, and they can come from any of the three providers listed above. 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.

 

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.  

 

--Referral: Any Tongal member who refers one of the winning Video creators in this Project using the Tongal “Invite Friends” functionality will receive a referral fee equal to 5% of the amount won. That’s a potential $1,275 (up to $500 per place) in bonus cash just for telling all of your talented friends about this Project! Check out more about our Referral Program in FAQ.

1. The Video MUST not exceed 90-seconds 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. In the event that fewer than 30 Pitches are received, the Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest for up to fourteen (14) days at their discretion.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.