Debuting this October, SYFY & USA's upcoming Chucky series will be helmed by Child's Play creator Don Mancini and feature several returning cast members like Jennifer Tilley and Brad Dourif (the original voice of Chucky). Set in a small American town that finds itself plunged into utter chaos when a Chucky doll shows up at a local yard sale, the series is a continuation of the iconic Child's Play franchise. 

CHILD'S PLAY TRAILERS:

• Child's Play (1988)
• Child's Play 2 (1990)
• Child's Play 3 (1991)
• Bride of Chucky (1998)
• Seed of Chucky (2004)
• Curse of Chucky (2013)
• Cult of Chucky (2017)

As this initiative typically asks for the inclusion of a SYFY logo, all of our examples below are logo videos, but your video should NOT include a SYFY logo. With that in mind, notice how many of these videos create a fun way to set up and subvert audience expectations with their stories. 

• Roller Derby or Bust - a high-energy video that upends audience expectations about who a "typical" zombie hunter is
• Homage to B-Movies - a cool tribute to the retro sci-fi subgenre
• Post-Apocalyptic Workshop - a subversive little horror twist on familiar imagery
• Mystery Meat - a complete vignette that quickly takes an unexpected turn
• Monsters Fall in Love - a stylish vignette in an abstracted setting with a great twist

For reference, here are some past SYFY ident videos that resolve on the uncluttered frame for the final three seconds so you can get an idea of where SYFY will be adding the on-screen graphics. 

• Make Your Mark - an overview story that immerses genre characters in the message
• Vote Foot - a simple story with a good twist and a surprise ending with a message

SYFY is the Alpha and the Omega of genre. They've got everything from cyberpunk sci-fi to futuristic fantasy and the boldest, bloodiest horror content you've ever seen, and every month, SYFY partners with different genre fans who work as artists, animators, designers, and directors, giving them an opportunity to express their love of genre with an artistic and incredibly cool TV spot.

This month, SYFY has one question for you: Wanna Play?

In honor of the upcoming Chucky TV series, SYFY wants you to pay tribute to everyone's favorite killer doll. It goes without saying - the Chucky and the Child's Play franchise are have been a pop cultural phenomenon for decades, so the goal of these videos is to celebrate Chucky's legacy, and show why we all love him in a darkly comedic and horrifically creepy way. Scare us. Make us laugh. Or do both. 

That said, your video should NOT be a direct scene recreation from one of the movies in the franchise. Your focus should instead be on the iconic Chucky character itself, and tap into the nostalgia of his decades-long legacy. Your video should be accessible enough to connect with casual fans of the franchise, but it can also include Easter eggs for hardcore fans. 

SYFY & USA's new Chucky series is the first time the Child's Play franchise has been brought to television, and while it will still have the dark humor that fans love, the TV series will be much more horror-focused. Tonally, it will be closest to Child's Play 2. The Chucky doll will still be a live-action puppet, and while you can make your own doll for your video, your design will require approval from SYFY. Your Chucky doll should reflect your own unique aesthetic style and not just be a hyperrealistic depiction of the doll. You can put Chucky in different settings and environments from the movies, but you CANNOT depict the likenesses of any actors from the franchise. This is about creating a fun way to set up and subvert audience expectations, while using imagery and other elements from the Child's Play franchise that fans will immediately react to.

 

Check out more information in the Background / Additional Details section. For any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum. And remember, friends stick together till the end. 

 

DELIVERABLES: 

• One :10 to :20 video (16x9)
• One :10 TO :20 video (1x1) - You may simply crop your 16x9 videos, or you may deliver a second version specifically designed for 1x1, if you prefer. 

 

TIMELINE: For the full project timeline please see the Assets section.

 

EXPOSURE: Videos will air on SYFY and also be posted on SYFY.com, as well on SYFY’s digital and social platforms.

 

TARGET AUDIENCE: 

• Fans of the Chucky franchise 
• Adult fans of horror content who are familiar with Chucky, but might not be a hardcore fan

 

TONE: Darkly comedic, horrifying, tongue-and-cheek, and celebratory

 

EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES: 

• This is NOT a SYFY logo video. If you're familiar with this initiative, you know that we typically ask to integrate the SYFY logo in some way, but that's NOT the case this time around, so don't worry about it.
• The final three seconds of your video should resolve on a simple, uncluttered frame (with minimal motion) because SYFY needs room to incorporate additional center-frame graphics that will be added after you deliver. SYFY's intention is to add the Chucky show logo and tune-in info to the end of the video. 
• While your video can depict the Chucky doll, your rendering of Chucky will require approval from the SYFY team. Your version of Chucky should NOT be hyperrealistic; instead, it should be stylized and reflect your unique aesthetic. You CANNOT depict any actors from the franchise, but you can include recognizable imagery like the settings, the iconography, the props, and the actions.
• This is for artists, animators, designers, editors, and makers;  any medium can work, but animated approaches tend to work best, which means there's a preference for 2D animation, stop-motion animation, claymation, creative motion graphics, mixed media, etc. 3D animation is acceptable, but hyperrealistic VFX work should be avoided given the timeline and budget. 
• All work MUST be original, and should NOT include or reference any other existing IP other than Chucky. Any persons, places or things rendered should be of the artist’s own creation and should not be referential of other existing properties.
• AVOID voiceover and any text or type that isn’t related to the S-Y-F-Y of the SYFY logo.
• AVOID graphically violent or sexual  images, or overtly political subject matter.

Making stop motion? Our priority is ensuring everyone's safety, and adherence to safety protocols is a requirement for all relevant productions. 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.

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): 500 characters or less synopsizing how you plan to approach and execute this video.
  
  
• TREATMENT (REQUIRED): A detailed narrative description of what's going to happen in the video. If it's helpful to you, we've provided a treatment template, which you can find here.
  
  
• 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.
  
  
• 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, animatic, etc. are welcome.

1. 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.
   
   
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. 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.
   
   
6. Submissions cannot contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Sponsor.
   
   
7. Submissions must not portray Sponsor in a negative way, the determination of which will solely reside with Sponsor.
    
8. 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.
    
9. Videos must be in the English language or subtitled.
    
10. Limit 5 submissions per member, per Phase.
     
11. You must be at least thirteen (13) years or older to enter.
    
    
12. The Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest.
    
    
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 Videos 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, 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.
    
    
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.