FILM SYNOPSIS:
"Meanwhile, in another universe…” In a switch from the typical genre, Madame Web tells the standalone origin story of one of Marvel publishing's most enigmatic heroines. The suspense-driven thriller stars Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb, a paramedic in Manhattan who may have clairvoyant abilities. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she forges a relationship with three young women destined for powerful futures... if they can all survive a deadly present.
CASSIE WEBB, HER POWERS, AND THE THREAT AT HAND:
After a near death experience, Cassie Webb (Dakota Johnson) starts to see short glimpses of the future, which lead her to saving three young women (Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O'Connor, Isabela Merced) from Ezequiel Sims (Tahar Rahim). As Sims continues to chase Cassie and the girls, her clairvoyance is the only thing that is able to just barely keep them one step ahead of Ezequiel. Cassie must protect the girls while figuring out why this man wants them dead, and how to stop him.
INFINITE ARTS ZOOM TECHNIQUE EXAMPLES:
RELEVANT LINKS:
CAST & CREW:
She's an enigmatic heroine who is just beginning to discover her clairvoyant abilities; she is Madame Web, and the thrilling origin story of Madame Web—also known as Cassie Webb—is coming to the big screen this February, courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment. As fascinating a character as she is, many people still don't fully understand her abilities, nor the salient threat that forces her to quickly learn the breadth of her new power, so Sony wants to create some social content to promote the Madame Web release and highlight what makes Cassie a compelling hero... while also defining the villain she'll be working against.
The goal of this project is to create a :30 vertical social video using an "infinite zoom" technique to do just that. If you're not already familiar with an infinite zoom, the effect is accomplished by moving the "camera" POV in (or out) of an image, revealing layers and layers of additional details 'hidden' in the depths of the original image, with clever transitions to hide any obvious cuts. You can check out some examples of the effect in the Background, but if you watch the trailer, you'll also see this key moment, where the camera dives through Cassie's eyes, which is used as a way of viscerally illustrating her powers. That moment uses a similar effect, which is why Sony is so keenly interested in it. They want some kind of epic infinite zoom video that reframes elements from the trailer to better illustrate Cassie's powers, and to touch upon the danger she'll face throughout the film. Find those elements here and use them as the base for your infinite zoom. Your video shouldn't be a mere re-edit of the trailer, though — you should take these clips, sound effects, and music to make something even more epic that motivates viewers to go check out this new film in theaters!
This is a fast-moving project, so in terms of execution, consider the timeline and production realities. Otherwise, there's flexibility in how you choose to bring this to life - so long as it's not live action - and that means you can use 2D or 3D animation, stop-motion, mixed media, or some other variation. Whatever approach you take, it should feel polished enough to represent the high-quality, cinematic visuals of the film. Importantly, you should note that we don't want to use a "pinch-zoom" effect that you might see someone use on their phone, with visible hands; instead the viewer should be seamlessly guided into each successive layer of the image by an invisible force.
Creatively, we're hoping for something that really feels astounding and delightful - that matches the enigmatic and thrilling nature of the movie. We want to see how you'd use the unique motion that comes with this technique to bring a new creative perspective, or to deliver an unexpected narrative approach, when it comes to reimagining the trailer(s) and/or image pulls. You can pull clips from the trailer and any marketing materials shared by the Sony team, but you must not deviate beyond the events of the film. The materials must NOT contain any content that is unrelated to the Picture, including but not limited to other previous Spider-Man films, Marvel Universe characters, or Spider-Man Universe comic books.
How can you create suspense while still clearly illustrating Madame Web's powers and the threat at hand? What kind of starting/ending image would you create and how would you create it? And how would you combine techniques, both real and/or digital, to bring key moments from the film to life in a visceral and unexpected way?
In addition to this main infinite zoom video, you'll also be tasked with creating a Behind-the-Scenes video that shows how you created the infinite zoom video itself. This should be optimized for social, and could include screen recordings of your process or your own commentary on you created the effect from technical . Mostly, this needs to be engaging and end with a tag to go see Madame Web in theaters. Let's see what you've got - and for any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
DELIVERABLES: There are 3 total video assets.
EXPECTED TIMELINE: HERE
ASSETS: 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.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Casual superhero moviegoers who don't know Madame Web's backstory from the comics.
TONE/FEEL: Above all, epic. Modern, impactful, unexpected, clever, intriguing; prestigious, unmissable.
EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES:
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.