HELPFUL REFERENCES FOR INSPIRATION/TONE: At the heart of the Lynley series are two mismatched detectives who are forced into partnership. Below we've included some other examples of British mystery/crime shows with similar dynamics.
From mysteries to histories, comedy to cookery, BritBox brings you the best of British telly, direct from the UK. The rapidly growing streaming platform has premiered an array of successful original series, and is now focussing on an exciting new mystery crime series, based on a best-selling book. Hoping to capture crime lovers, mystery aficionados, and anglophiles looking for an exciting new series to binge—BritBox needs a compelling video to promote the remaining season and drive viewers to the streaming platform.
For this project, we are looking for a clever editor to work with existing footage to cut together a gripping :60-:90 video for the new show Lynley, This is all about editorial storytelling, finding a way to tease the storyline and hook viewers to binge-watch the remaining season once they have viewed the pilot episode. Based on the ever-popular Inspector Lynley novels by Elizabeth George, Lynley follows Tommy Lynley, a brilliant police detective but an outsider in the force, simply by virtue of his aristocratic upbringing. He is paired with Barbara Havers, a sergeant with a maverick attitude and a working-class background. With seemingly nothing in common and against all odds, the mismatched duo of Lynley and Havers become a formidable team, bonded by their desire to see justice done. His brain and her spirit – his knowledge and her instincts. Only by working side by side will they find where they truly belong.
We are looking for you to create a compelling "This season on Lynley" edit which should feel something along the lines of this edit for Agatha Christie's Towards Zero Series. No footage is available yet, so for your pitch submission, we're looking for you to edit a :15 sample video to display how you would cut together different clips in the vein of the Lynley series in a way that's dynamic and interesting. While the greenlit creator will get full access to episodes from season one of the series, for the pitch we recommend pulling clips from YouTube or other online sources of other well-known BritBox mystery shows. Your sample video should highlight your skills of cutting together a cohesive narrative within the mystery genre, and conveying how well you can build suspense to entice crime lovers—while weaving in a British sensibility into the edit. We've included some references to similar shows in tone in the Background.
To make this video truly pop, we encourage you to get creative with motion graphics, dynamic typography, and music that energizes the edit while allowing the show clips to take center stage. Creatively, focus on the breakneck pacing and snappy dialogue that drive the gripping, plot-driven style that contains layered storytelling, misdirection, and escalating tension. These shows are always driven by a central mystery or investigation, never underestimating the audience, and they speak to niche seekers who demand a smarter storyline that keeps them hooked and guessing until the very end. Pacing is crucial, so make sure your edit flows steadily and seamlessly by establishing a consistent pace in how you handle dialogue, sound, music, or other key elements. Importantly, since the content will play on streaming platforms and could be skippable, make sure to captivate viewers within the first 5 seconds of the video.
In addition to your sample edit, please keep in mind that we'll be relying on your past work links, as well, so make sure that they match tonally to what BritBox is looking for, so maybe avoid links to your comedic or romantic work for this one. You will also need to edit within the Adobe Suite, as the BritBox team works primarily in Adobe and may need to update logos or end cards later. For any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
DELIVERABLES: There are 6 total video assets.
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.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Fans of British Television, mystery lovers, murder/true crime genre lovers
TONE/FEEL: Compelling, captivating, suspenseful, and binge-worthy, undeniably British
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.