Your subjects don't have to be people you know - that just happens to be the case a lot when we find someone passionate about something. Your subjects can be people you've been following for years, communities that you feel are undiscovered, or worlds you're desperate to explore - as long as they're unique and compelling, and as long as you bring the X factor that takes them to the next level.
This is a wide-open call for documentaries, although it'd be great to see subjects and characters who represent a particularly unique sub-culture, experience, lifestyle, movement, identity, or passion.
Given that documentary filmmaking can be a lengthy labor of love, the studio is also open to projects at almost any stage of development or production. They just ask that you be as detailed as possible when you present your documentary pitch, so that it's clear how much you already know about your subject, what access you have, what you may have already filmed or recorded, and how far along you may be in producing your project. If you have a teaser or sizzle already, or if completed portions have been screened, you should share that as well.
RELEVANT DOCUMENTARY TRAILERS FOR REFERENCE:
NOTE: If you pitched in the original project and had questions about how your documentary pitch was received - and if there was something you could do differently this time - post a question in the forums and we'll reach out.
TONGAL ORIGINALS INCUBATOR & THE SPONSOR:
- This project is part of the Tongal Originals Incubator program, and we're partnering with a premium content studio to make it happen. You can learn more about the program itself HERE, but the Sponsor has elected to remain hidden for the initial phase of this project. We can tell you that they're able to develop, produce, or finance any documentary, but beyond that, you'll be able to learn more if you're selected for the Video Phase.
RIGHTS & PARTICIPATION:
- If your Pitch is in consideration: Before pitches are selected, a short list of submitters whose pitches are in consideration will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement, at which point the Sponsor will be revealed, and budget proposals will be subject to good faith negotiations with the Sponsor. After that, the submission selections will be finalized and announced.
- Submissions Not Selected by Sponsor: All rights to pitch submissions that are NOT selected by sponsor will revert back to the submitters after the close of the project.
- Submissions Selected by Sponsor: All rights to pitch submissions that are selected will be owned by the Sponsor for a period of 7 years. If and when the Sponsor elects to move forward with a submission after a pilot is delivered, the submitter's involvement and participation in the project, including their percentage of net proceeds, will be subject to good faith negotiations with the Sponsor and covered by a separate agreement.
The best documentaries are an unforgettable mix of remarkable characters and exceptional circumstances - but that mix is an unpredictable one. Documentary subjects vary so widely that it's hard to make any generalizations about what works... but, if there was one common thread, we'd say it's that all the best docs come from someone driven by a true passion for the subject. That's what brings us here.
Tongal has teamed up with one of Hollywood’s premium content studios - the A-list, Academy Award type - and they’re looking for big, bold, entertaining, extraordinary, weird, wild, quirky, curious, and courageous real-life stories. The kind of stories that only you have the ability & passion to tell. Fresh perspectives and explorations of unique and fascinating subjects. If this ask sounds a bit familiar, it's because we ran a project just like this last October - and the documentaries that came out of it fit the mold we described above, so we're doing it again. The Sponsor was so impressed with what they saw - and the passion that drove the filmmakers behind the pitches - that they wanted to open this back up for a chance to explore even more stories.
This is a massive opportunity, and whether you've already started filming and you're looking for finishing funds, or you've been carefully conceptualizing your project for years, it doesn't matter. The studio wants to help bring the best stories to life from whatever stage they're at - as feature-length films, or as multi-part series for the top TV and streaming platforms - so this is your chance to be 20 Feet From Stardom.
NOTE: Our priority is to make sure everyone is safe, and along with that, we’re working really hard to keep people working during this strange time. While the timeline is likely going to be much more flexible given our current reality, our advice would be, however you proceed, to do something only if you feel you can do something that ensures everyone's safety.
DELIVERABLES:
- One 2 to 4 minute sizzle video
- One page synopsis
- One 6 to 20 page documentary treatment
TIMELINE: For the full project timeline please see the Assets section. Note that this timeline DOES NOT include a timeline for production, as that is dependent on many factors and will be determined if/when your documentary is closer to production.
EXPOSURE & FORMAT: The studio is looking at feature length documentaries. If there is a compelling narrative that needs more than 90 minutes to be told then we can expand into a limited docu-series.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Subjects should appeal primarily to audiences in the United States
TONE: This can be dramatic, emotional, comedic, irreverent, quirky, exciting, romantic, or really anything that represents a compelling and unique human story.
EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES:
- You must already have access to an individual or group of individuals if they are the subject of your documentary, and you will need to provide a talent appearance release for them if you are selected in the Pitch Phase.
- For the purposes of your budget proposal, you should account for the cost of any archival material, video clips, photography, music, or other relevant content that may be relevant to the story and require licensing.
OPEN BID:
- This is an open bid project, so you will get to set your own budget proposal for BOTH the Sizzle Video, and the documentary itself. All budgets are subject to negotiation based on how the studio may decide to move forward with your submission if selected.
- For the Sizzle Video, because not all filmmakers have existing materials or video assets that they can present for their documentary, you may request a budget to complete the sizzle video & treatment, depending on your needs. This budget should be within the range of $1,000-$4,000.
- For the full documentary, given that budgets will vary based on their format and intended distribution, your budget proposal must indicate your intended format to provide context for review.
- The studio is interested in seeing tiered pricing options, so please feel free to submit various versions of your full documentary pitch at budget, target, and reach price points within that price range.
- By participating in this open bid project, creators acknowledge that the studio is under no obligation to greenlight a bid. Though most open bid projects on our platform do move forward with a greenlit bid, we will notify you in the event the Sponsor decides not to fund any bids via the project forum. Regardless of the result, all open bid submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by the studio and the project team.
THE PITCH PHASE:
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 your documentary.
- 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.
- TREATMENT (REQUIRED): This must included a detailed narrative description of your documentary's subject, as well as your approach to filming that subject. We've provided a treatment template, which you can find here.
- BID (REQUIRED): This is an open bid project, and because not all filmmakers have existing materials or video assets that they can present for their documentary, you may request a budget to complete the sizzle video & treatment, depending on your needs. This sizzle budget should be within the range of $1,000-$4,000. You do not need to provide a full budget in the Pitch Phase.
- PITCH VIDEO (Optional): If you have an existing trailer or sizzle, this is the place to show it off. Otherwise, or in addition to that, this is your opportunity to be face-to-face with the studio and show them what you're capable of. Consider submitting a pitch video in which you tell them what they can expect should they choose your pitch. For some examples of effective Pitch videos, check out this gallery. All Pitches will remain private until after the studio gives creator(s) the green light to move forward.
THE SIZZLE VIDEO PHASE:
If your Pitch is selected by the studio, you will create a sizzle video, a one-page synopsis, and a full treatment for your documentaries.
- SIZZLE VIDEO (REQUIRED): Sizzle videos must be between 2 to 4 minutes and considered a “proof of concept” for the larger documentary. Your sizzle video should establish the tone, characters, style, and narrative you pitched.
- TREATMENT (REQUIRED): Full documentary treatments should be 6 to 20 pages and must included a detailed narrative description of your documentary's subject, as well as your approach to filming that subject. We've provided a treatment template, which you can find here.
- BUDGET & FORMAT (REQUIRED): This is an open bid project, so you’ll get to set your overall budget proposal for the full documentary itself. All budgets are subject to negotiation based on how the studio may decide to move forward with your submission if selected. For the full documentary, given that budgets will vary based on their format and intended distribution, your budget proposal must indicate your intended format to provide context for review. You can download the budget template here.
- EXISTING MATERIALS LIST (Optional): If you have already shot any footage for your documentary, produced any segments, or conducted any interviews, it would be helpful to know how much you have, and in what format it exists, so please include some information on that.
- For existing footage, please include an estimate for how many hours of footage you have, along with information about your camera and/or the video specs of those existing assets.
- For produced segments, please include information about what's been produced, what it's runtime is, whether it has been screened or distributed publicly, whether it's been accepted to any film festivals, and/or if it's received any accolades or recognition.
- For interviews, please include who you've interviewed, how many hours of interview audio you may have, along with information about the audio specs of those existing assets.