If you're wondering how you should be thinking about this, here are a few wild examples of questions that we asked ourselves when trying to imagine how we might give iconic back-to-school moments a genre twist.

• What does detention look like if you live in a world where androids and mutants have taken over the Earth?
• Would we still see the jocks and the nerds sitting at different tables in an alien cafeteria?
• Do you think college orientation programs are more fun when everyone's got superpowers?
• What decade is the best decade for prom dances... if you're a time-traveling teenage warlock?

See, "genre" is a pretty big, and very inclusive tent, and you can have A LOT of fun with how you interpret the creative challenge here. Maybe you look at the topic through the lens of retrofuturistic 1950's style science-fiction, or maybe you imagine it through the lens of a sword-and-sandals fantasy. It's up to you. Be creative, and be specific. And like we said, this can be grammar school, high school, or college - and any sort of scene associated with them.

While you ponder, take a look at a few videos from this Halloween and this Winter logo projects. See how "SYFY" is transformed and revealed in different ways? Your back-to-school-themed videos will be just like those. 

Keep in mind that this isn't a focus on any one franchise or piece of IP, and in fact, we want to avoid that. Think about archetypes and recognizable character types, visuals, and scenes. Also, while SYFY certainly open to some kind of "micro story," the focus is more about the art and design, and developing a clever or unique way of expressing it in your video. 

Since SYFY is the network for genre fans, they pretty much live and breathe everything genre, no matter what genre we're talking about – science fiction, fantasy, comic book, horror, or some awesome mash-up. In that spirit, for the last year SYFY has been been working with genre fans on a monthly initiative where artists, animators, designers, and directors are given the chance to bring the SYFY logo to life in a series of artistic and incredibly stylish TV spots.

This month, if you can believe it, we're already looking out to the next school year, and SYFY wants to put a clever genre spin on the classic back-to-school scenes that we know and love - and that could mean elementary school, high school, or college. The goal is to end up with a stylish and highly visual TV spot that will bring the SYFY logo to life in an unexpected way, transforming the SYFY logo, or revealing it, in the process. This is not about a real "narrative" so much as it is about creating a fun juxtaposition of something that screams "SCHOOL'S IN SESSION!" with something else that represents a particular genre. 

DELIVERABLES:

• (1) 10 or 15-second Video. Your video should be 16x9, but the action and SYFY logo should be framed so that it can be cropped for a 1x1 aspect ratio. If you prefer not to have your video cropped, you may deliver a second version specifically designed for the 1x1 aspect ratio.

 

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

 

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

 

TARGET AUDIENCE:  Adult fans of genre content.

TONE: Any tone can work. Since there’s such a wide range of tonality in genre content, SYFY wants you to feel empowered to interpret this creative ask based on your own personal connection to the genre of your choosing. The executions can be funny, scary, magical, mysterious, nostalgic, etc.

 

EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES: 

• "Genre" refers to science fiction, fantasy, superheroes, comic books, and horror, but it can be anything that falls under those categories, including something that combines more than one. Think about sub-genres too - science-fiction and horror, for example, are HUGE categories that include a ton of different styles. Don't fall back on generic elements like UFOs - we see those all the time, and they're not that exciting; avoid expected and overly broad approaches, and instead explore a genre from your own unique angle.
• 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 is difficult given the timeline and budget, so you must show that you can execute within these parameters. Live-action is possible too, but must still feel stylistic and artful, which means we're not looking at lo-fi or amateur executions, and it's difficult to pull off given the timeframe and budget. 
• Your video MUST end with the horizontal SYFY logo, and the logo should be on screen for a minimum of 3 seconds. It must end in the sizing reference position (which you can review, in the assets). The logo must be distinct and readable and visually distinct from the background. i.e. the logo should not completely blend into the environment—it’s an essential part of the spot.)
  • The design of the SYFY logo itself is open for interpretation though, and SYFY is specifically looking for your unique personal style and choice of medium to come through.
  • The “walls” of the logo can be broken if you choose (i.e. a character stepping through the logo; a vine growing beyond the edges of the logo, etc.).
• All work MUST be original, and should NOT include or reference existing IP. Any persons, places or things rendered should be of the artist’s own creation and should not be referential of any existing properties.
• AVOID voiceover, unless it’s absolutely integral to the perspective of the storytelling in your video. 
• AVOID 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.

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 you be selected as winner, 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. The Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest.
    
    
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 award.
    
    
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.