The Wizarding World is rich and expansive, and SYFY wants you to play with all of the elements it has beyond the characters, logos, and insignias that people default to when they think of Harry Potter or Fantastic Beasts. Think of the spells, potions, creatures, wands, books, and other miscellaneous magical things, or the enchanted shops, castles, and halls.

Be creative, and be specific to the look and feel of the Wizarding World - but don't go off and create new canon. Then, while you ponder, take a look at a few of the previous logo ident videos from these projects below, and see how SYFY is transformed and revealed in different ways. Your video should be similar.

• Halloween Video Idents
• Winter Video Idents

Let us know if you have any questions in the forum!

Time to brush up on your spell work! SYFY is the home of the Wizarding World films, including the entire Harry Potter collection and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. In an effort to celebrate this magical franchise and its many fans, they're looking for artists, animators, designers, and directors who can charm the SYFY logo as a tribute. SYFY's goal is to create an incredibly stylish and highly visual animated video that will use elements from the Wizarding World to bring the SYFY logo to life in a surprising way. They want you to take SYFY and transform, transport, or transfigure it; reveal it, light it up... maybe even levitate it.

This is about tapping into the imaginative world-building that's always made J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World so memorable. It's a chance for you to develop creative visual interpretations of items, themes, and settings. We're all already familiar with the characters, so go beyond them. Find a clever new way to surprise and delight fellow fans of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts when they're watching SYFY on TV or checking out their awesome social content.

DELIVERABLES:

• One :10 or :15 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.
• Note: SYFY is open to selecting creators who can produce multiple videos, although no creator is guaranteed more than one video.

 

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 SYFY viewers, and fans of Harry Potter...which is basically everyone!

TONE: Clever, fun, surprising, whimsical, awe-inspiring, exciting, empowering – you could go in many different directions with this. One thing to avoid: no parodies. 

 

EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES: 

• You CANNOT use any character likenesses, insignia, or logos (i.e. no Chudley Cannons banners or House Slytherin crests). Instead focus on creative interpretations of themes, settings, and items from the Wizarding World (i.e. potions, wands, classrooms, spells, etc.).
• You CANNOT use any footage, music, or dialogue from the films, nor can you involve any specific story elements from the canon of the Wizarding World.
• This is NOT an ad for a broadcast airing of the films and your video ident should not be promotional of the franchise as a whole - it is instead a tribute drawing inspiration from the franchise.
• You CANNOT propose new characters, create new creatures, or introduce new storylines; although this is unlikely within your short time frame, you should be careful to avoid anything that could impact canon.
• This is for artists, animators, designers, editors, and makers - NOT live-action filmmakers. Any medium can work, including traditional 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. You *may* use real-life photography or video to supplement your animation, but it must still feel stylistic and artful.
• 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 video.)
  • 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 beyond the Wizard World. 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. 

NOTE: You should submit a separate pitch for each individual video that you'd like to produce. SYFY may select multiple pitches from a single creator. If you are selected to produce multiple videos, you will receive the same budget for each video. All videos must be produced on the same timeline. 

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. SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED DERIVATIVE WORKS. 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 eighteen (18) 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, 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.
    
    
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.