These three talking points should be the basis of your video; you can find additional talking points you may choose to optionally speak to here: 

“I didn’t know I had to pay self-employment taxes.”

• This is a common miss for people who are newly self-employed.
• You may be surprised when you file a return and find out that, on top of your income taxes, you’ll owe another 15.3% tax. This is called self-employment tax and it covers Social Security and Medicare taxes. It can result in a large tax bill if you didn’t know about it.
• If you were an employee, you’d pay half of this amount, and your employer would pay the other half. As a self-employed person, both are your responsibility. On the bright side, a special tax deduction for independent contractors (self-employed individuals) lets you deduct half of your self-employment tax to offset your income.

“I didn’t know I had to pay throughout the year.”

• Instead of having taxes automatically withheld (like employees do), self-employed people have to send in tax payments four times a year (called estimated tax payments).
• If you didn’t know or forgot about sending in your quarterly payments, the best time to learn about estimated payments is now, but take note: missing these payments for several months may mean you’ll owe a big tax bill plus likely penalties when you file.
• If you can’t pay, you can ask for an extension or set up a monthly payment plan (called an IRS installment agreement) when you file.

“I ‘wrote off’ personal expenses.”

• This is another major area where the IRS looks in small business audits.
• New small-business owners often deduct certain expenses, like cars, cell phones, in-home offices, and travel and meal expenses, but the IRS views many of these expenses as personal (and not deductible) – unless you can prove that the expenses were business-related.
• The takeaway: Keep excellent records.

Picking up a side hustle or gig work can be a fantastic way to earn some extra income, but if you're used to the relative ease of having taxes come out of your employee paycheck, then you might find taxes can be a little more complicated – and a lot more confusing – when you try to navigate income taxes from a side gig. If you're a freelance filmmaker (or if you ever were), then you probably know exactly what we're talking about.

Luckily, H&R Block's tax experts can help de-mystify your taxes, no matter how many side hustles, gig jobs, contract work, or other part-time opportunities you take on, and they're looking for a Tongal filmmaker – i.e. a first-person expert in self-employed tax filing –  to create a helpful, upbeat, and confidence-inspiring video for people who are new to gig economy taxes. 

With a conversational tone, your video should break down some common questions or problems first-time side-hustlers might encounter when they get that first gig work payment, and explain how H&R Block's tax experts are able to help make sense of it all, especially with online tax filing. If you've filed side hustle/gig work/self-employment taxes through H&R Block, we'd love to hear how you'd craft a video from your very own first-person perspective, both as a self-employed worker and as an H&R Block customer – but at the end of the day, your pitch really just needs to demonstrate that you can create an approachable and informative video that breaks down some key info for side hustlers and gig workers and drives them to H&R Block for online filing. 

Through provided talking points (shared in the Background section), any gleanings from your own taxpayer experiences, and a direct, personable POV, your video should clearly share that H&R Block makes it easy to do your taxes if you have side income; by employing a conversational tone, viewers should ultimately feel like H&R Block is relatable and helpful, and not just spewing dry and/or technical tax lingo at them. Your video will likely be live-action with motion graphics or animated text to drive home key info, but we're open to a variety of approaches and styles.

For any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.

 

DELIVERABLES: There are 3 total video assets.

• One :60-:90 hero video (16x9, 9x16)
• One :15 'teaser' cutdown (9x16)

 

TIMELINE: HERE

 

EXPOSURE: We anticipate content will be used on the platforms listed below, but if casting talent, please be sure your talent reviews the required Talent Release, 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 page.

• H&R Block's Tax Information Center, social media

 

TARGET AUDIENCE: Gig workers, side hustlers, and anyone else who earns additional/part-time income as a non-employee (i.e. self-employed or contract work)

 

TONE: Helpful, upbeat, fun, confident; friendly and personable, not dry and overly technical.

 

EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES: 

• Video must use the provided talking points.
• If your video will be based off of your own personal story as a self-employed worker, H&R Block legal will need to approve your talking points to ensure they accurately reflect H&R Block's services and relevant tax information. 

 

By participating in this project, creators acknowledge that the Sponsor is under no obligation to greenlight a submission. Though most projects on our platform do move forward, we will 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 the project team.

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): Up to 500 characters synopsizing how you plan to approach and produce the content listed out in the Deliverables.
  
  
• TREATMENT (REQUIRED): A more detailed and specific description of how you propose to execute all of the content listed out in the Deliverables, both in terms of what we can expect to see, and how you’ll make it. 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.
  
  
• SCRIPT (Optional): This should include dialogue from the video you intend to create.
  
  
• STORYBOARDS (Optional): Additional concept art, storyboards, shot list, anything that helps get your point across. You can download the Tongal storyboard template here.
  
  
• HEADSHOTS/CASTING BOARDS (Optional): Casting notes or concepts, headshots of actors, etc.
  
  
• 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, animatics, etc. are welcome. For some examples of effective Pitch videos, check out this gallery. All Pitches will remain private until after the Sponsor gives creator(s) the green light to move forward.

1. 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.
   
   
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. 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.
   
   
5. Preferred format for upload to the Tongal website is HD 720p and formatted for the aspect ratios listed in the Deliverables (e.g. 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.
   
   
6. 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.
   
   
7. You may not contact any employees or members of the Sponsor's organization, their affiliates, or any of their partners. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in disqualification of your entry in the project.
   
   
8. 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.
   
   
9. Videos must be in the English language or subtitled.
   
   
10. Submissions must not portray Sponsor in a negative way, the determination of which will solely reside with Sponsor, nor can Submissions contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Sponsor.
    
    
11. You must be at least thirteen (13) years or older to enter.
    
    
12. The Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest.
    
    
13. 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.