Here are links to the variety of existing videos on Tongal's channel, for your reference:

• Why Cartoons Keep Trying To Teach Us Math
• The Conjuring: A History of Ghosts on Film
• Cruella: A Modern History of Villainous Fashion
• The Most Ridiculous Movie Shark Deaths in the History of Movie Shark Deaths
• The Beach Party Genre and its Place in Film History

Join the the writing team behind the Video Essays on Tongal’s YouTube Channel. As part of the team, you'll be required to write one essay a month that will serve as the voiceover script for one particular video essay. These essays should account for a voiceover read that runs anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes in length and be about any topic you can think of, so long as it touches on film, television, or creative media. They can even be based on articles or books, and you're free to simply request topic prompts from the Tongal YouTube team if you'd like. We'd like you to write content that'll bring our viewers new perspectives that they haven't thought about before. Help viewers discover new content, or consider new techniques and perspectives that might elevate their own filmmaking and understanding of creative storytelling. 

For each essay, you'll pitch different ideas to the team and then outline how you'll approach them. You can reference any source material you wish - from films, video games, television series, or streaming series - which can also be used as the visual references within the video essay itself. 

After it's determined which topic you'll write on, you'll have two weeks to turn around a draft for review. That draft should include the links and references an editor might need to pull from and incorporate into the video. If you'd like to have text appear on screen as well to accompany your voice over (e.g. quotes, data, or statistics), you're also welcomed to incorporate those as well.

Below are a few thought starters, and you can certainly feel free to use them, but we really want to hear your original ideas...

• Why Aren't There More Famous Thanksgiving Movies?
• Environmental Adversaries in Science Fiction
• The Worst Documentaries Ever Made.
• The Philosophy of Jonathan Hickman’s X-Men.
• Henson Puppets and their impact on Children’s Content.
• Is Batman The Animated Series Unbeatable?
• How Location Affects Plot.

When you submit your essay scripts, our producers may have revisions and suggestions. If you have any questions, ask away in the forum.

DELIVERABLES: 

• Three 5:00 to 15:00 Video Essays (.doc or .txt format)

 

TIMELINE: 

• Nov. 10th - Nov. 16th - Pitch Phase
• Nov 17th - Creators Announced
• Nov 17th - Dec 3rd - Essay #1 Writing Phase
• Dec 3rd - Draft 1 Due
• Dec 3rd - Dec 8th - Revisions
• Dec 8th - Final Draft of Essay #1 Due
• Dec 9th - Dec 20th - Essay #2 Writing Phase
• Dec 20th - Draft #1 Due
• Dec 20th - Dec 28th - Revisions
• Dec 28th - Final Draft of Essay #2 Due
• Dec 30th - Jan 14th - Essay #3 Writing Phase
• Jan 14th - Draft 1 Due
• Jan 14th - Jan 19th - Revisions
• Jan 19th - Final Draft of Essay #3 Due

 

EXPOSURE: YouTube. 

 

TARGET AUDIENCE: The Tongal Community, creators across the Internet, and movie buffs.

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 or fewer characters synopsizing how you plan to approach and execute this video.

• WRITING SAMPLE (REQUIRED): Submit writing samples as a single PDF that you think would show why you'd be a good fit for the Tongal Video Essay Writing Team.
  

• ADDITIONAL MATERIALS (OPTIONAL):  You can submit any other written materials that you think can be helpful. 

• LINKS (OPTIONAL): 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.
  
  
• 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. 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. Preferred script format for upload to the Tongal website is .doc or .pdf.
   
   
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 AN 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 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. 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.
   
   
6. Submissions cannot contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Sponsor.
   
   
7. Submissions must not portray Sponsor in a negative way, the determination of which will solely reside with Sponsor.
    
8. 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.
    
9. Videos must be in the English language or subtitled.
    
10. Limit 5 submissions per member, per Phase.
     
11. You must be at least thirteen (13) years or older to enter.
    
    
12. The Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest.
    
    
13. 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.
    
    
14. 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.
    
    
15. 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.
    
    
16. 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.