Background

Below are some iconic moments from Monday Night RAW that could be recreated. However, this is hardly an exhaustive list, and if you don't see your favorite moment here, please feel free to run with something awesome beyond this list. Just remember: any iconic moments you are pitching to create must be from Monday Night RAW. You cannot include moments from WWE pay-per-views/premium live events, or Friday Night Smackdown. 


Objectives

WWE's Monday Night RAW will be turning 30 in 2023, making it the longest running episodic television series in history. Over the past three decades, RAW has seen it all. From epic feuds with some of the biggest WWE superstars - like Shawn Michaels, Triple H, The Rock, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, The Undertaker, John Cena, and Roman Reigns - to betrayals, beer trucks, and weddings gone wrong. To help mark this milestone, USA Network - the home of Monday Night RAW - is looking to create at least seven animated :12 video bumpers depicting different iconic moments from the last 30 years to run on the air in January. We're planning to greenlight seven pitches to start, but the hope would be to greenlight as many as 12.


In terms of animation, the USA team is open to any and all styles - from 2D or 3D, to papercraft, motion graphics, stop motion, claymation, flipbook drawings, domino art, or any other creative medium you can think of. The only thing we are NOT looking for is live action reenactments of any moments, so please do not include those in your pitch. You also cannot use any toys or action figures in your content, even if those toys or figures are WWE-branded. It's also important to note that while you're only creating one :12 video, you'll need to deliver a version in 4 different aspect ratios, so you may need to animate additional shots or angles to ensure that your 9x16 version is as cool as your 16x9 version. 


The USA team has included a list of iconic RAW moments that could be recreated in the Background below. They are also open to other moments beyond this list, so if you don't see your favorite moment listed, please feel free to include that in your pitch. However, please try to avoid moments that heavily feature wrestlers or personalities who are now working at any WWE competitors. In addition, please do not pitch any moments that took place on WWE pay-per-views or Friday Night Smackdown - we are only looking for moments that took place on Monday Night RAW programming. 


Lastly, you can assume you will have access to the original audio from the moments you are recreating. However, please do not pitch any moments that exclusively focus on entrance theme music, as that may not be usable for copyright reasons.

 

In your pitch, please specify the iconic RAW moment you'd like to recreate, and the medium you'd use to do so. For any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.

 

DELIVERABLES: 

 

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

 

EXPOSURE:

 

TARGET AUDIENCE: WWE Fans, young and old

 

TONE: Upbeat & Celebratory

 

EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES: 

 

By participating in this project, creators acknowledge that the Sponsor is under no obligation to greenlight a bid. Though most 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 submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by the Sponsor and the project team.


Shooting live action or stop motion? Our priority is ensuring everyone's safety, so please review our COVID-19 Production Safety Guide and check federal, state, and local rules before and during your shoot to make sure your on-set protocols are up to date. We're working hard to keep people working during this extraordinary time, and you should ensure your submission is executable within the anticipated timeline and budget, while also ensuring everyone's safety.

Details

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.

  • 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.


  • ICONIC RAW MOMENT (REQUIRED): Please tell us which iconic RAW moment your pitch is based on. 

  • 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.

  • 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.

Requirements

  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. 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. 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.