Do you sit around and fantasize about slick title treatments? Does great sound design keep coming up at happy hour? Is the edit bay your second home? If you're nodding your head, then this one's for you and your team.
The Nat Geo WILD channel is currently available in more than 144 million homes globally, and it's known for its wildlife and natural history programming, as well as TV series that celebrate people who dedicate their lives and work to saving animals. Surprisingly though, its distinctive tone is often more unorthodox, cheeky, and subversive than its sister channel, the National Geographic Channel.
Now, Nat Geo WILD is itself going WILD, with a new show PRODUCED ENTIRELY BY THE TONGAL COMMUNITY.
Think what SNL was to NBC when it premiered in 1975, or what Adult Swim was for Cartoon Network when it premiered in 2001. Both captured the essence & brand of their networks, but presented them as an alternative programming option for a late-night audience in a way that let the networks take risks and step out of their comfort zone. Those risks paid off, and both channels have had tremendous success as a result. That's what brings us to Wild After Dark.
Wild After Dark is going to be a new TV show made up entirely of different 2, 3 and 4 minute sketch segments featuring animals. We're sourcing all of the segments in two other projects (the main video project here, and a Wildcard video project here), but we need an awesome editor and post-production team to take all of those wild segments and turn them into a real TV show, complete with graphics, titles, transitions, sound design, and potentially even voiceover. It's going to move FAST, and as a broadcast delivery, there's going to be a lot required.
If you aren’t familiar with Nat Geo WILD's sensbility (yet), check out Savage Kingdom (lions in a soap opera with dramatic British VO!) and Fish Bowl (Super Bowl counterprogramming at its finest). These are good references for sensibility, but we want to take off the training wheels and get more subversive and fun within that same ecosystem.
The goal here is to create six 22-minute episodes of TV for Nat Geo WILD, by editing together a wild collection of funny and provocative TV segments featuring animals. Since these segments will cover a wide spectrum of tone, style, and substance, we need an editor and post-production team to come in and tie it all together with graphics, titles, transitions, sound design, and maybe even voice over. It'll be the editor's job to work alongside Tongal and articulate a single look and feel, a single voice, that will be consistent across the entire show. Graphics are going to be especially key.
The editor and post-production team will be given master video files and audio stems for every produced segment, and will have a say in how those segments are finalized during their individual post-production processes. We estimate that there will be about 25 different video segments across the 6 episodes. Before we have all of the videos, the editor and his team will be responsible for creating an Episode Treatment, which will detail how you will handle each element of an individual episode, and include Creative Concepts for a Graphics Package. The Episode Treatment may include, but is not limited to: Opening Titles, Segment Title Cards, On-screen Graphics, Sound Design, Segment Transitions, Filler Content, Voiceover, and Credit Sequences. Once we know which segments will be incorporated into the TV show, the editor will collaborate with Tongal producers and be responsible for creating a Programming Guide, which will detail which video segments will be incorporated into which episodes, and in what order.
Given the logistical lift, we anticipate that you'll need a crew of at least seven, including yourself as Lead Editor:
PLEASE NOTE: You will be expected to deliver a high quality master with 5.1 sound mix. We will provide the Pitch winner with the specific Technical Specifications and Materials List. We will schedule an in depth learning session with the Pitch winner and their team at the top of the Pre-Production Phase.
--Deliverables:
--Target Audience:
--Executional Mandatories:
--Timeline:
--Tone:
--Exposure:
This is an open bid project, so you’ll get to set your overall budget proposal. You can download the Budget template here. The Sponsor would like editor and their post-production teams to complete delivery of the final TV show within a cost range of $35,000 to $50,000 in total.
This Project will consist of 5 Phases: a Pitch Phase, a Pre-Production Phase, a Video Phase, Revisions Phase and Asset Delivery Phase.
Be sure to read the following information carefully as well as the Official Rules.
PHASE 1: PITCH
Submit your Pitch (What is a Pitch Phase?) convincing the Sponsor why you should be selected to work with Tongal to oversee editorial and post-production for the TV Show using:
Links (REQUIRED): To your previous video work. Please specify your role (editor, post production sequencing, motion graphics, animation, dubbing, etc.) and DO NOT INCLUDE LINKS TO YOUR SHOWREEL. Please link to individual videos.
Treatment (REQUIRED): A detailed narrative description of how you're going to approach editorial and design for the TV show. If it's helpful to you, we've provided a Treatment template, which you can find 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.
The single most compelling Pitch will be selected and, upon submitting the Winner’s Affidavit and the IP Assignment, will receive a portion of their agreed upon budget to help create the TV Show. Please note the payment of the Pitch award is subject to a payment schedule determined by Tongal. Additionally, upon submitting a Video that satisfies the criteria laid out in your winning Pitch, completing Sponsor notes, providing the necessary release forms, and providing all assets required by the sponsor the Pitch winner will receive a final payment. For an example of an effective Pitch, check out The Indie Machines winning “3 Artists & 5,000 LEGOs” Pitch video. All Pitches will remain private until after the winner of the Video Phase is announced and the Project is complete. In this project the Sponsor will determine how many submissions it will select, if any.
PHASE 2: PRE-PRODUCTION
The Pitch winner will enter the Pre-Production Phase (What is a Pre-Production Phase?). During this phase, the editor and post-production team will need to receive the following Approvals from the brand:
No filmmakers may begin shooting their Video until all Approvals are completed and the Video Phase has officially begun. If you begin shooting your Video during the Pre-Production Phase before you have received final approval, there is a chance you will need to reshoot (at your own expense).
PHASE 3: VIDEO
Once the Pre-Production Phase is complete, the Pitch winner will each edit together all six Episodes of the TV Show, and create final master deliverables, based on the approved Pre-Production elements.
--Video Phase Payout: Upon submitting a Video that satisfies the criteria laid out in your winning Pitch, completing Sponsor notes, providing the necessary release forms, and providing all assets required by the sponsor the Pitch winners will receive a final payment according to the agreed upon budget.
--Music: Tongal has partnered with the premiere music providers Jingle Punks, which can be used to source music for your Video submission to this Project. Music from this providers is available to registered Tongal members at no charge solely for their incorporation into Submissions to this Project and will not require a separate Music Release Form. To learn more about this music provider, click on the provider’s names above.
If you are selected as a winner and choose to use custom/original music, you must fill out and submit National Geographic's Music Commission Agreement (will be provided to Pitch winner).
PHASE 4: REVISIONS
Once the Video Phase has closed, the editor and post-production team will enter the Revisions Phase (What is a Revisions Phase?). During this phase, the editor will perform reasonable edits on their Video according to the Sponsor’s feedback.
PHASE 5: ASSETS DELIVERY
Deliverables are as follows: ProRes 422 HQ or DNxHR HQX file, audio stems AND all project elements used in the creation of the Video. National Geographic's Technical Specifications will be provided to the Pitch winners. You will be responsible for the costs associated with the hard drive and shipping.
1. Each episode of the TV show MUST not exceed 22 minutes in length. 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 win, 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 prize.
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.