Note From Tongal: “Tongies V Recap: It’s the Bee’s Knees!” is part of a series of Tongal Community-written blog posts. Read more Tongal Community-written posts here and stay tuned for more opportunities to Pitch a topic and write for the Tongal Blog!
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It was like the roaring twenties in a room full of millennials. Tongal once again threw a party for the ages. On Wednesday, March 21, creatives from sixteen states and five countries converged in Downtown LA for Tongal’s biggest night of the year, Tongies V. For the fifth year in a row, Tongal celebrated their creative community members who produced the best and perhaps most diverse array of branded content in 2017.
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With a 1920’s, art-deco style theme weaved throughout all aspects of the Tongies, the dapper gentlemen and glamorous women of the Tongal community (some dressed in flapper garb) put their best feet forward to attend the awards show at the Globe Theatre. The Globe is the oldest functioning theater on LA’s Broadway, and has seen the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin, making it an especially appropriate setting for Tongal’s talented community. Following the awards ceremony, the after-party was held just down the road at Clifton’s, another legendary venue with a magical and unique atmosphere.
In traditional fashion, co-founder Rob Salvatore opened the awards ceremony with a warm welcome and message of inspiration. He spoke about runner Roger Bannister who was the first human being to run a mile in under four minutes, setting a new bar in the world of running and paving the way for others to believe it was possible. Salvatore encouraged the Tongal community, “Define what is possible, don’t let others do that for you. It will take you so far. Continue to be leaders. Continue to be first. You are awesome. This party is for you because of those reasons.”
This year, in a metaphorical passing of the baton to community members, Tongaler Caleb Van Voorhis was chosen as co-host of the show. Van Voorhis embraced this role with great energy, enthusiasm, and humor. He joked about how all of his ideas are now limited to 140 characters (the typical Tongal idea specification). This role gave him an appreciation for just how much preparation goes into the Tongies. “On the night of the event, it was a crazy feeling to be on the other side of things and be a part of the production. Being on stage and looking out into a crowd full of some of your biggest professional idols is a special experience. The Tongal Team, Rob, and all of the community members really made it a night that I’ll never forget,” Van Voorhis said.
In keeping with the theme of setting the bar higher, the introductory bits also set a new bar. Up first was producer Steve Iwanyk, dressed all in white, presenting the award for Best Commercial with his Tide ad spoof. Other memorable intros included the intentionally awkward presentation by the Tongal engineering team for Best Social Video, and the creative interpretations of Best Idea by the puppets of Dirckze & Tofflemire. Many believed that the presentation for Best Docu-Style Video featuring Matt Sweeney and Nolan Schneiderman deserved a Tongie of its own. Clearly this introduction came from the heart.
Co-founder Mark Burrell was badgered by his off-stage “female voice-over” as he presented the nominees for Writer of the Year while co-founder James DeJulio seemed struck with awe and appreciation for the community saying, “I am constantly resetting my expectations on what the high bar is for what this community can do, and it’s honestly, totally, totally amazing!”
DeJulio listed some of the organizations the Tongal community worked with over just this past year which included: NBC, Marvel, Star Wars, Universal, Disney, A&E, Lionsgate, Fox, CW, Netflix, Amazon, NASA and National Geographic. “We have literally changed the how and the who of content creation,” DeJulio proclaimed.
One by one Tongie winners accepted their lightning bolt topped trophies while other community members genuinely cheered them on. Attending the Tongies is a win in itself whether you walk away with a Tongie or not. To winners like Writer of the Year, Ervin Anderson it was unexpected, “On Tongal, everyone is doing amazing things, so you just never know! Giving a speech is a surreal experience, scary and wonderful.”
Kevin Ulrich winner of both Video of the Year and Best Animation sees winning a Tongie as an affirmation, “Being nominated and winning at the Tongies is a tangible reassurance that I do indeed produce quality content, and that I'm not deluded about my own skill.”
The big winner of the night was mother-daughter team, KR Squared. Not only did they receive the Tongaler of the Year award and the award for Best Original Content, but they were also presented with the Further Award from National Geographic. This means Nat Geo is sending them on assignment to Bhutan in the Himalayas to produce some more great content, which I am sure we all can’t wait to see!
In response to this hat-trick, Katy Rhamey of KR Squared said, “Really there are no words. We are both still processing it all. We just feel so fortunate to be a part of this creative family that has provided our team so many amazing experiences throughout the years.”
It doesn’t end there, Nat Geo also presented a Further Award to Best New Artist, Jessica Sherry, whom they will be sending on assignment to the Galapagos where she will be exploring volcanic islands and swimming with endangered tortoises!
To Jessica it felt like a daydream, “Winning a Tongie was truly a breathtaking surprise for me; and winning an assignment to the Galapagos was the biggest surprise I've had in a long time! I'm so excited to take on that adventure, and especially to collaborate with National Geographic - seeing the video of their explorers was an inspiring reminder of what's possible.”
Jonathan Hunt of National Geographic encouraged the crowd to keep exploring, “I hope you continue to make amazing shit. I hope you continue to make amazing shit with us. I hope you keep exploring and pushing the world forward for the better.”
See all the 2018 Tongie Recipients here.
As the awards show came to a close a seven-piece jazz band marched on stage and escorted the entire crowd down the street to the after party at Clifton’s. As we paraded down the street I chatted with co-founder Mark Burrell as he reflected on the show, questioning what we thought of it. I turned his attention to the scene around us and reminded him of the band up ahead. He jokingly said, “Oh yeah, you’re right! This is how we do it Tina. Just another normal night at Tongal!” The whole procession was enchanting, with onlookers snapping photos and Facetiming their friends as they watched the glitz and glam of Tongies V make its way down Broadway.
The band continued to keep the crowd tapping their toes and shuffling their feet as we entered Clifton’s. Once inside, a whole new energy took over. Aside from the massive redwood tree that extends up through a three-story atrium, swing dancers and musicians performing music and dance of the Jazz Age were a centerpiece. With a 1920’s flair, the scene and ambiance energized the crowd right from the start. Guests quickly located one of the many bars amid taxidermy, dioramas and curious passageways. With so many interesting nooks to explore, I half expected to see Scooby-Doo and friends appear ready to solve a mystery.
The energetic dancers were shimmying and shaking and the upbeat music had everyone in good spirits as we mingled amongst Tongal’s best of the best. Many stood with mouths agape as we watched dances like the Charleston, the Lindy Hop and the Fox Trot (I think that is what I was pulled out on the floor to do, “Oh boy!”). Just when you think it couldn’t get any more entertaining, along comes a tap dancer who literally floored us all!
If the venue itself wasn’t entertaining enough, there was a delicious buffet and other engaging activities. Many guests nervously stood in front of The Bumby’s, an anonymous performance art duo, while the masked typists gave them a fair and honest appraisal of their appearance. Guests also lined up and posed for photo ops and keepsake prints (Ed. Note: check out the #TongiesV hashtag on Instagram for more!).
Drinks were flowing, and we were in full speakeasy mode when...Surprise! They opened a secret passageway behind a mirror that led to yet another bar. We climbed up the winding stairs to discover a Tiki bar with a classic wooden speedboat built into it - a whole new Polynesian vibe! With nothing but fun at the helm, the party continued amid some bamboo flanked booths, nautical nonsense, and frozen drinks. Needless to say, we got zozzled! (The narrator at the opening of the awards ceremony said to do so, so it’s okay.)
The entire series of events often referred to as Tongies Week has an amazing bonding effect on the community. First-time Tongies attendee and winner of the Best Docu-Style Video category, Sean Drummond of Paxeros Creative, shared that (besides winning), “Our favorite part was getting to connect with other people within the community and bond over our rivalry.”
There are plenty of opportunities to do this at the Tongies with a progression of other gatherings leading up to the big night. This year the week kicked off with a Tongal Meetup hosted by Something’s Awry Productions at the eclectic Freehand Hotel, where many guests were staying. This is where many Tongalers talked “shop” and shared stories about recent production trials and triumphs. Then there was the Welcome Party at the Chestnut Club in Santa Monica, where initial introductions and reunions set the stage for what was to come. By the time you get to the awards ceremony, you feel at home with all of the familiar faces and newfound friends.
To creatives like Best Idea nominee Frank Limbaugh, the entire week was, “The bee’s knees!” Several people like Pangur Animation who traveled from Spain, Oton Bacar who hails from Slovenia and Co-Host Caleb Van Voorhis all shared the same response, simply saying their “minds were blown,” (some using only the “mind blown” hand signal).
Most importantly, beyond the venues, food, drinks, and awards, the consensus on what it really feels like to be a community member at the Tongies is that you feel like you are part of something bigger. You feel like you are part of a community that shares a common sense of purpose. You feel connected. You feel like family. You feel honored, respected, and appreciated. You feel inspired. You feel empowered, and you feel like you are defining what is possible.
Congratulations to all of the Tongies V winners! Your work has set a new bar for the community. Congratulations to Team Tongal, your spectacular celebrations never cease to amaze us. On behalf of the Tongal Community, THANK YOU TONGAL for all of the opportunities you have provided for this community. This was a Tongies celebration that will go down in history as one for the ages.
