Idea: The first phase is often the Idea phase. In 140 characters or less, give us your spark of inspiration, or distillation of what you envision for the Video.
Concept: A more detailed Idea. Go deeper into how you envision the creative ask outlined in the Brief. Concepts are 500 characters.
Observation: Observations are the first phase of the Observation, Insight, and Campaign Idea suite. For this phase we’re looking for simple observations you’ve seen that will help guide us towards a final Campaign Idea.
Insight: Overarching themes and/or universal truths drawn from Observations that drive emotional and cerebral connections between a communicator (a brand) and its audience (customer). See this blog for more.
Campaign Idea: An original, creative, and repeatable Idea that draws on Insights and Observations to form memorable Commercial Campaigns. See this blog for more.
Authentic Story: During the Idea phase, users can submit their own personal true story or a contact’s true story to be captured on Video. Likely you or your contact will be asked to star in the spot as well.
Series Bible: A detailed outline of how you envision a complete story arc over multiple episodes of a single narrative.
Pitch: Using text (500 characters or less), a treatment, storyboards, and more, Pitch on how YOU will go about producing this Video based on one of the greenlit Ideas from the previous phase. The Sponsor will choose their favorite Pitches and those creators will receive a production advance to produce their Video. Remember, if you win the Pitch Phase, you are guaranteed at least the last place Video Prize.
Video: I think you guys know what to do here, but the important takeaway is that you’ll notice most Video Phases are only open to those filmmakers greenlit during the Pitch Phase. In addition, to receive payment, your Video must deliver what you proposed in your Pitch.
Open Idea/Pitch/Video: If a project is currently “open,” that means we’re accepting submissions for whichever phase the project is in. Typically the project will either be in Idea or Pitch Phase if it’s “open.” The Video Phase will only be “open” if the project is accepting Wildcards, otherwise, it is "In Production" and only open to those greenlit during the Pitch Phase.
Wildcard: Submitting a Wildcard is a great way to break into the Tongal Creative Process. It’s a video you can submit, whether you participated in the Idea, and/or Pitch Phase or not. With a Wildcard, you can take a creative gamble by producing a video on spec and see how it fares against the Sponsor’s top picks from the previous phase. And, it could have a BIG payoff (your Wildcard could bring home the top prize!). Be sure to check out the Details.
Deadline: ALL DEADLINES on Tongal are at NOON PT. Deadlines will adjust appropriately to your time zone. We do not accept late submissions. Make it a habit to submit at least a half-hour ahead of the deadline to avoid any issues.
Sponsor Notes: Brands will sometimes want to clarify what they would like to see or avoid when Pitching and expanding upon the initial Ideas. Be sure to specifically address the notes in your Pitches. You can read the Notes in the Awards/Submit tab.
Brief: Project outline and instructions written by Tongal and the Sponsor. This holds everything you need to pitch and deliver on the project.
Assets: You’ll find helpful materials and links to our music providers in the Assets section at the bottom of every Brief.
NDA: (Non-disclosure Agreement) By participating in a project that contains one, you’re agreeing not to promote or disclose any information about the project outside of Tongal.
Cut-down: A shorter version of the video you produced while still hitting all the story points unless otherwise defined in the brief. For example, if the Brief asks for a 60-second video, typically you will be required to deliver 30 and 15-second versions as well.
Winner’s Affidavit: This form reiterates many of the terms for the Official Rules and requires each Winner to confirm his/her eligibility to participate and accept a prize(s).
IP Assignment Agreement: Participants transfer all rights to the submission (e.g. Idea, Concept, Pitch, Video) completely over to Tongal.
Terms & Conditions: Includes the terms for using the Tongal website, a notice of Tongal’s intellectual property rights, link to the Privacy Policy, and states Tongal has a right to use content posted to the site and that the Community Members should not post content they do not have rights to use themselves. (Nonlawyer speak = Tongal owns the work posted on our site, don’t post it elsewhere online without our blessing.)
