Create a captivating piece of art to celebrate Cirque du Soleil® as they kick off their 40th anniversary on social media by showcasing a variety of unique and compelling fan creations.
Calling all high flyers, rule breakers, and dreamers: it's time to get creative to help celebrate Cique du Soleil's 40th anniversary! Since first envisioned by Guy Laliberté nearly four decades ago, Cirque du Soleil has dazzled audiences with their extravagant shows, which bring art, fashion, music, and athleticism to the forefront in a way that no one else can. As they continue to transform and expand Guy's celestial vision looking forward to the decades to come, they're looking to honor their 40th anniversary in a big way, and they're going to start by asking visual artists, illustrators, designers, and other creators to manifest some incredible fan art to celebrate some of their iconic shows on social media.
The goal of this project is to create a piece of art that celebrates Cirque du Soleil as they kick off their 40th anniversary. Depending on the medium you choose, we'll be looking for either a static image or video. The medium of the art itself is totally up to you. It could be a digital static artwork, a physical painting or drawing, sculpture, some 2D or 3D animation, stop motion, mixed media, or even food and craft work. It's important that whatever execution you choose, it feels large enough to represent the enormity of the Cirque du Soleil brand, reputation and image. It's important that you not do anything that replicates their logo, nor any video executions that re-enact scenes from any of their performances. We're not tied to any particular duration for the video content, but we'd expect that videos should be short, probably in the range of :15-:30.
The priority for the main deliverable is the artwork itself, so your choice of static image versus video should be based on which best captures your artwork. For example, a painting or sculpture will be more suited to a static image execution whereas any form of animation would clearly need to be a video execution. For this reason, the budget will be the same regardless as to whether you are creating a static image or video. This also means should you choose the route of a static image, you should think about how to elevate it as captivating as any video execution. In addition to their main deliverable, three creators will be tasked with creating behind-the-scenes content of the creation of their fan art. These three creators will be given an additional $2,000 in budget to create this behind-the-scenes content.
In envisioning your art, think of how you could speak to celestial themes, art, fashion, music, or athleticism; a historical look back at a past show(s), or the Beyond Dreams theming. Make sure to read up on this, and check out the links that show what the Sponsor is looking for stylistically, in the Background below. As mentioned above, and worth reiterating, the artistry of your piece should be at the forefront. This means we're looking for elevated pieces that demonstrate a proficiency in the art form you choose, not something that feels purely functional or cute. We're most interested in seeing art that celebrates the Cirque world as whole, but if there's a certain show that you have a particular affinity to, they're not entirely opposed to you celebrating that through your art (with some caveats, as there are certain shows that we can't reference; but you'll find more on that in Executional Mandatories). How can you create a piece that feels unexpected and surprising? In what ways can you celebrate Cirque's pushing the boundaries of imagination by creating a piece that feels visionary?
In your pitch, be sure to speak to the medium of your choice, what inspired you to create this piece, any personal meaning Cirque has in your life, and how you would plan to create behind-the-scenes content if chosen to do so. For any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
Twelve winning designers will receive the following:
To enter your design submission, you must:
DELIVERABLES: Each greenlit creator will create a single static image or video asset, and three creators will optionally be asked for a behind-the-scenes asset as well (with an accompanying additional budget).
EXPECTED TIMELINE: HERE
EXPOSURE: We expect content will be used on the platforms below, but if casting talent, be sure they review our required Talent Release before they're cast, as it is NOT limited to these platforms. You should also review our Music providers in the Project Requirements, as well as the platform best practices.
TARGET AUDIENCE:
TONE/FEEL: Celebratory, aspirational
EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES:
The Cirque du Soleil 40th Anniversary Fan Art Project is open for submissions from 12:00 PM PT on Monday, January 22nd, 2024, to 12:00 PM PT on Wednesday, February 7th, 2024. Submissions not received within this time period will be disqualified. See Official Rules and requirements for eligibility and other requirements. Please note that despite what is written in the official rules at the time of project launch, citizens of Quebec are eligible to participate.
[®] is a trademark owned by Cirque du Soleil and used under license.
BRAND BACKGROUND AND CELESTIAL IMAGERY:
From a troupe of street performers in small town Quebec, to a global live entertainment leader, Cirque du Soleil has redefined the circus. As the largest contemporary circus producer in the world, the name is synonymous with avant-garde art, fashion, music, and athleticism. The name itself is French, which can be traced back to the brand's roots in Quebec. In English, Cirque du Soleil means "Circus of the Sun." This celestial vision is directly represented by the sun in Cirque du Soleil's logo, but more directly shines through the artists, craftspeople, and circus performers who bring Cirque shows to life. Always channelling the youth and energy of the sun, Cirque continues to push boundaries and stun fans worldwide as they celebrate 4 decades of entertainment.
BEYOND DREAMS THEME:
Link to 40th Anniversary blog post for Beyond Dreams with animated logo
As Cirque celebrates 40 years and looks forward to the next 40, they continue to prioritize pushing the boundaries of imagination. Their anniversary theming of "Beyond Dreams" pays homage to a rich history where they have, so often, actually transformed dreams into reality, while also heralding an exciting new chapter in its evolution where dreams are not only pursued but transcended. The theming speaks to Cirque's unyielding spirit, and echoes the trailblazing nature that has defined its remarkable journey.
"Beyond Dreams" resonates as a rallying cry to dream the impossible dream by daring to explore new frontiers surrounding the world of performing arts, and it fosters a unique space where creativity defies gravity and conventions. It's a reminder of the brand's foundational elements of endless optimism, otherworldliness, avant-garde artistry, and audaciousness, but also of the overarching goal of illuminating the world through art. It conveys Cirque's ability to break through barriers, shatter expectations, and invite audiences to join in celebrating the unlimited potential of the human spirit. The theme also underscores how the company's sense of creativity not only entertains, but enlightens, inspiring individuals to explore the extraordinary in their own lives. "Beyond Dreams" beckons employees, audiences and fans alike to be part of a transformative journey, to witness the impossible become reality, and to revel in the wondrous collision of dreams and reality that only Cirque du Soleil can conjure.
PAST SHOWS:
You can find a list of all of Cirque's past and current shows HERE.
HELPFUL REFERENCE VIDEOS FOR INSPIRATION/TONE:
In order to be considered, include the below materials in your submission. For examples of effective pitches, check out this gallery. All Pitches remain private, even after a Pitch is selected, and Tongal strives to have Pitch selections made by the end of the Evaluation period, but additional time may be required by the Sponsor, depending on any number of factors.
The most compelling pitch will be greenlit by the Sponsor, and the responsible creator will then receive an email from Tongal producers detailing next steps. All submitters will also receive an automated email notification that a selection has been announced. To ensure you’re receiving project updates, review your email settings to check that you haven’t unsubscribed.
Creators who’ve been selected will receive funding upon completing the Winner Affidavit and the IP Assignment. Payment of the pitch funds is subject to a payment schedule determined by Tongal, typically included with the project timeline.
PRE-PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS: Prior to the commencement of actual production, creators MUST receive final approval from the Sponsor on the elements below. There may be multiple rounds of feedback until an element is approved.
If you begin production before you have received final approval, you may need to reshoot or reanimate at your own expense.
For convenience, we've provided some helpful templates that you can consider using for pre-production materials, and they can all be accessed here.
BUILDING YOUR TEAM: Looking for help? Post crew and production opportunities connected to Tongal projects on Backlot. Backlot includes search tools to help you find collaborators and crew by role, skill set, location, and more, for productions of any size and type. Tongal also supports inclusivity in all productions, and strongly encourages you to hire diverse talent for your team. To find additional options for staff & crew in your area, check out these resources and partners.
REVISION REQUIREMENTS & RESOURCES: Once Content has been submitted and the initial Production Phase completed, greenlit creators will enter into Revisions. Creators will perform reasonable edits on their videos according to the Sponsor's feedback. Check out our Filmmaker Resource Portal to access helpful post-production resources like Text-Safe Guides for different platforms, Project File Organization Tutorial, Export Presets, and Captioning services.
MUSIC: If you use music from a library for your content, you MUST use one of Tongal's three music providers: Jingle Punks, Universal Production Music and Epidemic Sound. Music from these providers is available to registered Tongal members at no charge solely for their incorporation into submissions to this project, and will not require a Music Release Form. To learn more, click on any of the providers' names above.
If you choose to use original music, you must fill out and submit our Music Release Form. Please ensure your composer reviews and signs this form BEFORE beginning their work.
STOCK FOOTAGE: Tongal has partnered with the stock footage library STORYBLOCKS, which can be used to source video clips, photography, and After Effects templates for your video submission to this project. Video or photo content from Storyblocks is available at no charge, solely for incorporation into submissions on this project, and will not require a separate Release Form. If identifiable people or intellectual property appears in a video clip or photo, you may only utilize assets that are clearly marked “Model released: Yes” or “Property release: Yes” on the clip description pages. You may not use any audio.
If you intend to use Storyblocks, inform your Tongal producer, and an account will be created for you to access the library. Once assets are approved for delivery, you must provide a complete list of all Storyblocks content that you used via our template HERE.
ASSET DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS & RESOURCES: You must also provide all project files, editing sequences and a 1080p .mov master file, using a ProRes, Animation, or Uncompressed Codec in order to submit final payment. You are responsible for any costs associated with the hard drive and shipping. Tongal also reserves the right to request all raw files associated with the project.
To ensure a smoother delivery, please review the Export Presets, Specifications, and Project File Organization Tutorial in our Filmmaker Resource Portal.
14. Please note that despite what is written in the official rules at the time of project launch, citizens of Quebec are eligible to participate.