Create a series of short animated papercraft Videos about the epic quests of the mischievous little creatures known as Fiends for the Best Fiends mobile game. 

A meteor has struck Mount Boom! Disaster at the heart of Minutia! Welcome to the world of the Fiends – mythical, mischievous little creatures who, in a desperate race against slime, must build a courageous team of friends to take down the army of Slugs that has been rampaging across the land from deep within the caverns of Mount Boom, rounding up their families and glooping up the countryside. If you haven’t played the mobile game Best Fiends yet, you probably should – it’s a stunning and addictive blend of puzzles and adventure with RPG-style character building, and it’s got an immense fanbase, with millions of players around the world.

Within the game, players collect the cute and courageous little Fiends, leveling them up to discover special powers in the constant battle against the Slugs. Many of these Fiends have their own individual epic side quests that players need to complete. To bring these Fiends and their quests to life, and to connect with all of their fans, the Best Fiends team is asking YOU for a series of stop-motion animated papercraft Videos.

 If you’re ready to help battle some greedy gastropods, check out more details below!

The end goal is to create a fun and subversively sweet series of stop-motion animated papercraft Videos that feature the different epic quests of 6 Fiends from the mobile game Best Fiends. Each Video should be approximately 25 seconds long, though you have flexibility to make something a little longer or shorter, and each Video should be accompanied by a cut-down up to 15 seconds in length, with 5 Still Images per Video. The Best Fiends team will provide you with digital assets of the characters and the world to use for your papercraft-style animation, but you’re encouraged to be creative and unique in how you bring your papercraft to life. Additionally, and separately, your series should be accompanied by a behind-the-scenes Video about your production experience.

Each of the Videos in the series should essentially be a trailer for an individual Fiend’s quest, and the series is primarily intended for Best Fiends players, so they should be engaging and shareable, but not framed as proper advertisements. Focus on telling the story and showing the personality traits of the Fiends. Stylistically, your Videos should reflect the animation of the game, but not necessarily represent a direct copy. Also, pay attention to the tone and voice of Best Fiends – though this is animation, it’s not intended specifically for children, and you should try to bring in an element of subversive playfulness. You’re not required to show any direct gameplay, though you can do so if it’s appropriate. 

As for the behind-the-scenes Video, there’s one key thing to focus on – show the love! This is going to be a crazy and fun creative process, and you should capture exactly that.

PILOT PHASE NOTE: For the Pilot Phase, two filmmakers will each create a Video about the same character, Temper, and Temper’s quest. There will be pre-production before the Pilot, and before the Series, but you will NOT be required to deliver Stills, a 15-second cut-down, or a behind-the-scenes Video in the Pilot Phase. After the Pilot Phase, one Filmmaker will be selected to produce the rest of the series, at which point they will be required to produce a 15-second cut-down and 5 still images for their original Pilot, and the Best Fiends team will select additional Fiends and quests to be featured in their subsequent 5 Series Videos.

PRE-PRODUCTION NOTE: This project includes a Pre-Production Phase (What is a Pre-Production Phase?), but no specific elemental approvals for the Pitch Winner’s Videos. After the Pitch Winners are selected, there will be a series of Pre-Production calls to discuss and align on the creative approach, and distribute all necessary audio and visual assets required for production, after which the Best Fiends team will give a greenlight for commencement of the Video Phase. 

IMPORTANT: You may not begin shooting your Video until you receive a greenlight from the Best Fiends team. If you begin shooting your Video during the Pre-Production Phase, there is a chance you will need to reshoot (at your own expense) so please don’t jump the gun.

--Deliverables Due:

• In Pilot Phase:
  • 1 Video each (approximately 25-seconds)
  • 5 Still Images (if your Video is selected to go to Series)
• In Series Phase:
  • 6 Total Videos (approximately 25-seconds), including a polished Pilot, and 5 new Videos
  • 6 Total Cut-Downs (approximately 15-seconds)
  • 30 Still Images (5 per Video)
  •  1 Behind-the-Scenes Video

--Key Marketing Messages: Seriously creates and shares fun, funny and extremely high quality content for Best Fiends, whether that’s in the game or through awesome short-form videos. 

--Executional Mandatories:

• You must use the graphical assets that the Best Fiends team has provided for your animations.
• The Best Fiends team will also provide sound & music assets as well, and if possible, you should avoid incorporating outside music.
• If any mobile device is shown, it must be as generic as possible, and not identifiable as any one piece of hardware (i.e. iPhone).

--Characters and Assets: For the Pilot Phase, you will be producing a Video about the masked mite “Temper,” a pintsized powerhouse whose quest is to clear out all of the Slugs on the way to his lair, the Mitey Mound.  You can see sample assets for Temper, his world, and his quest in the Assets Section here, and a Video of his quest and the first level of that quest here. Assets will be provided by the Best Fiends team, including character art, level background art, in-game texture sheets, game symbols, and audio for both sound effects and music cues.

For the Series Phase, the Best Fiends team will select additional Fiends and quests to be featured in each Video. Best Fiends may also provide an End Card with gameplay and/or a call-to-action to download the game, but you will not have not have to create these.

--Target Audience:

• Primary Audience: Current players (for engagement & re-engagement)

• Best Fiends players are 60% female, mostly 25-45, and their social audience is also predominantly female. They have a strong following in families, the LGBT community, lifestyle artists, make-up, beauty, and fashion. Players are culturally diverse.

• Secondary: Future players (acquisition & affinity)

--Tone: Think “Minions” in tone – fun and funny, subversive yet sweet, playful and positive. 

--Exposure & Format:

• The content will live on YouTube, Facebook & Instagram, and potentially within the Best Fiends app itself, as organic content intended for engaged players of Best Fiends; as such, it’s not necessary that you structure this as a proper advertisement.
• It is not necessary that your Video be square format for Facebook or Instagram. If deployed on those platforms, the Best Fiends team will handle reformatting.
• As this is not a proper advertisement, you have flexibility with your Video’s duration. If it needs to be a bit longer or shorter, don’t be confined by 30-seconds. The same goes for your behind-the-scenes Video.

• 85% of Facebook video is still watched without sound, so you should be able to convey the story without relying entirely on sonic devices.
• 3…2…1… that’s how much time you have to grab someone’s attention or create what they call “Thumb-stopping creative.” Obviously this means leading with imagery that will catch a person’s eye from the very beginning.

--Anticipated Timeline: Note that this is only a tentative timeline, and is subject to change.

• Pilot Pre-Production Phase: September 21 - 30
• Pilot Video Phase: September 30 - October 24
• Pilot Videos Delivered: October 24
• Pilot Winner Selected: October 26
• Series Pre-Production Phase: October 26 - November 2
• Series Video Phase: November 2 – December 14
• Series First Cuts Delivered: December 14
• Filmmakers execute revisions: December 21 - December 30
• Final Revised Videos Delivered: December 30

This Project will be worth a total of $70,000 and consists of 3 Phases: a Pitch Phase, a Pilot Phase, and a Series Phase. Be sure to read the following information carefully as well as the Official Rules.

PHASE 1: PITCH - Submit your Pitch convincing the Sponsor why you should be selected to execute the Best Fiends Papercraft Character Quest Video Series. Please be sure to provide your vision for the Pilot AND address the 5 additional Episodes you plan to produce, should you create the winning Pilot.

• Text (REQUIRED): 500 characters or less synopsizing how you plan to approach and execute these Videos.
• 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.
• Treatment (Optional): A detailed narrative description of what’s going to happen in the videos. 
• Headshots/Casting Boards (Optional): Casting notes or concepts, headshots of actors, etc.
• Script (Optional): This should include dialogue from the videos you intend to create. 
• Storyboards (Optional): Additional concept art, storyboards, shot list, anything that helps get your point across.
• Pitch Video (Optional): This is your opportunity to show us 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.   

The 2 most compelling Pitches will be selected and, upon submitting the Winner’s Affidavit and the IP Assignment, will each receive $6,000 to help create their Pilot. Additionally, upon submitting a Video that satisfies the criteria laid out in your winning Pitch, the Pitch winners will also be GUARANTEED a winning place in the subsequent Pilot Phase.  So, if your Pitch is selected and you execute your Pitch effectively in your Video submission, you will win an additional $4,000 at a minimum, and have a chance to be green lit to produce the remaining 5 episodes of the Series.  

For an example of an effective Pitch, check out Erik Beck’s 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.    

PHASE 2: PILOT – The TWO (2) winners from the Pitch Phase will each be awarded $6,000 to help create an approximately 25 second Pilot based upon their winning Pitch.

--Pilot Phase Payout: Winners will each earn an additional $4,000 for turning in their Pilot. The first place winner will move on to the Series Phase. The Judges will score the 2 winning Pilot Videos submitted by the Pitch winners to determine who will be green lit to create the remaining 5 episodes of the Series. 

PHASE 3: SERIES – The winner from the Pilot Phase will create the remaining 5 episodes of the Series, along with a Behind-the-Scenes Video and 30 Still Images (5 per Video). The winning Pilot producer will be awarded an additional $25,000 to help create the remainder of the Series. Following the delivery of all 6 Final Revised Episodes, the Behind-the-Scenes Video, and 30 Still images, the producer will be paid an additional $25,000. 

--Music:  Tongal has partnered with premiere music providers: : JinglePunks, Killer Tracks and Epidemic Sound. Any of which can be used to source music for your Video submission to this Project. 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 separate Music Release Form. To learn more about using each of these music providers, click on any of the provider’s names above.

Tongal members interested in a custom music solution for your project are invited to connect with SCORE A SCORE.  They specialize in the creation of custom music, on-demand. Their business model is based on a "name your price" system, so you can tell them what your budget is, and they will work with you to create a deal configuration that will work within the discussed parameters. Check out the FAQ for more information and how to contact SCORE A SCORE. 

If you are selected as a winner and choose to use custom/original music, you must fill out and submit our Music Release Form. If you obtain music from other catalog providers, you must purchase the appropriate license at your own expense and submit it with our Music Release Form when you turn in your Video paperwork.   

1. The Videos MUST not exceed 30 seconds 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. In the event that fewer than 75 Pitches are received, the Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest for up to fourteen (14) days at their discretion.
    
    
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.