Create a suite of four informative and thumb-stopping TikTok videos that creates awareness around Block Advisors' cost-saving services for small business owners. Note that this is a fast-moving project!
Running a small business is a complex endeavor, and that's before tax season descends with its own myriad complications. If you're a small business owner or self-employed, you should know about Block Advisors from H&R Block. Through personalized help and SMB expertise, Block Advisors helps lighten the load for small business owners and the self-employed with expert year-round tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services, and more, maximizing your small business tax deductions and guaranteeing accurate tax returns for your small business. And, even better: they do it all for 30% less than the average CPA (Certified Public Accountant).
This fast-moving project from H&R Blocks seeks to create awareness around some of the incredible services Block Advisors provides to make small business ownership easier. To do this, two Tongal filmmakers will each create four :30–:60 videos for TikTok and YouTube that each bring a core Block Advisors talking point to life in a snappy, eye-catching, and digestible way. You can do this in a first-person POV, with talent speaking directly to camera, or in a more traditional portrait style approach, but your videos need to look and feel premium and appeal to small business owners with ambitious, serious goals, while still speaking to the TikTok audience.
Video topics and pre-approved suggested copy (as dialogue, VO, and/or on-screen text) are available in the Background section. While you'll only be producing four of these videos (since you'll be one of two greenlit filmmakers) your pitch should include your creative approach for all eight topics so we can hit the ground running in pre-production. That's because this project is going to move really quickly: your first two videos must be mastered and delivered by the morning of Monday, March 6 – with your second set of two videos due to be mastered and delivered by Tuesday, March 14.
For any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
DELIVERABLES: There are four total videos per filmmaker. The eight topics will be split between each filmmaker.
TIMELINE: Click HERE for the extremely expedited timeline.
EXPOSURE: TikTok, YouTube, organic and paid. Potential use on IG Reels and H&R Block's Block Advisors websites as well. Please review the platform best practices page.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Self-proprietors/small business owners without an existing business entity; 25+
TONE: Informative, optimistic, insightful, assuring, educational, supportive.
EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES:
By participating in this project, creators acknowledge that the Sponsor is under no obligation to greenlight a pitch. Though most projects on our platform do move forward with a greenlit pitch, we will notify you in the event the Sponsor decides not to fund any pitches via the project forum. Regardless of the result, all pitch submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by the Sponsor and the project team.
Shooting live action or stop motion? Our priority is ensuring everyone's safety, so please review our COVID-19 Production Safety Guide and check federal, state, and local rules before and during your shoot to make sure your on-set protocols are up to date. We're working hard to keep people working during this extraordinary time, and you should ensure your submission is executable within the anticipated timeline and budget, while also ensuring everyone's safety.
BLOCK ADVISORS: Block Advisors, a part of H&R Block, helps lighten the load for small business owners and the self-employed with expert tax preparation and other relevant services – so you feel confident and at ease.
VIDEO THEMES + PRE-APPROVED COPY OPTIONS: Please indicate in your pitch which pre-approved copy lines you would build into your videos if greenlit. For each, consider how VO, supers, or a mix of both can help elevate your videos and ensure that they're eye-catching and grab the attention of small business owners scrolling on TikTok.
REFERENCE VIDEOS:
In order to be considered for this project, you must include the below materials in your pitch submission. For examples of effective pitches, check out this gallery.
The most compelling pitch will be greenlit, 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.
PRE-PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS: Prior to shooting, filmmakers must receive the below approvals from the Sponsor.
For your convenience, we’ve provided some helpful templates to use at your discretion. They include templates for creating a treatment, production budget, storyboards, shot list, call sheet, and a music cue sheet. Additionally, there are templates that will help you clearly present cast, location, and wardrobe options to the Sponsor. They can all be accessed here.
BUILDING YOUR TEAM: Tongal supports inclusivity in all of our productions and strongly encourages you to hire diverse talent for your team. To find staff & crew in your area, check out these resources and partners.
REVISION REQUIREMENTS & RESOURCES: Once the Video Phase has closed, the greenlit submitters will enter the Revisions Phase. Filmmakers 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 any 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 about using each of these music providers, click on any of the providers’ names above.
If you choose to use custom or 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.
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 the costs associated the hard drive and shipping.
To ensure a smoother delivery, please review the Export Presets, Specifications, and Project File Organization Tutorial in our Filmmaker Resource Portal.