Create a suite of compelling, powerful, and impactful videos for Black Maternal Health Week in April, capturing the authentic maternity stories of three different Black mothers, each located in different cities around the US, in order to help raise awareness about the particular struggles pregnant Black people encounter.

Pregnancy can be medically complex and dangerous, and in the United States that's unfortunately especially true for Black moms and moms of color, who are at the highest risk of pregnancy-related complications, mortality and morbidity. In fact, in the US, we average 17.4 deaths per 100,000 live births – more than double that of comparably wealthy nations, and the number has been rising for decades. Barriers to obtaining quality medical care and systemic racism notably increase the risks for pregnant Black people, and Black women also experience more maternal health complications throughout their pregnancies than white women. Obviously, we have a lot of work to do to here, and part of that is hearing directly from Black moms, families, and children who have experienced pregnancy and maternal health complications. 

In a previous project, we asked Black women to share their own pregnancy and maternity stories, and now Motherhood Maternity and Tongal are looking for one filmmaker to bring all three of those stories to screens with a suite of docu-style videos. The specific issues Black women, and women of color, face during pregnancy are very serious topics, and we want to be honest and authentic about what these women have encountered while also honoring the moments of joy, support, and advocacy they experienced along the way. 

Your pitch should go into detail on your creative approach and how you'll balance sharing the very real challenges and fears these women have faced as well as the people they had in their corner throughout, supported by how you'll back up the subjects' stories and provide meaningful context with facts around Black maternal health risks and medical racism. 

One final, fairly big note: our three subjects are spread out across the US – in Georgia, Connecticut, and Denver – so domestic travel and/or remote production will likely play a role. We anticipate that this can be accomplished by a small and agile crew: a director and a producer who can run sound, maybe a travel PA to help with gear; but you might also consider traveling solo and hiring local crew. Where appropriate, Motherhood Maternity will also provide some wardrobe for the subjects to wear on-camera, but largely the subjects will provide their own wardrobe, and you should have someone on set – a PA with a handheld steamer, for example – to help ensure all outfitting shows up well on camera. We're open to any approach that gets the job done safely. Be prepared to address how you'll handle physical production in your pitch.

All of these women paint different pictures of maternal health issues facing Black women today, and they also present opportunities to discuss paths to advocacy, support, and partnership. You can find information about the subjects in the Background.

See more information below, and then for any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.

DELIVERABLES: There are 12 total video assets and 10 total photo assets.

• One 2-3 minute hero (16x9)
• One :60 cutdown (16x9, 4x5, 9x16)
• Two :15-:30 trailers (16x9, 4x5, 9x16)
• One :10 silent site asset (16x9, 3x2)
• Ten stills (16x9, but croppable to 4x5 and/or 9x16)

TIMELINE: Click this link to view full project timeline.

EXPOSURE: Motherhood Maternity's website and social platforms during Black Maternal Health Week (April 11–17, 2022) and beyond. Please review the platform best practices page.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Broad, as this is an issue of national urgency; Black moms and all moms of color; healthcare professionals and policymakers; prenatal/postnatal parents and families.

TONE: Genuine, urgent, honest, informative.

EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES:

• Black maternal health and medical racism are very serious topics, and there's a lot of trauma here, both for the subjects and potential viewers. We want to be honest and do justice to these issues, but all three of these women's stories also involve support from partners and family, joy in their babies, and insight into self advocacy, and your videos should find balance in both, and supplement with useful facts and resources. 
• As noted above, Danielle is currently pregnant and is therefore not only a higher COVID risk, but also would likely not be able to travel to you for production. 
• Where applicable, Motherhood Maternity will provide maternity/breastfeeding/postpartum clothing for your subject(s) to wear on-camera, mixed in with their own clothing; while the subjects will ultimately provide their own styling, the filmmaker will need to work closely with both the Motherhood Maternity team and the subjects to ensure all product shows up properly on camera. This could include virtual wardrobe and HMU tests or photos, which your Tongal producer will help you coordinate with the subjects, as well as someone on set to handle wrinkles, bunching, etc. in real time.

By participating in this project, creators acknowledge that the Sponsor is under no obligation to greenlight a submission. Though most projects on our platform do move forward, we will notify you in the event the Sponsor decides not to fund any submissions via the project forum. Regardless of the result, all 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, and we're now requiring a COVID safety protocol plan for all relevant productions. 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.

OUR SUBJECTS:

• TONIA (Atlanta, GA): "Today, you'd never be able to guess Kinsley was preemie & barely 5lbs. at birth. At my last OB-GYN appt. prior to birth, I could hear my blood rushing in my neck. My doctor ignored all the symptoms of preeclampsia and kept reminding me she was going on vacation. Days later, I went to my regular doctor, who rushed me to the ER (my BP was over 174), where I had to be induced. I would continue to struggle after giving birth, even being rushed back to the hospital a few days later. It's a blessing that we're alive today."
  
  
• DANIELLE (Bridgeport, CT): "What happens when you decide to quit your job to pursue entrepreneurship and soon find out that you're expecting your first child? You freak out, plan excessively and pivot quickly. I'd like to share how I have struggled but triumphantly grown my business while pregnant with my first child, navigating the lingo and lack of transparency in the medical system, the high risk of mortality in labor for Black women, and learning how to advocate for myself, as well as many more lessons I learned and things I would do differently next time."
  
  ** Please note that Danielle is currently pregnant with her first child, due in April 2022.
  
  
• SYDNEY (Denver, CO): "Sydney knew she faced an uphill battle navigating the Healthcare system as a Black woman having a child. She chose a birth center as a way to make sure her voice was heard and she was cared for. While the birth center was wonderful for the actual birth, Sydney had countless negative experiences through her journey leading up to birth, a traumatic postpartum experience (3.5L blood loss) being transferred to a hospital, and a huge burden of postpartum depression triggered by these experiences."

MORE ABOUT BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH: The US healthcare system is failing Black moms and all moms of color, who face poorer maternity outcomes. This is a big issue, but through awareness and advocacy we can work together to improve the care that Black moms and all moms of color receive. 

These links provide more information and resources on Black Maternal Health Week (April 11–17, 2022):

• Black Mamas Matter
• Presidential Proclamation on Black Maternal Health Week

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.

• TEXT (REQUIRED): 500 or fewer characters synopsizing how you plan to approach and execute this video.
  
  
• TREATMENT (REQUIRED): A detailed narrative description of what's going to happen in the video. If it's helpful to you, we've provided a treatment template, which you can find here.
  
  
• 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.
  
  
• COVID PROTOCOL (REQUIRED): Please let us know your team’s COVID safety protocols for production. If you’re doing everything yourself, or your team will be working 100% remotely, let us know that this won’t apply. Otherwise, at the very minimum, your safety plan must include information about:
  • What city and state you plan to film in
  • Whether you are filming interiors or exteriors
  • Approximately how many people you plan to have on setHow you’ll account for testing, PPE, and distancing on set
  • How you’ll handle talent and backup talent, including any hair, make-up, and wardrobe needs
  • Whether you’ll have a dedicated compliance officer on set.
  
  
• PITCH VIDEO (Optional): This is your opportunity to be face-to-face with the Sponsor and show them 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. For some examples of effective Pitch videos, check out this gallery. All Pitches will remain private until after the Sponsor gives creator(s) the green light to move forward.

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. Please see the full payment schedule in the Assets section.

PRE-PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS: Prior to shooting, filmmakers must receive the below approvals from the Sponsor.

• SHOOTING OUTLINE This project requires shooting outline approval. The shooting outline should describe how you plan to execute the project overall (including scheduling shoots with all three women in different locations), and how you plan to bring the storytelling to life visually. The Sponsor may provide feedback on your outline and ask you to submit a new version. There may be multiple rounds of feedback until an outline is approved by the Sponsor.
• WARDROBE: This project requires wardrobe styling approval. You will need to submit descriptions and/or pictures of your cast’s intended wardrobe, including any product provided by Motherhood. You must submit at least two wardrobe options per role. If the Sponsor does not approve either of your options for a role, you may be asked to submit two new wardrobe options.
• WARDROBE STYLIST: This project requires wardrobe stylist approval; for the purposes of this project, this can either be a dedicated wardrobe stylist or a PA with a steamer who understands how Motherhood product should look when worn and can ensure all outfitting shows up well on-camera during the shoot. Once your pitch is greenlit, the Sponsor may either approve your stylist or ask you to submit a new one for approval.

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: 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.

MUSIC: Tongal has partnered with three premiere music providers: Jingle Punks, Universal Production Music 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 providers’ names above. 

If you choose to use custom/original music, you must fill out and submit our Music Release Form. If you obtain music from third-party catalog providers, you must purchase the appropriate license at your own expense and submit it with your license purchase receipt when you turn in your video paperwork.

ASSET DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS: 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.

For Tongal’s file delivery specs and any other questions you may have about post production, please click here.

1. 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 your submission be greenlit, 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. You may not contact any employees or members of the Sponsor’s organization, their affiliates, or any of their partners. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in disqualification of your entry in the project.
   
   
6. Submissions cannot contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Sponsor.
   
   
7. Submissions must not portray Sponsor in a negative way, the determination of which will solely reside with Sponsor.
    
8. 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.
    
9. Videos must be in the English language or subtitled.
    
10. Limit 5 submissions per member, per Phase.
     
11. You must be at least thirteen (13) years or older to enter.
    
    
12. The Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest.
    
    
13. 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.
    
    
14. 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.
    
    
15. In addition to the standard Tongal W-9, Winner Affidavit, and IP Assignment, greenlit Video creators MUST also provide Talent, Location, Music (or other) Releases for all assets appearing in their 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 earnings.
    
    
16. 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.