Produce an engaging and informative series of live action hosted videos that drive awareness of Block Advisors' by H&R Block's Business Formation services and drive conversion to Block Advisors as a trusted resource for new small business owners.
Starting a business is exciting, but forming a Business can be really, really daunting. There are a ton of topics that almost seem designed just to stump new small business owners, ranging from what kind of business entity you should form, to how you should estimate your quarterly taxes and when you should pay them, to what write-offs you may qualify for. Block Advisors from H&R Block's Resource Center has a ton of helpful articles around these topics and more, and BA tax pros and accounting experts – real humans – average 12 years of experience, Small Business certification, and multiple small business-facing services, including Business Formation guidance. Block Advisors is an amazing resource for small business owners, but their brand awareness is lower than it should be, so we're going to do something about it.
Block Advisors has identified 12 key articles in their Resource Center that they'd like you to turn into a series of 12 live action hosted videos that drive organic awareness to everything BA has to offer, and also convert viewers to use the BA Business Formation tool and/or make an appointment with a BA tax pro or accounting expert. You can block-shoot with the same talent and location/set across all of the videos, so it's important to share your approach to both in your pitch treatment. We'd also like to see how you'd supplement key talking points with animated text or motion graphics to help viewers feel more confident about small business topics, and to demystify overwhelming topics like taxes, payroll, bookkeeping, and business registration.
We've linked to the 12 BA Resource Center articles in the Background, so check that out to get a better sense of what you'll be covering. For any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
DELIVERABLES: There are 18 total video assets:
TIMELINE: HERE. Please note this project has batched delivery.
EXPOSURE: We anticipate content will be used on the platforms listed below, but if casting talent, please be sure your talent reviews the required Talent Release, 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 page.
TARGET AUDIENCE:
TONE: Confident, trustworthy, friendly, knowledgeable, and approachable.
EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES:
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.
Check out the Block Advisors Resource Center for a full idea of the questions, topics, and services Block Advisors covers.
The twelve articles you'll be covering in video are:
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.
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 content 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 beforehand, and an account will be created for you to access the library and its features. Once your video submissions are approved by the Sponsor, 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 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.