Create a 90-120 second documentary style video with a 15 second trailer featuring real people and the obstacles they must overcome to maintain a gluten-free diet.  

For many, especially those who have Celiac Disease, living gluten-free isn’t just the latest health fad it’s vital to maintaining a healthy and desirable quality of life. However, maintaining a gluten-free diet is a huge challenge.  Gluten-free food options are limited, can be difficult to find, and expensive.

Inspired by one of its employees and their belief that everyone should be able to enjoy its delicious oat goodness, Cheerios is going gluten-free later this year and they want your help telling real stories about real people and the obstacles they must overcome to live gluten-free lives.  Please read the Objectives section to get all of the details on this awesome new documentary project.

===SPLIT=== 

• Cheerios is going gluten-free later this year and they want your help telling real stories about real people and the obstacles they must overcome to live gluten-free lives.

• The goal of this project is to create a 90-120 second documentary style video with a 15 second trailer featuring real people and the obstacles they must overcome to maintain a gluten-free diet.  While Cheerios is open to some light branding in the stories it is not required.

• While Cheerios is open to some light branding in the stories it is not required. The focus should be on the people and the efforts they must make to live gluten-free.  Stories with familial elements are certainly welcome but not required.  In the end, they want real, authentic, and thoughtful stories.

The goal of this project is to create a 90-120 second documentary style video with a 15 second trailer featuring real people and the obstacles they must overcome to maintain a gluten-free diet.  While Cheerios is open to some light branding in the stories it is not required. The focus should be on the people and the efforts they must make to live gluten-free.  Stories with familial elements are certainly welcome but not required.  In the end, they want real, authentic, and thoughtful stories.

The winning Story creators will receive $1,000 each. Payment for a win in the Story phase is contingent on your completion of the Winner’s Affidavit, the IP Assignment, and cooperation with the winning filmmaker selected to bring your Story to life in the subsequent Pitch Phase.

Filmmakers must cover any travel costs associated with shooting this project.  There will be no additional funds for travel so please budget accordingly. 

Stills: In addition to the videos each producer is required to provide 5 stills from their video.

--Target Audience: The 30% of the population that either has Celiac disease or chooses to avoid gluten for other reasons.

--Executional Mandatories:

• Don’t show any brands besides Cheerios (food, clothing, etc.)

• If talking about the process of going gluten-free or making claim about Cheerios product benefits, please check with us so we can make sure if fits within Cheerios legal guidelines.

--Tone: Real and authentic.

--Exposure: Digital.

PRODUCT:  Gluten free boxes are not in the market so please use the plain Cheerios in the yellow box without the blue banner on top.  It should be noted that all branding should be very light.  They don't want these to play like commercials.

This Project will be worth a total of $55,000 and consists of 3 Phases: a Story Phase, a Pitch Phase and a Video Phase. Be sure to read the following information carefully as well as the Official Rules.

PHASE 1: STORY  – Tell us your Story about overcoming the challenges of leading a gluten free life 500 characters or less.  In addition, all Story submissions must include a photo of the participant(s).  The winning Story creators will receive $1,000 each and a 5% one-time residual payment for any winning Video(s) based on their Idea.  That means if your winning Story is the basis for the 1^st place Video, you will receive $1,000, the 2^nd place Video $700, and the 3^rd place Video $350 – see Video Phase Payout details for more information. Payment for a win in the Story phase is contingent on your completion of the Winner’s Affidavit, the IP Assignment, and cooperation with the winning filmmaker selected to bring your Story to life in the subsequent Pitch Phase.

PHASE 2: PITCH - Submit your Pitch convincing the Sponsor why you should be selected to execute a Video based on one of the winning Stories from the previous Phase using:

• Text (REQUIRED): 500 characters or less synopsizing how you plan to approach and execute this Video.

• 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.

• Script (Optional): This should include dialogue from the video you intend to create. 

• Treatment (Optional): A detailed narrative description of what's going to happen in the video. 

• Storyboards (Optional): Additional concept art, storyboards, shot list, anything that helps get your point across.

• Headshots/Casting Boards (Optional): Casting notes or concepts, headshots of actors, etc.

• 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 $5,000 to help create the Video.  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 Video Phase.  So, if your Pitch is selected and you execute your Pitch effectively in your Video submission, you will win an additional $7,000, at a minimum, and have a chance to compete for the $20,000 First Place video prize (subject to deduction for one-time 5% residual payment to eligible Story winners). 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 3: VIDEO – The 2 winners from the Pitch Phase will each create a 90-120 second video with a 15 second trailer based upon their winning Pitch. Please upload them as separate videos when submitting your Videos.  In addition to the videos each producer is required to provide 5 stills from their video.

All other creators are invited to enter a Wildcard submission that can be based on one of the winning Stories from the previous Phase or a totally original concept that is not based on any winning material from the Story Phase.  The Judges will score all Wildcard submissions and the highest scoring Wildcard Video along with the 2 winning Videos submitted by Pitch winners will be scored to determine the standings for the Video Phase.  Remember, the 2 Pitch winners, along with 1 Wildcard creator, will receive prizes.

Please note that both cuts and your stills are due at the end of the Video phase.  Please upload each cut separately. 

--Video Phase Payout: Winners of the Video Phase will earn the following prizes: 1^st place $20,000, 2^nd place $14,000, and 3^rd place $7,000 (less any 5% one-time residual payments paid to the Story winners, as applicable).

--Music:  Tongal has partnered with three premiere music providers: Audioblocks, Killer Tracks and Epidemic Sound. Any of which can be used to source music for your Video submission to this Project. You may use up to THREE total tracks per Video submission, and they can come from any of the three providers listed above. 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.

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.  

--Referral: Any Tongal member who refers one of the winning Video creators in this Project using the Tongal “Invite Friends” functionality will receive a referral fee equal to 5% of the amount won (up to $500 per place). That’s a potential $1,350 in bonus cash just for telling all of your talented friends about this Project! Check out more about our Referral Program in FAQ.

1. The Video MUST not exceed 120 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 50 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.