With a fast-moving shoot on December 7th at the Dave & Buster's in Dallas, TX, produce an informative but entertaining suite of videos that show how Diebold Nixdorf's technology improves the checkout experience for Dave & Buster's customers, so they can focus on what matters most: fun with friends and family.

Dave & Buster's, with their partner Diebold Nixdorf, are looking for a filmmaker to produce a suite of videos that effectively demonstrate how Diebold's self-checkout kiosks enable seamless, easy-to-use transactions for Dave & Buster's customers, enhancing their experience so they spend more time having fun and less time waiting in line. This will be a fast-moving project that involves docu-style executive interviews alongside staged b-roll with a cast of 10+ actors portraying customers, and importantly, filming MUST take place at the Dave & Buster's in Dallas, TX on December 7. 

The video suite is intended for a corporate audience, and will debut at a major retail convention on January 16th. This existing Diebold Nixdorf video for the German supermarket chain Wez is a good template for what Diebold and Dave & Buster's are looking for - although it's important to note that your videos should reflect the fun, energy, and excitement of the Dave & Buster's experience. We will be provide an interview script and a loose story outline to work from, but you'll need to think about key moments and shots that can elevate the video and the energy. You'll also want to consider some slick motion graphics and transitions to tie it all together. Below is a helpful breakdown of what they'd like to see.

KEY VIDEO ELEMENTS:

1. Executive Interviews: Your video will include prepared interviews with three high level Dave & Buster's corporate executives, who will explain the partnership and the different customer checkout journeys, and how Diebold Nixdorf's checkout solutions allow their stores to capitalize on the Dave & Buster's pillars of eat, drink, play, and watch. You will not be required to script these responses or generate the question prompts for them. 
2. Customer Testimonial: One or more real in-store customer will be selected to speak about their experience with the self-checkout kiosks and how they enable them to make the most fun of their visit.
3. Staged Checkout Kiosk Demos: A diverse group of 10+ actors demonstrating the Diebold checkout kiosks in action. Casting should be representationally diverse across a broad range of races, ethnicities, genders, and ages over 21; we want to accurately represent the full spectrum of Dave & Buster's customers. 
4. Staged "Live" Experience B-roll: The same group of actors demonstrating the typical Dave & Buster's experience: playing games, ordering and enjoying food and drinks, watching sports. 
5. Establishing Shot: Ideally, drone footage from the outside of the store, but they're open to alternatives.

We expect that filming itself can be done with a smaller and more nimble docu-style crew, but you'll need to staff appropriately to account for the large group of acting talent. Given the complexity and the short timeline, your pitches will need to clearly demonstrate your ability to pull off all of the key elements listed above. 

Since we're asking for a lot in a short timeframe here, four Tongal filmmakers will receive $500 just for pitching, outside of the production budget itself. We've outlined exactly what you'll need to demonstrate in the Executive Mandatories section. 

Check out more information in the Background. For any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.

DELIVERABLES: There are five total videos: 

• One up to 3 minute video (16x9), with every component
• One :60 cutdown (16x9) designed to work without sound
• Three :90 customer journey videos (16x9)
• Ten retouched photo stills taken from the video footage

TIMELINE: Click here for the full project timeline..

EXPOSURE: These videos are intended to debut at the National Retail Federation's NRF Big Show on January 16th, and will afterwards see exposure on Diebold Nixdorf's website and owned channels.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Corporate retail executives and other potential Diebold clients like Dave & Buster's.

TONE: Informative, educational, and convincing, but also entertaining and with an element of the unexpected.

EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES: 

• Your pitch MUST demonstrate that you can do all of the following with sample content, relevant links, details around your gear and crew, and casting boards/links:
  • Interview content – in particular, your ability to execute engaging talking head interviews, both in a corporate setting and a less formal 'man-on-the-street' style. 
  • "Live experience" or event coverage – show us how you've captured events and made them feel dynamic and energetic. This will largely be used as b-roll to fill out your videos.
  • Dallas-based casting – this project requires casting to ensure we have representational diversity across a broad range of races, ethnicities, genders, and ages; we want to accurately represent the spectrum of Dave & Buster's customers, including families (parents, kids, grandparents); groups of friends; and business groups sharing bonding activities.
  • Establishing photography – not a hard mandatory but if you have drone experience and/or a drone operator in your crew, let's see it. 
  • Editing and GFX – your editor will need to be able to work quickly and know how to infuse a corporate video with high energy. We'd also like to see examples of energetic, slick GFX work in your/your team's previous content
• You MUST be able to work as a local in Dallas, TX and film on December 7. No additional travel budget will be provided.

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 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.

STORY BREAKDOWN:

1. The video should start with motion graphic text with stats about Dave & Busters: how many outlets, where they are in the US, and the number of employees.
2. Then address the concept and mission of D&B: "eat, drink, play and watch sports and always offer a fun visit for the ‘whole gang’ – no group is too large!"
3. Before explaining the Diebold Nixdorf offering from Store Advisory Services to checkout technology and related services
4. And demonstrating that D&B serves customers with different needs (families, business people, bowling groups, teenagers…)
5. While finally illustrating each of the several different customer journeys through the checkout experience.

REFERENCE VIDEOS FOR INSPIRATION OR TONE: 

• Diebold Nixdorf: A Customized Shopping Experience at Iper la Grande, Milan
• Diebold Nixdorf: A Spooktacular Experience with Vynamic Checkout

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): Up to 500 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.
  
  
• HEADSHOTS/CASTING BOARDS (REQUIRED): We're not necessarily looking for the exact casting selects that you'd move forward with, but rather a casting board with options to show that you can quickly assemble a diverse and robust lineup of talent for the shoot.
  
  
• 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 set
  • How 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.

• SCRIPT: This project requires script approval. The Sponsor may provide feedback on your script and ask you to submit a new version. There may be multiple rounds of feedback.
• SHOOTING OUTLINE: This project requires shooting outline approval. The Sponsor may provide feedback on your outline and ask you to submit a new version. There may be multiple rounds of feedback.
• CASTING: This project requires casting approval. Tongal advocates for inclusivity in on-screen representation and diversity in casting. As a best practice, please submit three to four options per role, with at least one of those options being a person of color. If the Sponsor does not approve any of your options for a role, you may be asked to submit two new actor options. Additionally, owing to the risk of disruption from COVID, you will be expected to have backup talent approved by the Sponsor in advance of production to account for any last-minute changes.

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.