Seeking 2D animators to produce a short form 2D ANIMATED SERIES that brings to life a brand new National Geographic Kids book called Explorer Academy!
Get ready to channel your inner explorer and your inner kid…
This year, Nat Geo Kids is releasing a brand-new book called Explorer Academy, which can best be described as Harry Potter for Explorers! The book revolves around key themes of adventure, danger, and code-breaking, all set in a fast-paced near-future world that hooks kids using real science, technology and of course, exploration. Here’s a brief synopsis of the book:
Cruz, a bright, fun-loving 12-year-old, leaves Hawaii and his dad behind to attend the prestigious Explorer Academy—a branch of the Society, a global organization dedicated to the power of science, exploration, and storytelling. Cruz discovers that his mother, a former neuroscientist and cryptographer at the Society, left behind clues to a secret formula she was working on at the time of her death. The serum is a mixture of animal venoms that allows the body to regenerate by healing disease and injury—a coveted path to immortality. [Based on real National Geographic research!] In each book, Cruz will find clues that lock into place on a lanyard he wears around his neck. His journey will take him to incredible places around the world, from Honduras to the Himalaya, Australia to the Arctic. He will struggle to crack codes, make friends, keep his grades up, and stay one step ahead of mysterious villains, who are after not only the formula, but him, too!
Now here’s where you come in!
In conjunction with the book release, Nat Geo Kids is looking to bring the story to life in a 2D animated series to be distributed on the Nat Geo Kids YouTube channel, website, and other digital platforms. This is a special opportunity for you to create a show with an incredibly successful brand with the inspirational goal of motivating kids everywhere to be explorers in their own lives. You'll also have the opportunity to work closely with a writer/showrunner and collaborate on the project.
The goal is to produce a 5.5-minute Pilot episode for a 2D animated series based on the Explorer Academy book, and then to hopefully get the greenlight to continue and produce the rest of the series.
PLEASE NOTE: A script will be provided for you and you will be expected to deliver a high quality master with 5.1 sound mix. You’ll be working closely with a writer/showrunner that we will have already identified via a separate Tongal contest. Also, we will provide the Pitch winner with the specific Technical Specifications and Materials List. We will schedule an in depth learning session with the Pitch winner and their team at the top of the Pre-Production Phase.
The book is not currently released, but Nat Geo Kids will be providing the Winning Animation Team with the manuscript for the first book which contains illustrations that can serve as art reference and inspiration for your own original 2D designs. You will also have access to the visual language as defined by the Explorer Academy marketing toolkit, which will also be provided.
Here's an estimated Timeline for Pilot Production:
Character & Background Design: 3/2-3/29 **Subject to Script Approval. To view the Script timeline, please view this project page.
First Draft of Char & Background Designs Due to Tongal: 3/15
Tongal Feedback on Char & Background Designs Due: 3/16
First Round of Char & Background Designs Due to Nat Geo: 3/19
Nat Geo Feedback on Char & Background Designs Due: Monday 3/23
Char & Background Designs Revisions: 3/23-3/28
Revised Char & Background Designs due to Nat Geo for Approval: 3/29
VO Casting: 3/20-3/30
VO options due to Tongal: 3/20
Tongal feedback on VO options: 3/21
VO options due to Nat Geo: 3/26
Nat Geo feedback / approval on VO Options due: 3/30
Storyboards: 3/29-4/26
First Version of Storyboards due to Tongal: 4/9
Tongal Feedback on First version of Storyboards due: 4/11
First version of Storyboards due to Nat Geo: 4/16
Nat Geo consolidated feedback on First Version of Storyboards due: 4/20
Storyboards Revisions: 4/20-4/24
Revised Storyboards due to Nat Geo for approval: 4/26
Animatic: 4/26-5/23
First Version of Animatic due to Tongal: 5/7
Tongal Feedback on First version of Animatic due: 5/9
First version of Animatic due to Nat Geo: 5/11
Nat Geo consolidated feedback on First Version of Animatic due: 5/16
Animatic revisions: 5/16-5/21
Revised Animatic due to Nat Geo for approval: 5/23
PRODUCTION
Animation: 5/23-8/20
Rough Cut due to Tongal: 6/25
Tongal Feedback on Rough Cut due: 6/27
Rough Cut due to Nat Geo: 7/2
Nat Geo consolidated feedback on Rough Cut: 7/6
Animation revisions: 7/6-7/16
Fine Cut due to Tongal: 7/16
Tongal Feedback on Fine Cut due: 7/18
Fine Cut due to Nat Geo: 7/23
Nat Geo consolidated feedback on Fine Cut due: 7/27
Round 2 revisions: 7/27-8/3
Picture Lock of Pilot due to Nat Geo for approval: 8/6
Final Sign-off and Approval from Nat Geo due: 8/9
All final materials delivered to NatGeo once Picture Lock cut is approved: one and half weeks after final approval date (8/20)
What is Required to Submit your Pitch:
Treatment (REQUIRED): A detailed description of your 2D animation expertise, your team, and and your capabilities that will allow you to bring this book and script to life in a short form animated series!
Pitch Video (REQUIRED): This is your opportunity to have a face-to-face virtual meeting with National Geographic. Tell us about your past experience and your animation and post production team. Consider including a short animation test to show us your skills!
--Target Audience: Kids 8-12.
--Tone: Adventurous, exciting, kid-friendly, cool, daring, fun, global, imaginative, empowering, inclusive.
--Exposure: Nat Geo Kids YouTube Channel, NGK website, and other digital platforms.
--Deliverables:
This is an open bid project, so you’ll get to set your overall budget proposal. You can download the Budget template here. Keep in mind, budgets must cap at $65k.
This Project will consist of 5 Phases: a Pitch Phase, a Pre-Production Phase, a Pilot Phase, Revisions Phase and Asset Delivery Phase.
Be sure to read the following information carefully as well as the Official Rules.
PHASE 1: PITCH
Submit your Pitch (What is a Pitch Phase?) convincing the Sponsor why you should be selected to execute a Pilot using:
The most compelling Pitch may be selected and, upon submitting the Winner’s Affidavit and the IP Assignment, will receive a portion of their agreed upon budget to help create the Pilot. Please note the payment of the Pitch award is subject to a payment schedule determined by Tongal. Additionally, upon submitting a Video that satisfies the criteria laid out in your winning Pitch, completing Sponsor notes, providing the necessary release forms, and providing all assets required by the sponsor the Pitch winner will receive a final payment. For an example of an effective Pitch, check out The Indie Machines 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. In this project the Sponsor will determine how many submissions it will select, if any.
PHASE 2: PRE-PRODUCTION
If the Sponsor selects a Pitch Winner from the Pitch Phase, the Winner will enter the Pre-Production Phase (What is a Pre-Production Phase?). During this phase, filmmakers will need to receive the following Approvals from the brand:
No filmmakers may begin shooting their Video until all Approvals are completed and the Video Phase has officially begun. If you begin shooting your Video during the Pre-Production Phase before you have received final approval, there is a chance you will need to reshoot (at your own expense).
PHASE 3: PILOT
Once the Pre-Production Phase is complete, the Pitch Winner will create a 5.5-minute Video based upon the winning Pitch.
--Video Phase Payout: Upon submitting a Video that satisfies the criteria laid out in your winning Pitch, completing Sponsor notes, providing the necessary release forms, and providing all assets required by the sponsor the Pitch winner will receive a final payment according to the agreed upon budget.
--Music: National Geographic has an existing partnership with Extreme Music and their composing arm, Bleeding Fingers. The Pitch winner will be given access to the Extreme Music library and can request a quote from Bleeding Fingers for custom music created for the Pilot. We do encourage considering the creation of custom music for the Pilot including a main titles theme and original score.
If you are selected as a winner and choose to use custom/original music, you must fill out and submit National Geographic's Music Commission Agreement (will be provided to Pitch winner).
PHASE 4: REVISIONS
Once the Video Phase has closed, the winning submitter will enter the Revisions Phase (What is a Revisions Phase?). During this phase, filmmakers will perform reasonable edits on their Pilot Video according to the Sponsor’s feedback.
PHASE 5: ASSETS DELIVERY
Deliverables are as follows: ProRes 422 HQ or DNxHR HQX file with 5.1 sound mix (with DME stems) AND all project elements used in the creation of the video. National Geographics full Technical Specifications and Materials List will be provided to the Pitch winner.You will be responsible for the costs associated the hard drive (if necessary) and shipping.
1. The Video MUST not exceed 5.5 minutes 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.
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. The Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest.
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[and insert any additional judging criteria stated in the Deal Memo].
13. The Sponsor will be entitled to reasonable revisions on the finished Video(s) 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.
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.