Using Final Destination Bloodlines (in theaters May 16) as inspiration, create a short can't-look-away social video of a deadly Rube Goldberg machine where each chain reaction triggers something even more sinister until we realize...you can't escape death.
If you've seen any of the five stellar Final Destination movies, then you know the drill: never drive behind a logging truck. Always have a buddy spot you on your weights circuit. And never, ever use a tanning bed. But it doesn't matter how careful you are – once you have a premonition of what's to come, there's no escaping death.
To celebrate the upcoming release of Final Destination Bloodlines, only in theaters on May 16, Warner Bros. is looking for one inventive (and a bit twisted) Tongal filmmaker to create a roughly :30 video, designed for social media, where we see the world's deadliest Rube Goldberg machine start a chain reaction of increasingly vicious stunts through a system of pulleys, levels, and cogs (and probably weapons, while we're at it). The video could end with the machine "revealing" the Final Destination Bloodlines skull and release date – or it could have some other sinister and entertaining shock in store for us. Beyond the intricacies of the Rube Goldberg machine itself, consider how you can use visual effects to make certain elements of the machine "pop out" at the viewer.
In terms of execution, both live-action and realistic 3D animation are on the table, although 3D animation is probably more feasible when it comes to constructing and executing (literally) your most disturbing ideas. The Warner Bros. team really loves this chocolate Rube Goldberg machine that was created to promote the movie Wonka in 2023, and they'd love to see how you can take that basic idea and put your sadistic Final Destination spin on it.
To be effective, your video must be clever and thrilling; each step of your Rube Goldberg machine should feel inevitable, as if guided by fate’s malevolent hand, while also being unexpected or surprising. Easter eggs to elements in the Final Destination Bloodlines trailer or other entries in the franchise are welcome, but your video must NOT be overly gory, violent, or crude.
No matter what medium you choose to work in, your video must be thumb-stoppingly thrilling and slightly terrifying – we want audiences to feel the building tension but be unable to look away – while culminating in an epic, shriek-worthy, and exceedingly clever yet deadly payoff!
Since these videos are for social media, you'll need to avoid anything overly violent, gory, or showing a person or character's 'death;' you can certainly imply these things, either off-camera or after the video has ended, but your video should still be appropriate for any younger audiences that come across it. And just like in any Final Destination movie, the suspense and sinister vibe you build should come through in your sound design as much as in your visuals, and we'd love to hear how you plan to achieve that in your Pitch.
Check out more information in the Background, and for any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
DELIVERABLES: There are four total video assets:
EXPECTED TIMELINE: HERE
EXPOSURE: We expect content will be used on the platforms below, but if casting talent, be sure they review our required Talent Release before they're cast, 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.
TARGET AUDIENCE:
TONE/FEEL: Suspenseful, playful, imaginative, shocking, thrilling, and just a tiny bit scary – we want audiences to have an authentically shocked reaction!
EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES:
By participating in this project, creators acknowledge that the Sponsor is under no obligation to greenlight a submission. Though most projects do move forward, we'll 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 project team.
In order to be considered, include the below materials in your submission. For examples of effective pitches, check out this gallery. All Pitches remain private, even after a Pitch is selected, and Tongal strives to have Pitch selections made by the end of the Evaluation period,but additional time may be required by the Sponsor, depending on any number of factors.
The most compelling pitch will be greenlit by the Sponsor, 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, typically included with the project timeline.
PRE-PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS: Prior to the commencement of actual production, creators MUST receive final approval from the Sponsor on the elements below. There may be multiple rounds of feedback until an element is approved.
If you begin production before you have received final approval, you may need to reshoot or reanimate at your own expense.
For convenience, we've provided some helpful templates that you can consider using for pre-production materials, and they can all be accessed here.
BUILDING YOUR TEAM: Looking for help? Post crew and production opportunities connected to Tongal projects on Backlot. Backlot includes search tools to help you find collaborators and crew by role, skill set, location, and more, for productions of any size and type. Tongal also supports inclusivity in all productions, and strongly encourages you to hire diverse talent for your team. To find additional options for staff & crew in your area, check out these resources and partners.
REVISION REQUIREMENTS & RESOURCES: Once Content has been submitted and the initial Production Phase completed, greenlit creators will enter into Revisions. Creators 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 the music cues provided by Warner Bros. No other music or SFX, including from Tongal's music providers, is allowed for this project.
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 any costs associated with the hard drive and shipping. Tongal also reserves the right to request all raw files associated with the project.
To ensure a smoother delivery, please review the Export Presets, Specifications, and Project File Organization Tutorial in our Filmmaker Resource Portal.