Produce a series of three bite-sized edu-tainment social videos for Lowe's that brings home improvement topics/products to life through entertaining and strong visual storytelling, revealing the unexpected stories, history, insights and uncover fascinating facts or origins that most people don't know.
Have you ever found yourself wondering who invented the lawn mower? Or for that matter, when people even started having "yards" and growing grass in them, or why? There are so many elements like this that go into making a house a home, and a plot of land a yard, and the more you start to wonder about the history of all of these now-common elements of home improvement, the more fascinating it becomes. Lowe's is thinking about it this way too, and now they want to go even further down the rabbit hole of home-improvement history.
The goal of this project is to produce a series of three different interesting, fun, and historically accurate social videos, each about 60 seconds in length, and each diving into the history of one item or topic related to home improvement. We'll address potential items and topics in a bit, but whatever you go with, Lowe's is going to be looking for strong narrative storytelling, with a creative approach that's visually engaging, energetic, and maybe even a little unexpected. You'll want to take the audience all the way from the item's origin up to how it functions for us in today's world, and make sure there are enough interesting elements in each story that you're able to keep the audience engaged throughout.
Lowe's would really like to explore home improvement items or topics that most people may not know about and bring those fun facts to life in an interesting, dynamic way. They'd like something that actually has an interesting story behind it too, so you should think about how unique or compelling the facts are as you do your research. Additionally, you should consider the season we're in when ideating; since Summer and early Fall are big windows for outdoor work and more construction-type home improvement, it might be a good idea to find items in these realms to discuss. They're wide open to suggestions though, whether it's exploring why people started growing grass in the yard, the sharing history of the lawn mower, or digging into useful factoids like why a 2x4 isn't actually 2" x 4" in size, for example, and you shouldn't limit yourself to these few suggestions, so if there's an idea you're passionate about, or if you happen to already have this little-known knowledge about a particular item, Lowe's is all ears!
In terms of execution, these videos are as much about visual style and flow as they are about the history, which means the world is your creative oyster, and all elements of live-action, animation (stop-motion, 2D, 3D) and maker content are on the table here. If you look at the creative reference in the Background, you'll see that each video has a distinct POV and unique visual style. We're open to any and all visual mediums to bring these to life. Of all the references, the brief history of imperfect fruit and vegetables is the one whose vibe Lowe's likes the most, so keep that in mind.
FOR YOUR PITCH: It's important to note that this is a relatively quick-moving project, with the first of three videos delivering at the end of August, so we'd like to see at least 3 items or topics, and your pitch materials should effectively breakdown how exactly you'd execute your videos, including your proposed location, talent options, and how you will handle the animation process (if applicable), etc. During the production window, you will be able to collaborate with Tongal and the Lowe's team, but the idea is to come to the pitch table with as fully-baked a plan as possible. It's also important to note that Lowe's is not allowing AI usage at any point throughout this project, so you have a look at the timeline below and ensure that you're properly equipped to handle all elements of this production within the timeframe.
For any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
DELIVERABLES: There are three total video assets.
EXPECTED TIMELINE:
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 we CANNOT guarantee that usage is limited to these platforms. You should also review our Music providers in the Project Requirements, as well as the platform best practices.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Adults 25-50, who are fans of and shop at Lowe’s, could be homeowners and/or interested in home improvement.
TONE/FEEL: Clever, entertaining, informative.
EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES:
AI USAGE: No AI usage of any kind is permitted on this project.
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.
HELPFUL REFERENCE VIDEOS FOR INSPIRATION/TONE:
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. Unless specifically requested, there's no need to include a budget with your submission.
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 BIBLE & APPROVALS: Prior to the commencement of actual production, creators MUST prepare a singular pre-production "bible" document with the elements contained below, and that document MUST receive final approval from the Sponsor. We recommend that you use the bible template we provide HERE, or something very similar. The bible can be presented in stages as different elements are ready for review (i.e. it's not expected that storyboards, if required, are ready with your first draft). Apart from the below, you're also welcome to include other key items that you think would be helpful to communicate your plan (e.g. moodboards, lighting, music, shot list, etc.).
Note that there may be multiple rounds of feedback until elements are approved, and 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 music from a library for your content, you MUST use one of Tongal's music providers: Universal Production Music, PrimalHouse, or Slipstream. 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, click on any of the providers' names above.
If you use 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 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, and an account will be created for you to access the library. Once assets are approved for delivery, 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 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.