Draw inspiration from one of six major movie franchises in Universal Products & Experiences' iconic horror portfolio, and create a hair-raising jump-scare video designed for TikTok and IG Reels that revolves around the theme of "horror unboxed."
***Please See Important Updates to this Brief in RED.***
In the realm of horror cinema, the simple act of opening a box can become one of the most terrifying acts. The box is a powerful, palpable symbol of how little there is that stands between us and the terror of the unknown. On the flip side, in the realm of consumer products, "unboxing" videos are a fun and popular format, revealing new product offerings in a way that taps into a childlike element of surprise. In both, it's that tantalizing mix of anticipation, tension, and curiosity that builds to the ultimate reveal of whatever lies between the box and the opener - whether it be terrifying, satisfying, shocking, delightful... or something else entirely.
For this project, we're going to bring the best of both realms together. Universal Products & Experiences (UP&E) are looking to further establish and elevate its iconic horror portfolio by creating social content that revolves around the theme "horror unboxed." Using six UP&E horror franchises as inspiration - the Universal Monsters films Dracula, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, Creature from the Black Lagoon, as well as M3GAN and Chucky (the broader Chucky film franchise only, which excludes Child's Play (1988) and the current TV series on USA & SYFY) - UP&E wants you to use the device of a "box" to not only scare the viewer, but also reveal consumer products that tap into the fandom surrounding each franchise. The ultimate goal here is to encourage viewers to both rewatch the films and enhance their fandom by buying the related consumer products.
UP&E is looking for SIX different creators to each produce one up-to-:30 jump-scare video related to the franchises listed above, along with two corresponding still images of the "box" that is featured in the video (these stills can be pulled directly from the video). The four classic Universal Monsters films can be collectively showcased in a single video (i.e. Dracula, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and Creature from the Black Lagoon) as well as individually as standalone videos, but M3GAN and Chucky cannot be "mashed up" with any other franchises. UP&E is hoping to have at least one video per franchise, so we encourage you to submit multiple pitches if there are several franchises you're excited about.
The jump-scare video itself should be short, sudden, and truly frightening while feeling native to the TikTok and Instagram Reels platforms. Importantly, the video should NOT look like an ad. We're looking for cinematic and elevated storylines that feature the consumer products in an organic way. Who you scare, how you scare them, and whether or not you show the set-up behind it (or the aftermath) is entirely up to you, though fully scripted narratives are probably hard to pull off. Either way, you'll need to abide by all regular Tongal rules and guidelines (e.g. use proper location and talent releases, don't put anyone in danger, and don't use third-party IP – see the Executional Mandatories section below and Official Rules for more).
When it comes to execution, UP&E is primarily looking for live-action videos, although stop-motion animation could also work depending on the creative concept. If you have a different idea that doesn't fall into these categories, UP&E still wants to hear about it! Whatever execution you choose, the consumer products need to be featured organically throughout your video.
The box itself should be featured in a closeup shot during the first three seconds of the video, but how and where it's shown is up to you. Featuring the consumer products should be a key component of the video; that said, the products themselves don't need to be confined entirely in the "box" for the reveal at the end - products can also be sprinkled around the set as "Easter eggs" in the environment, so long as they are clearly seen and featured. Make sure to check out the Background for more information about each franchise as well as a list of associated consumer products. You do NOT need to feature every product listed, but you should plan on featuring at least 2-3 from the varying product categories (e.g. beauty, consumables, collectibles and figures, costumes/masks), with 1 "hero" product that is prominently featured and additional products as "Easter eggs" within the set.
In your pitch treatment, make sure to note which consumer products you're planning to feature. Also, while you can certainly use the franchises for inspiration, it's important to note you CANNOT expand, alter, or change established franchise canon or feature the likeness of any actors from the films. You CANNOT recreate the Chucky and M3GAN dolls, but you can do stylized recreations in different mediums (e.g. claymation, papercraft, etc.). Any designs will need to be approved by UP&E during the pre-production phase.
Check out more information in the Background, and for any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
DELIVERABLES: There are 6 total assets, per creator:
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: Horror and pop-culture fans
TONE/FEEL: Hair-raising, thumb-stopping, legitimately scary/surprising. It's OK if viewers laugh, but primarily they should experience a fright!
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.
***New Product Additions Have Been Denoted *NEW.***
FRANCHISE-SPECIFIC CREATIVE GUIDANCE AND CONSIDERATIONS:
UNIVERSAL MONSTERS (i.e. Dracula, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and Creature from the Black Lagoon):
CHUCKY:
M3GAN:
FRANCHISE-SPECIFIC CONSUMER PRODUCTS:
*More products may be made available to greenlit filmmakers.
UNIVERSAL MONSTERS (i.e. Dracula, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and Creature from the Black Lagoon):
CHUCKY
M3GAN
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: You will be required to use the UP&E-approved music provider Source Audio to source music for your Video submission to this Project. Music from this provider is available only to the filmmakers that UP&E selects at no charge solely for its incorporation into Submissions to this Project and will not require a separate music release form. Filmmakers will be provided with a log-in and access by a Tongal producer once they are selected.
If you choose to 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.