Calling all cinephiles, pop-culture aficionados, and TikTok masterminds! Sony Pictures' Fandom Lab is looking for movie lovers and content creators that can produce a variety of short fan-driven videos, each featuring on-screen talent and one of several different and accessible fan formats, ranging from plot breakdowns and recaps to tribute art and comedy sketches - all tying back to a select list of unforgettable Sony Pictures Movie and TV titles. All you really need here is a smartphone and a strong point of view.

Were you born to break down movies like Community's Abed Nadir? Does your passion for film and TV match the intensity of Terence Fletcher from Whiplash? Do you own a smartphone with a good camera? If the answer to these questions is "yes," then it's time to activate your film and TV obsession, your storytelling skills, and your creative talent to work as part of our Sony Pictures' Fandom Lab fan-driven TikTok content pilot. We're looking for up to six filmmakers to each create a suite of nine engaging, memorable, and relatable videos, built around specific titles from Sony Pictures's film and TV library, as part of a test program to showcase Sony Pictures Entertainment titles across TikTok with fan-driven content. Ultimately, we want to drive awareness around these titles and boost engagement, with this pilot serving as the jumping-off point for a bigger collaboration down the road.

This isn't your typical fan tribute or "maker" brief , and this is not about robust video production with full crews or big shoots. Instead, we're looking for creators who can bring a point-of-view to their content and use their familiarity with the titles to cleverly elevate fan conversations online. The videos that you'd be producing will be no more than :60, and we're looking for more of a DIY / self-shot style, so it'd be perfectly reasonable to film everything yourself, and even feature yourself as the talent, if you want to be on camera. If greenlit, you'll work with specific titles and specific creative video formats to guide your production, and you'll find an extensive list of both the film and TV titles, as well as the formats, in the Background. The different video formats mean that this could indeed involve celebratory content like fan art, but most of what we're looking for will center on you (or the talent you cast) doing a deep dive on a film franchise, a recap of a TV series, or a breakdown of a major fan theory - all delivered to camera, with some footage in the background. 

For this project, it's important to think about who'll be on camera in your videos, and to determine which formats you want to leverage for your videos. If you're putting yourself on camera, it's certainly acceptable that you're the only talent that appears. The Fandom Lab is also open to seeing multiple talent, or different talent in different videos (if, for example, you've got a friend who's obsessed with Karate Kid and wants to make that video). You can certainly use the same format in all of your videos, but we recognize that that may be a little too restrictive, so you're welcome to use different formats for different titles. "Fancy" production is not expected, so you can put aside all the elaborate camera packages and light kits unless you feel particularly inspired to do something unique. Your location could be your couch, your desk, or your greenscreen studio. What really matters most is your unique perspective on and passion for the particular titles. 

For your pitch, we strongly encourage you to submit a short (under 2-minute) video introduction as to why you'd like to join the Collective and addressing how you might approach the titles and formats that you're interested in. In building your treatment, you should pay close attention to the formats, and think about how you might approach those. With so many titles to play with here, selection is less about your creative approach to one particular title, and more about how you'll bring a particular format to life for multiple titles.

If ultimately selected for the Collective, you'll work with a select handful of the featured titles as assigned to you by ourselves and The Fandom Lab team; this means you may not be assigned every title that you raise your hand for in your pitch, so bear that in mind. For any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.

DELIVERABLES: Each Creator will have nine video assets:

• Nine up to :60 Video (9x16)

EXPECTED TIMELINE: HERE

• Please note that the timeline is broken into two batches as some formats will require more production and approval time than others. We'll align with the chosen creators on which videos will be in each batch on greenlight.

EXPOSURE: We expect content will be used on the platforms below, you should also review our Music providers in the Project Requirements, as well as the platform best practices.

• Sony-Affiliated TikTok Channels

EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES: 

• All concepts must be approved by The Fandom Lab before starting production. The extent of approval will depend on the format chosen and could range from a visual treatment to script or cast approvals. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis as creators and deliverables are assigned.
• You must adhere to both general Studio Brand Guidelines and Title Specific Brand Guidelines. You can find these along with photos and links to key art for the below titles to use in your pitch in the general Creator brief linked HERE.
• You may NOT include third party materials (e.g., artwork, logos, photographs, etc.).
• Final Deliverables must not contain any output from an AI generator.
• You may not use TikTok trending audio in your videos.
• You must sign The Fandom Lab Submission Release Agreement, without edits, and submit it along with your concept. Greenlit creators will also need to sign The Fandom Lab's Certificate of Results and Proceeds, which will be provided when greenlit.

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.

This program is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by TikTok or its parent company ByteDance Ltd.

FORMAT DESCRIPTIONS:

Character Breakdown:

• A deep-dive analysis focused on exploring characters from SPE movie and TV titles. These videos should unpack and examine the character’s personality traits, motivations, story arcs, and the key moments that define their journey. Videos should provide unique insights into what makes characters compelling, relatable, and iconic.
• Relevant video in format style

Clip Reaction:

• Creators watch and react to short clips from SPE movies, trailers and TV shows, sharing their entertaining responses, analyses, and commentary.
• Relevant video in format style

Comedy Sketch:

• A short, scripted video that presents a hilarious scenario with creative and entertaining characters dealing with themes, subjects, situations and/or elements relating to SPE film and TV titles. Can be high production quality (i.e. with costumes, slick editing) or low fidelity (i.e. with no costumes, mostly witty dialogue, etc.).
• Relevant video in format style

Deep Dive:

• A detailed video analysis of a film, franchise, television episode or full series that examines several elements. This includes the plot structure, character development and arcs, themes, cinematography, sound design, and editing techniques. The format should be engaging for both casual viewers and enthusiasts seeking deeper insights.
• Relevant video in format style

Digital Fan Art:

• Videos of artists creating or exhibiting their fan artwork using digital tools to depict characters, scenes, or themes from their favorite SPE movies and TV shows. Avoid drawing talent likeness, such as the characters themselves, but instead focus on key thematic props, locations, etc. You can, however, depict the Spider-Man suit as long as it is the same design as the corresponding movie, as well as the ghosts from Ghostbusters. The key thing here is that you CANNOT depict the likeness of any actors.
• Relevant video in format style

DIY Wardrobe:

• Videos of creators offering tutorials or showcases of clothing, accessories, and personal style items that are created, customized, or upcycled by fans of various SPE titles. DIY wardrobe projects can range from sewing entire garments to altering existing clothes to look like specific characters.
• Relevant video in format style

Episode Recap:

• A video format that summarizes and discusses the key events, plot twists, and character developments of a single episode from a SPE TV show. Recaps can serve to help audience get caught up on past seasons of a show, or explore library titles that they missed in its initial run.
• Relevant video in format style

Fan Review:

• A video review created by true fans that provide their personal opinion, analysis, and reaction to SPE movies and TV shows.
• Relevant video in format style

Fan Theory Explainer:

• Fun videos where a creator presents and discusses one or more popular fan theories about SPE movie and or TV shows, offering detailed analysis and evidence to support or explore the theory. Fan theories should be speculative ideas created by fans to explain unresolved plot points, character motivations, hidden meanings, or potential future events in a story.
• Relevant video in format style

Franchise Recap:

• Similar to an episode recap, this format would summarize the overarching key events, plot, and characters of SPE film and TV franchises such as Men in Black, Ghostbusters, Spider-Man, etc. 
• Relevant video in format style

Listicle:

• Fan videos that present information or creator preferences in the form of a list, typically accompanied by brief descriptions, explanations, or commentary for each item. These lists would focus on any aspect of SPE films and TV titles.  
• Relevant video in format style

Production Breakdown:

• A creator offers a detailed analysis of the various elements involved in the production of a SPE film or TV show, providing insights into the filmmaking process that involves aspects like budgeting, scheduling, casting, locations, crew roles, and the technical elements of production. Could make use of available BTS content for each title.
• Relevant video in format style

ROUND ONE FEATURED FILM & TV TITLES WITH SUGGESTED FORMATS:

Anyone But You

• Comedy Sketch
• Fan Review
• Clip reaction

Saturday Night

• Comedy Sketch 
• Deep Dive

Charlie's Angels

• Character Breakdown

The Quick And The Dead (1995)

• Deep Dive

All Spider-Man and Spider-Verse films

Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004), Spider-Man 3 (2007), The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

• Production Breakdown 
• Digital Fan Art

All Men in Black films

Men in Black (1997), Men in Black II (2002), Men in Black 3 (2012), Men in Black: International (2019)

• Franchise Recap
• Comedy Sketch

All Ghostbusters films

Ghostbusters (1984), Ghostbusters II (1989), Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

• Digital Fan Art
• Franchise Recap
• Listicle
• Character Breakdown

21 and 22 Jump Street

• Comedy Sketch
• Clip Reaction

The Pursuit of Happyness

• Fan Review
• Production Breakdown

All Jumanji films

Jumanji (1995), Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005), Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017), Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

• Franchise Recap
• Listicle
• Clip Reaction

Superbad

• Comedy Sketch 
• Clip Reaction

Whiplash

• Production Breakdown
• Fan Review

Lawrence of Arabia

• Production Breakdown

All Bad Boys films

Bad Boys (1995), Bad Boys II (2003), Bad Boys for Life (2020), Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)

• Clip Reaction
• Franchise Recap

Venom: The Last Dance

• Digital Fan Art
• Character Breakdowns
• Clip Reaction

Kraven the Hunter

• Digital Fan Art
• Clip Reaction

All Karate Kid films

The Karate Kid (1984), The Karate Kid II (1989), The Next Karate Kid (1994)

• Franchise Recap
• Character Breakdowns
• Clip Reaction"

Seinfeld

• Fan Reviews
• Production Breakdown
• Comedy Sketch

Breaking Bad

• Fan Theory Explainer
• Franchise Recap
• Character Breakdowns

Better Call Saul

• Deep Dive
• Production Breakdown

Community

• Comedy Sketch
• Listicle
• Fan Reviews

Outlander

• Fan Review

King of Queens

• Listicle

Justified

• Franchise Recap
• Fan Theory Explainer

The Nanny

• DIY Wardrobe

Dawson’s Creek

• Fan Review
• Character Breakdowns

Walker Texas Ranger (1993-2001)

• Episode Recap

In order to be considered for this project, you must include the below materials in your submission.

• THE FANDOM LAB COLLECTIVE TITLES & FORMATS (REQUIRED): Identify which titles and formats from the list provided in the background that you're most excited about or have a particular affinity for! Please provide two separate lists starting with "Titles:" and "Formats:" following by the corresponding list separated by commas. DO NOT use this filed for anything other than identifying the titles & formats you'd be most interested in working on if selected.

• TREATMENT (REQUIRED): A more detailed and specific description of how you propose to execute all of the content listed out in the Deliverables. Explain what we can expect to see, and how you'll make it. If it's helpful, we've provided a treatment template HERE.

• LINKS (REQUIRED): To your previous video work. Please specify your role (producer, director, editor, artist, etc.) but do not include links to your showreel. Please link to individual videos. Prioritize videos that show your ability to create videos in the formats selected in the Formats section previously.

• SONY PICTURES' THE FANDOM LAB SUBMISSION/PITCH RELEASE AGREEMENT (REQUIRED): You must sign and attach The Fandom Lab's Submission/Pitch Release Agreement and submit it along with your pitch materials. Incomplete or improperly filled out forms may be cause for disqualification. A PDF and DOCX version of the form are provided in the Assets tab. You may not edit or modify the Agreement form in any way.

• PITCH VIDEO (OPTIONAL): This is your opportunity to be face-to-face with the Sponsor and tell us why we should select you to be a part of this group. It doesn't have to be anything fancy and can be as simple as shooting a short intro video on your phone!

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. 

• TREATMENT: Describe in detail how you plan to execute the content, and how you plan to bring it to life visually. Feel free to use concept art, references, style frames, or mock-ups. If relevant, share additional information about your team, and your process. 
• SCRIPT: Include clear descriptions of the visuals or action, along with dialogue, voiceover, or on-screen text, as relevant.
• CASTING: Tongal advocates for inclusivity in on-screen representation and diversity in casting. Please submit three to four options per role, with at least one of those options being a person of color. It is preferable to share multimedia content (i.e. video & audio clips) to help the Sponsor gauge the talent’s performance, rather than headshots or resumes.

  
  

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.

MUSIC: If you use music from a library for your content, you MUST use one of Tongal's music providers: Jingle Punks and Universal Production Music. 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.

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.

Should your submission here be selected, you must also complete the Winner Affidavit and IP Assignment forms in order to receive payment. All submitters will also receive an automated email notification when a selection has been announced. To ensure that you're receiving project updates, review review your email settings to check that you haven’t unsubscribed.

1. 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. Tongal also reserves the right to request all raw files associated with the project.
   
   
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. 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.
   
   
5. Preferred format for upload to the Tongal website is HD 720p and formatted for the aspect ratios listed in the Deliverables (e.g. 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.
   
   
6. 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.
   
   
7. 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.
   
   
8. 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 creator.
   
   
9. Videos must be in the English language or subtitled.
   
   
10. Submissions must not portray Sponsor in a negative way, the determination of which will solely reside with Sponsor, nor can Submissions contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Sponsor.
    
    
11. You must be at least thirteen (13) years or older to enter.
    
    
12. The Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest.
    
    
13. 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.