You are practically blinded by the flashing lights going off. FLASH. CLICK. FLASH. CLICK. It’s your older sister’s prom night and you’re forced to sit through the entire agonizing pre-prom ritual. As if that wasn’t bad enough, now everyone is asking you to pose with her. On the stairwell, by the pool, in the front yard…it’s endless. You’re exhausted, but you smirk when you imagine the look on your sister’s face when she realizes that your LEGO MINDSTORMS robot PHOTOBOMBED EVERY PHOTO. All it took was some quick programming and crafty maneuvering using your smartphone to secure your world record as world’s greatest prankster. That should teach her to quit hogging the bathroom for 2 hours every morning.

LEGO MINDSTORMS is a robotics product that brings your LEGO to life. You can connect motors and sensors with a computer brick and LEGO elements to build and program your own robots. Created for kids 10+, but loved by all, LEGO MINDSTORMS gives everyone a chance to tap into their inner geek and create a new partner in crime.

Best of all, one LEGO MINDSTORMS set allows users to build at least 17 different robots, so the possibilities are endless! With a new LEGO MINDSTORMS robot launching in September, LEGO wants you to build up curiosity and anticipation for the product and show off what these robots can do.

The goal of this project is to create an awesome 15-30 second stunt video that get kids excited about LEGO MINDSTORMS and makes it a wish list must have. The reaction from the audience watching it should be two-fold: 1. LEGO has a robotics product for kids like me. 2. LEGO MINDSTORMS is so awesome!!!

Videos should have a homemade quality – like a kid or his friend is filming, a cool-looking kid as a host (think: Johnny Knoxville) to announce the segment/video clip, and be all about the awesome stunts and funny things that you can do with your robot.  The stunts should be something that can be done with one of the main robot models (for example: a robot can follow your cat around, trick your dad or scare your mom, two robots can battle, etc. Household objects, food, sports equipment, animals are all fair play.  Lastly, videos should feature kids as the main actors (but they can play pranks on parents, etc.) and have a killer soundtrack (courtesy of Noise/Racket).

-- Key Marketing Message: The official message is for kids to create and command their own robot but the submissions should also show the cool things kids can use the product for. On the flipside, LEGO MINDSTORMS set allows users to build at least 17 different robots. Also, it’s important to note that users can also control their robot using a smart device.

-- Executional Mandatories:

 • Videos must mention the name of LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3

 • Drive to the MINDSTORMS website (LEGO.com/mindstorms)

 • Involve live actors that are aspirational for 10 – 12 year old boys (actors must be slightly older and dressed in accordance with contemporary fashion).

 • Be considered very cool by 10 -14 year-old boys

 • Show close-up shots of the robot

 • Mention “build” and “program.”

-- Target Audience: The target audience is boys 9+, but submissions should also appeal to older boys (13 – 14).

-- Tone: The content has to be cool and edgy, yet appropriate.  It also needs to follow the tone of the Branding Guidelines.

-- Exposure: The videos will be used across digital platforms and in online ad buys such as: CartoonNetwork.com/LEGO, embedded into a banner ad (which will be displayed on popular gaming and video sites), LEGO.com, and the LEGO YouTube channel.

This project will be worth a total of $35,000 and consist of three phases, an Idea Phase, a Pitch Phase and a Video Phase. Be sure to read the following information carefully as well as the Official Rules.

PHASE 1: IDEA – Tell us your Idea for a LEGO MINDSTORMS Video in 140 characters or less. Remember, an Idea (What is an Idea Phase?) is not a detailed script; it is a spark of inspiration, or a distillation of what will happen in the Video. As always, Ideas should be clever and engaging. Winning Idea creators will each receive $500 and a 5% one-time residual payment for every winning Video their Idea is used to generate. (That means if your winning Idea is the basis for the 1st place Video, you will receive $750, the 2nd place Video $400, the 3rd place Video $200, the 4th place Video $100) – see Video Phase Payout details below.

PHASE 2: PITCH – Using text (500 characters or less), images (storyboards), video, and external links (to other supporting assets, i.e., your reel, etc.), give us your Pitch (What Is a Pitch Phase?) for how YOU would go about producing a 30 second video based on one of the winning Ideas. The FOUR most compelling Pitches will be selected and will receive $1,000 to help create their Video. Those winners (upon submitting their Winner's Affidavit and IP Assignment) will also be GUARANTEED a winning place in the subsequent Video Phase. So, if your Pitch is selected and you submit a video during the Video Phase, you will win an additional $2,000, at a minimum, and have a chance to compete for the $15,000 first place Video prize (subject to deduction for one-time 5% residual payment). Remember your Pitch can include any, and all, of the assets mentioned above and you MUST include a link to some of your previous video work on Tongal or elsewhere to be considered for this phase. For an example of an effective pitch, check out Erik Beck’s winning “3 Artists & 5,000 LEGOs” Pitch. All Pitches will remain private until after the winners of the Video Phase are announced and the Project is complete.

PHASE 3: VIDEO – The Four winners from the Pitch Phase will create a 15-30 second video based upon their winning Pitches. The Judges will score the Videos and the FOUR (4) winning Videos submitted by Pitch winners will be scored to determine the standings for the Video Phase.

--Video Phase Payout: Winners of the Video Phase will earn the following prizes: 1st place $15,000, 2nd place $8,000, 3rd place $4,000, 4th place $2,000 (less any 5% one-time residual payments paid to Idea winners, as applicable).

--Music: Noise/Racket, is a Music Supervision and Artist Management company working with a select group of clients and artists to bring the best new music, out into the rest of the World.  A selection of Noise/Racket music will be available to Tongal members at no charge solely for their incorporation into Tongal members' submissions to this Project.  Tongal members are encouraged to browse the Noise/Racket catalogue, available by clicking on this link: http://www.noiseracketmusic.com/. If you are interested in using a track from the Noise/Racket roster, as described above, simply download the track by clicking the "download" button, which will initiate the music file download. You may only use THREE Noise/Racket tracks maximum as part of your video submission.

1. The Video MUST not exceed 30 seconds in length. Preferred format 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, 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. Submissions cannot contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of LEGO.

5. Submissions must not portray LEGO in a negative way, the determination of which will solely reside with LEGO. 

6. Videos must be in the English language or subtitled.

7. Limit 5 submission(s) per member, per phase.

8. You must be at least thirteen (13) years or older to enter.

9. Minimum 50 Pitches, or the contest may repost for fourteen (14) days at the sponsor's discretion.

10. Sponsor will be entitled to one reasonable round of revisions on the finished video without providing additional compensation. Remember it's easier to re-edit than re-shoot so try to get as much coverage as possible.

11. In addition to the standard Tongal W-9, Winner Affidavit, and IP Assignment, winning video creators MUST also provide Talent, Location, and Music Releases for all assets appearing in the video as well as the project files, editing sequence and an uncompressed quicktime .mov file in either Animation or ProRes 422 codecs at either 1920x1080 or 1280x720 to claim their prize.

12. BY SUBMITTING A VIDEO ENTRY, YOUR SUBMISSION IMMEDIATELY BECOMES SOLELY THE PROPERTY OF TONGAL – 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 WEB SITE 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.

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.