We are looking for up to 9 filmmaking teams to capture vertical docu-style content featuring intimate profiles of different Tax Pros in multiple cities across the U.S. You will be responsible for all aspects of production, but will hand all raw assets off to a campaign director, who will then edit your footage into a social video campaign.
With decades of experience and expertise, this tax preparation brand has seen it all, and their Tax Pros are well versed in the ever-evolving tax landscape and the changing needs of tax filers. That said, when you're actually going to a tax professional to file your taxes, it's often about more than just expertise: for many people, the tax business is actually a relationships business, and that often means it's also a local business. Having a Tax Pro from your community means having someone who can better relate to you and what's happening in the world around you, because they're invested and active in it too. Their dedication and their contributions are felt close to home, and that inspires a lot of confidence and trust. Luckily, this brand's got tens of thousands of Tax Pros within five miles of every American, ready to be that person - and we're here to tell some of their stories.
This mystery sponsor brand is looking to create 9 docu-style social videos that will capture the intimate stories of real-life Tax Pros from different cities around the United States, and show how they're an active part of the local communities they serve. Tongal will be working closely with the brand and one of their partner agencies here, and we'll be bringing on a Campaign Director to manage the campaign (if you're interested in this role, be sure to check out the Local Tax Pro Profiles Campaign Director Project, which is live on Tongal now). With this particular project, we are looking for filmmaking teams who can just handle local physical production at various locations across the U.S. (in the specific markets outlined in the Background section). Raw footage from this shoot will then be provided to the Campaign Director, who will handle ALL post-production and delivery.
Although some elements of this project are still being determined, and although the Tax Pros are still being identified, this is a fast-moving campaign, so we'll need to bring on production teams now, before many of the specifics are locked in. That said, we've structured the scope of this project to account for that, and we don't anticipate that any changes will have a substantial impact on the budget and scope.
Although the specific Tax Pros and the exact shoot dates are still to be determined, it is likely that you'll need to be available for pre-interviews with Tax Pros the week of November 25th, and then conduct a video shoot between Monday, December 9th and Friday, December 13th. You should plan to have a single day's shoot, and anticipate filming at the Tax Pro's office, as well as their home, and potentially another location in the community. You should also expect to conduct a tech scout at the office ahead of the shoot, and the precise nature of what you need will be determined by a combination of the final creative approach, the individual nature of the Tax Pro's story and their engagement with the community, and what you see in your tech scout. The Background contains a few other key budgeting assumptions.
In terms of the creative and brand messaging, this should feel uniquely emotional and authentic, but it's also a social-first campaign, so we're leading with 9x16 vertical content and need a team that can elevate content with a social-first perspective. We'll also want to shape our interview questions in a way such that we can drive key proof points, and ensure that we're capturing both the real personality of the Tax Pro, and illustrate how they engage with their local community, as it's very important that in each video we capture the unique essence of the community we are in. Whether we nod at that through the way the Tax Pro phrases things, reference something recognizable to that community, or find another way to accomplish this entirely, we want to make sure that these really feel local and personalized.
Importantly, you are NOT being asked to pitch a creative take here, as the goal is to align seamlessly with format established by the brand's agency partner and the Campaign Director; we are instead looking for a filmmaker team who can digest this established creative approach and execute against it without deviation. Once selected, you'll work primarily with the Campaign Director and their team throughout pre-production and production. The Campaign Director and their team will provide creative & technical pre-production guides for you to follow when shooting.
After the shoot, you will be asked to send proxy files to the Campaign Director digitally, as well as ship a hard drive with all raw footage and photos. You will not be responsible for any video post-production services.
Please note you do NOT need to be based In one of these markets to pitch on this project, but there is no additional travel budget available, and any crew travel or lodging should be covered under your production budget. Check out more information in the Background, and for any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
IF YOU ARE SELECTED:
FOR YOUR PITCH: Your pitch should primarily highlight:
DELIVERABLES: Each filmmaker will deliver a hard drive containing the following content:
EXPECTED TIMELINE: HERE
EXPOSURE: We expect content will drive hyper-local media buys, so your audience should be a local audience, and you should create content with that in mind. Otherwise, we'd imagine usage on the platforms below, although content may NOT be limited to these platforms. You should also review the platform best practices.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Hardworking Americans from each local community, typically aged 40+, who are looking for expert assistance with their taxes.
TONE/FEEL: Relatable, vibrant, positive, energetic, optimistic, and confident.
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.
MARKETS: Note that most of these markets have multiple offices within their metropolitan areas, and we won't be able to confirm the exact office that you'll be filming at until the individual Tax Pros are confirmed.
BUDGETING ASSUMPTIONS:
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 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.
ASSET DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS & RESOURCES: You must also provide all raw footage and signed releases for talent, location and artwork (if needed) to the Campaign Director in order to receive final payment. You are responsible for the costs associated the hard drive and shipping.
To ensure a smoother delivery, please review the Export Presets, Specifications, and Project File Organization Tutorial in our Filmmaker Resource Portal.