In a fast-moving project, take viewers through the eyes of Madame Web herself by using an "infinite zoom" technique to create a high-quality :30 social video that supports the release of Sony's Madame Web, in theaters on February 13th.
She's an enigmatic heroine who is just beginning to discover her clairvoyant abilities; she is Madame Web, and the thrilling origin story of Madame Web—also known as Cassie Webb—is coming to the big screen this February, courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment. As fascinating a character as she is, many people still don't fully understand her abilities, nor the salient threat that forces her to quickly learn the breadth of her new power, so Sony wants to create some social content to promote the Madame Web release and highlight what makes Cassie a compelling hero... while also defining the villain she'll be working against.
The goal of this project is to create a :30 vertical social video using an "infinite zoom" technique to do just that. If you're not already familiar with an infinite zoom, the effect is accomplished by moving the "camera" POV in (or out) of an image, revealing layers and layers of additional details 'hidden' in the depths of the original image, with clever transitions to hide any obvious cuts. You can check out some examples of the effect in the Background, but if you watch the trailer, you'll also see this key moment, where the camera dives through Cassie's eyes, which is used as a way of viscerally illustrating her powers. That moment uses a similar effect, which is why Sony is so keenly interested in it. They want some kind of epic infinite zoom video that reframes elements from the trailer to better illustrate Cassie's powers, and to touch upon the danger she'll face throughout the film. Find those elements here and use them as the base for your infinite zoom. Your video shouldn't be a mere re-edit of the trailer, though — you should take these clips, sound effects, and music to make something even more epic that motivates viewers to go check out this new film in theaters!
This is a fast-moving project, so in terms of execution, consider the timeline and production realities. Otherwise, there's flexibility in how you choose to bring this to life - so long as it's not live action - and that means you can use 2D or 3D animation, stop-motion, mixed media, or some other variation. Whatever approach you take, it should feel polished enough to represent the high-quality, cinematic visuals of the film. Importantly, you should note that we don't want to use a "pinch-zoom" effect that you might see someone use on their phone, with visible hands; instead the viewer should be seamlessly guided into each successive layer of the image by an invisible force.
Creatively, we're hoping for something that really feels astounding and delightful - that matches the enigmatic and thrilling nature of the movie. We want to see how you'd use the unique motion that comes with this technique to bring a new creative perspective, or to deliver an unexpected narrative approach, when it comes to reimagining the trailer(s) and/or image pulls. You can pull clips from the trailer and any marketing materials shared by the Sony team, but you must not deviate beyond the events of the film. The materials must NOT contain any content that is unrelated to the Picture, including but not limited to other previous Spider-Man films, Marvel Universe characters, or Spider-Man Universe comic books.
How can you create suspense while still clearly illustrating Madame Web's powers and the threat at hand? What kind of starting/ending image would you create and how would you create it? And how would you combine techniques, both real and/or digital, to bring key moments from the film to life in a visceral and unexpected way?
In addition to this main infinite zoom video, you'll also be tasked with creating a Behind-the-Scenes video that shows how you created the infinite zoom video itself. This should be optimized for social, and could include screen recordings of your process or your own commentary on you created the effect from technical . Mostly, this needs to be engaging and end with a tag to go see Madame Web in theaters. Let's see what you've got - and for any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
DELIVERABLES: There are 3 total video assets.
EXPECTED TIMELINE: HERE
ASSETS: 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: Casual superhero moviegoers who don't know Madame Web's backstory from the comics.
TONE/FEEL: Above all, epic. Modern, impactful, unexpected, clever, intriguing; prestigious, unmissable.
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.
FILM SYNOPSIS:
"Meanwhile, in another universe…” In a switch from the typical genre, Madame Web tells the standalone origin story of one of Marvel publishing's most enigmatic heroines. The suspense-driven thriller stars Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb, a paramedic in Manhattan who may have clairvoyant abilities. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she forges a relationship with three young women destined for powerful futures... if they can all survive a deadly present.
CASSIE WEBB, HER POWERS, AND THE THREAT AT HAND:
After a near death experience, Cassie Webb (Dakota Johnson) starts to see short glimpses of the future, which lead her to saving three young women (Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O'Connor, Isabela Merced) from Ezequiel Sims (Tahar Rahim). As Sims continues to chase Cassie and the girls, her clairvoyance is the only thing that is able to just barely keep them one step ahead of Ezequiel. Cassie must protect the girls while figuring out why this man wants them dead, and how to stop him.
INFINITE ARTS ZOOM TECHNIQUE EXAMPLES:
RELEVANT LINKS:
CAST & CREW:
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: If you use music from a library for your content, you MUST use one of Tongal's three music providers: Jingle Punks, Universal Production Music and Epidemic Sound. 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 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.