Produce an impactful video for social media to spotlight PBS's premiering docu-series Gospel, celebrating gospel music, community, and history while also inspiring audiences to tune in to the premiere event.
NOTE: This project moves very quickly. Please pay special to the project timeline as you build your pitch.
From the blues to funk to hip-hop, African-Americans have been the driving force of sonic innovation for over a century, and while individual musical styles come and go, there's one sound that has been a constant source of strength, courage and wisdom - from the pulpit to the choir lofts on any given Sunday - and that's gospel. As a genre, it has been at the heart and soul of so much music, and in 2024, PBS is releasing a new docu-series to explore its origins and its influence. Gospel, hosted by preeminent filmmaker and scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr., will premiere with a weekend-long celebration in February, and PBS wants to get audiences excited to join Professor Gates on a joyous exploration of this incredible art form.
The goal of this project is to create an impactful video for social media that celebrates gospel music, the community around it, and the faith that links it all together. There's a lot of flexibility in how you can approach this: you can certainly produce something with original footage here, such as a short docu-style piece with testimonial statements from real people in the gospel community, or an artistic video profile of an art piece being created to pay tribute, but we're also open to approaches that don't require any original production. That means you could propose something that relies on stock footage and smart editing, or even some form of animation.
Importantly, you should also be thinking about short, social-first approaches, because PBS is not looking for elaborate productions. If you're recording original footage it can be shot on an iPhone selfie-style, or with a traditional camera, whichever fits your execution best. The key creative consideration is that it's linked to a celebration of gospel in some way. PBS really wants to see creativity and artistry shine here, and while they have provided a collection of video assets from the docu-series that you can incorporate or pull from, we want to be clear that we're not looking for a re-cut trailer or some kind of simplistic montage. Think a little more outside the box, and PBS has provided a few thought starters in the Background section to directly pull from, if one of those ideas speaks to you and falls within your capabilities. They have also provided their brand guidelines to help orient you further on their brand and handling their assets.
Once greenlit, we're going to be moving forward almost immediately with no true pre-production or production time. Please build out your treatments with that in mind, getting specific about not only your creative but detailing how you will go about executing with the quick turnaround times in the timeline.
We encourage the use of dynamic on-screen text, as well as voiceover, although they are not mandatory. PBS will handle key messaging in the actual posting copy that they share with these posts on social media, so your video doesn't need to do the heavy lifting there. This is a great chance to celebrate Gospel music and community and really stretch your creative muscles. The aspect ratios for this video will be 9x16 and 1x1, so as you're thinking through your execution please keep this top of mind. The video can be up to :60 and that runtime is truly reliant on the execution you are pitching. PBS also wants to bring over audiences who may only think of PBS as a station with kids programming, so let's avoid anything that feels like its targeting children.
For more information check out the Background section, and for any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
DELIVERABLES: There are 2 total video assets.
EXPECTED TIMELINE: HERE
RELEVANT 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:
TONE/FEEL: Inspirational, soulful, warm, joyful, thoughtful
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.
If you're not already familiar with him, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, literary scholar, historian, and the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University. You can join Professor Gates in exploring the connections that bind us and our shared histories through iconic series like Gospel, or some of his previous work, Making Black America, Finding Your Roots, and more.
THOUGHT STARTERS FROM PBS:
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.
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.