Pride Month is coming up, and to celebrate, Sesame Workshop wants to create fun & dynamic sharable social assets to celebrate friends and families of all shapes, sizes, and colors!

Sesame Street has always stood for kindness and inclusivity and is proud to show its support for the LGBTQ community. The neighborhood has always been a place where all people are welcome and for Pride Month, Sesame Street is celebrating their LGBTQ friends who help make up the diverse fabric of the street. Our goal is to produce fun and dynamic social assets using Sesame Street's bright, vibrant, and rainbow-hued characters. We're open to images, GIFs, and short videos, and all sorts of executions, whether they include live action shots, stop motion, animation, or motion graphics, you name it. Sesame Workshop is particularly interested in seeing "real" or "lifestyle" approaches - in the vein of this post they created last year. You can see some additional examples of past Pride content they've created in the Background/Additional Details section below. 

For the pitch phase, we're asking that you create a sample proof of concept asset, using the given character files provided in the Assets tab below. Your sample asset should demonstrate how you would approach and execute the final deliverable.

Our priority is to make sure everyone is safe. Along with that, we’re working really hard to keep people working during this extraordinary time. Our advice here is, if you are filming any live action, to submit only if you feel you can do something within the anticipated timeline that ensures everyone's safety given today's reality.

DELIVERABLES: 

• One 4x5 asset (static image, animated/motion graphic, GIF or video) using existing Sesame Street artwork
• Please note that the Sponsor is open to greenlighting multiple approaches, so you are welcome to submit multiple pitches, with the potential of being greenlight for up to 2 pitches

TIMELINE: For the full project timeline please see the Assets section.

EXPOSURE:

• Sesame Street Social Channels (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)
• Please click here to see the platform best practices page.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Sesame Street's adult social media audience - fans & parents

TONE: Fun, catchy, exciting, positive, welcoming, family-friendly

EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES: 

• Please only submit ONE proof of concept per pitch. 
• All color, lighting and material choices should ensure that the asset feels bright and cheerful
• The "Happy Pride" message should come through via strong concepts, storytelling, and execution. The phrase “Happy Pride” may appear in the image but it should be smartly integrated, and not a prominent focus
• If it helps the execution, you are welcome to make any adaptations to the character reference art; as long as it feels contemporary and adult facing
• Text can be incorporated but is NOT required

OPEN BID: 

• This is an open bid project, so you will get to set your own budget proposal within the $750-$2,000 range to create one social asset. Please note: there is a chance the Sponsor may choose to greenlight multiple creators, so feel free to submit pitches.
• By participating in this open bid project, creators acknowledge that the sponsor is under no obligation to greenlight a bid. Though most open bid projects on our platform do move forward with a greenlit bid, we will notify you in the event the sponsor decides not to fund any bids via the project forum. Regardless of the result, all open bid submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by the sponsor and the project team.

There are five pillars that lead Sesame Street's brand expression - real, furry, funny, simple, and heartfelt. The content should have a strong concept and draw from a mixture of these pillars - so that it feels authentic to the Sesame Street brand and feels appropriate for how they celebrate Pride. 

REFERENCE CONTENT FOR INSPIRATION OR TONE: 

• You can see past examples of pride creative here – Post 1, Post 2, Post 3, Post 4, Post 5 
• This year Sesame Street is particularly interested in seeing content that utilizes the “real” or “lifestyle” approach seen in Post 1- this could include creative that is fabricated, handmade, or referencing real-life scenarios- then photographed, filmed, or edited together as the final deliverable.

In order to be considered for this project, you must include the below materials in your pitch submission. For examples of effective pitches, check out this gallery.

• SAMPLE SOCIAL ASSET (REQUIRED):  Please submit ONE sample proof of concept video based on the information provided in the objectives section utilizing the provided assets. 

• TEXT (REQUIRED): 500 characters or less synopsizing how you plan to approach and execute these videos, GIFs, or static assets.
  
  
• LINKS (REQUIRED): To your previous video work. Please be sure to also provide examples of any past social videos, GIFs, or static assets you have created. Please specify your role (producer, director, cinematography, etc.) and DO NOT INCLUDE LINKS TO YOUR SHOWREEL. Please link to individual videos.

• BID (REQUIRED): Please submit your bid for this project. The sponsor would like each producer to create one social asset with a cost range of $750 - $2,000 total.

The most compelling pitch(es) will be greenlit, and upon completing the Winner Affidavit and the IP Assignment, the responsible creator(s) will receive funding. Please note: the payment of the pitch funds is subject to a payment schedule determined by Tongal. Please see the full payment schedule in the Assets section.

REVISION REQUIREMENTS: Once the Video Phase has closed, the greenlit submitters will enter the Revisions Phase. Filmmakers will perform reasonable edits on their videos according to the sponsor’s feedback.

MUSIC: You do not need to incorporate audio or music into your asset.

ASSET DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS: 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 the costs associated with the hard drive and shipping.

For Tongal’s file delivery specs and any other questions you may have about post-production, please click here.

1. Preferred format for upload to the Tongal website 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. Should your submission be greenlit, you will also be required to provide a 1080p .mov master file, using a ProRes, Animation, or Uncompressed Codec.
   
   
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. 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.
   
   
5. Submissions cannot contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of the sponsor.
   
   
6. Submissions must not portray the sponsor in a negative way, the determination of which will solely reside with the sponsor.
    
7. By submitting to this project, you acknowledge that your work may become subject to public voting on the Tongal site. Public voting may be used to help the project sponsor determine the final rank order.
    
8. Videos must be in the English language or subtitled.
    
9. Limit 5 submissions per member, per phase.
    
10. You must be at least thirteen (13) years or older to enter.
    
    
11. The sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest.
    
    
12. 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 filmmaker.
    
    
13. 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.
    
    
14. 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 a 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.
    
    
15. 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.