Produce a creepy, hair-raising, and goosebump-inducing vertical social video that stops viewers' thumbs on social media and gets fans excited for Paramount's upcoming horror film Smile 2, releasing in theaters on October 18th.
What... makes... you... smile... again?
Bust out the theremin and dust off your creepiest ideas, because we want you to embrace the unsettling eerie-ness of Paramount's upcoming movie Smile 2, the chilling sequel to the breakout hit Smile (2022). About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.
The goal here is to create a short (roughly :10), creepy, and unsettling vertical social video that generates excitement about the movie. These are NOT meant to feel like ads - we're not looking for a trailer cutdown or anything like that. We want you to tap into the eerie transformation of a friendly smile into something sinister, with the heart-pounding horror that fans love this franchise for. Your video should create suspense while highlighting the following key themes:
In terms of creative executions, Paramount is looking for short, impactful, creepy videos that lean into horror. While you CAN explore the pop star world of the film, that is NOT a requirement - you can choose whatever setting you like. Jump scare videos are also on the table, and if you choose to go this route, the jump scare itself should be short, sudden, and truly frightening while feeling native to social media. You'll also need to abide by all regular Tongal rules and guidelines (e.g. use proper location and talent releases, don't put anyone in danger, and don't use third-party IP – see the Executional Mandatories section below and Official Rules for more). All types of executions are on the table, so break out a creepy smile and let your imagination run wild.
No matter what creative execution you go with, your video should feel native to the TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels platforms, and lean into the trends and styles that would organically come across your "For You" page. Your pitch treatment should provide at least THREE unique video concepts, and if you're selected, Paramount will work with you to decide which ONE concept will move into production. Your concepts CAN use the likeness of Naomi Scott (Skye Riley), but that will require additional time for approvals, so if you're going this direction, we encourage you to submit an alt version of your concept that wouldn't require likeness approval to be safe. Paramount is looking to greenlight multiple filmmakers, so the more video concepts you submit, the better your chance of getting greenlit.
We also encourage you to submit an optional proof-of-concept video that illustrates how your idea would come to life. Your proof of concept should be designed for social media, shot in a 9x16 aspect ratio, and roughly 15 seconds long. Feel free to include links to any existing social videos (they don't have to be your own) that represent the style you'd be aiming for.
Check out more information in the Background, and for any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
DELIVERABLES: Each creator will create one video:
EXPECTED TIMELINE: 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: Scary, creepy, thrilling, chilling, and eerie
EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES:
OPEN BID:
TRAILERS:
SOCIALS:
Official Hashtags: #Smile2, #SmileMovie
@SmileMovie - main channel
@SkyeRileyNation - in-world fan account
CAST:
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 music providers: Jingle Punks 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.