Create an engaging and informative series for T-Mobile's YouTube channel explaining their different phone plans and the benefits of becoming a T-Mobile customer.
When trying to decide which of T-Mobile's phone plans might work best for you, a lot of questions may come up, like what does unlimited data really mean? Am I covered in Canada or Mexico? Do I even need hotspot data? Well, T-Mobile is ready to provide you with all the phone plan answers! As America's largest and fastest 5G cellular network, T-Mobile aims to become a trusted source of knowledge for its users by addressing common questions and simplifying intricate topics through compelling YouTube series. Their latest YouTube venture will focus on explaining T-Mobile's plans and benefits and exploring which plan might be the best fit for someone based on their cellular and device usage.
The goal of this project is to create a series of six episodes – each lasting up to 2 minutes – that are entertaining and that lean into a social-first format, grabbing your attention quickly, and being informative without being boring. You'll see on T-Mobile's website that their phone plans are just presented as multiple bullet points, so part of the challenge in front of you is to find a way to make them much more interesting and to take a deeper dive into what makes each plan different from one another to help viewers find the perfect fit for how they use their phone and other devices. We highly encourage you to find ways to cleverly hook a viewer into each episode and keep their interest from one video to the next, while maintaining a cohesive look and style throughout the series. The exact episode topics are not set in stone, but for a potential breakdown of what each episode may consist of, please check out the Background. In success, there's the potential to turn this into an ongoing series, covering a wider range of topics, but we need to start by developing the format.
In terms of execution, the style of these videos is entirely up to you, which means we are open to seeing live action and animation executions. All six episodes should have a common theme, but that does not mean you have to use the same host for each episode, we would actually prefer for there to be a separate, diverse host per video, or you can choose to not even have a host if your creative approach works better without one. Please consider that, as a YouTube series, elements such as motion graphics, intro/outros, and any other visual cues should all feel connected throughout the series. Be sure to incorporate T-Mobile branding elements like their iconic magenta color, this doesn't mean that everything needs to be magenta, but some details here and there go a long way. Remember, it's imperative that your format captivate viewers, even as it delves deeper into the explanation of each phone plan. One great example of this includes T-Mobile's recent Phone Freedom video which explained how to easily switch from one phone provider to T-Mobile with an engaging and clever use of the "helpful hand."
T-Mobile will provide the basic information for each episode, though it will be up to your team to create the scripts for each video. Each episode will need to be cut down to one minute, 9x16 versions to be used for YouTube shorts and each episode will need a thumbnail created using a still frame from the 16x9 video with text included, that should all have a clean aesthetic and fit with the current T-Mobile thumbnail style. You will also need to provide a Spanish audio file for each episode, so each final episode will require script translations and a Spanish voiceover artist. Check out more information in the Background, and for any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
DELIVERABLES: There are 30 total video assets.
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:
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.
POTENTIAL EPISODE BREAKDOWN: For a comprehensive breakdown of what each plan consists of, visit T-Mobile Phone Plans
HELPFUL REFERENCE VIDEOS FOR INSPIRATION/TONE: The following are videos which the T-Mobile team has found helpful or captivating when it comes to explaining phone plans.
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.