We're looking for a highly organized and extremely collaborative creative editor (or team) to help produce a fast-moving and dynamic campaign with social-forward testimonial videos for Meow Wolf and five of its immersive art exhibits across the United States. Using your creative approach as a guide, you'll help supervise five satellite productions at different Meow Wolf locations (where other filmmakers will conduct shoots with their own production budgets), and then you'll handle all post-production and content delivery for the suite.
Meow Wolf is an arts production company that creates immersive, multimedia experiences that transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms, inspiring creativity in people’s lives through art, exploration, and play. A dynamic combination of maximalist art, interactive exploration, and non-linear storytelling, Meow Wolf has unique exhibits in Las Vegas, Grapevine, Houston, Santa Fe, and Denver. As we head into the new year, Meow Wolf wants to explore the idea that “we can’t explain it, you just have to experience it,” and they want to do it with a campaign of localized content driven by guest testimonials that provide a clear invitation to explore, while inspiring FOMO and giving viewers a sense of the experience. In this content, they want to use their indescribability as a feature, and not a bug.
Since Meow Wolf has locations in 5 cities, they'll be sourcing local teams to shoot authentic, guest-driven testimonial footage, but they need a highly organized and collaborative editor or team to edit all of the video for the campaign. The video content will need to capture the wonder, emotional resonance, and expansive epicness of the Meow Wolf experience, but with a lo-fi and authentic social feel, à la THIS successful 2016 video, which is a great reference. We want fresh, social-native content that turns Meow Wolf guests into their most compelling advocates -- without feeling like ads -- and we want to deliver the message (both verbally, and with the right vibe) that “Meow Wolf is that cool place your friend told you about.” The videos should feel breezy, casual, up-close-and-personal, with a strong focus on authentic reactions and real passion. The tone should embrace humor, awkward descriptions, and real human moments that bring the brand down to earth.
If selected, you'd first help to formalize a creative approach, staying close to the above reference, and then help supervise pre-production with the local teams, before handling all post-production and delivery, leveraging the video from those satellite shoots. The satellite shoots will be conducted by filmmakers sourced in a separate project (you're welcome to submit on that project as well, if you have physical production capabilities), and the satellite shoots will have their own separate budgets outside of this. Two satellite shoots (for Las Vegas and Houston) will occur the week of January 19th, and the other three will happen in mid-February. For post-production, you will also have access to a library of existing b-roll and testimonial assets that Meow Wolf already has for their various locations, and that can be used to supplement the new footage. As we're delivering videos for three of the locations (Grapevine, Denver, and Santa Fe) before we shoot new footage for them, those videos in particular will be more reliant on existing footage.
The content itself will be anchored by :30 hero videos designed for paid media on connected TV (CTV); each location will require both a family-focused :30 hero, and a separate singles-focused :30 hero, with those videos featuring a mix of different people on screen to better connect with each audience. You'll need to deliver :15 cutdowns with those, and then each Meow Wolf location will need two short :15-:30 social videos, each following a single individual and their experience, and thus feeling much more personal than the other content. These social videos should NOT be cutdowns or slight variations of the hero but wholly original and social-first edits. We'll be asking filmmakers in the satellite shoots to film in 4k and with a 16x9 aspect ratio, but we'll also ask them to take the 9x16 frame into account when they shoot so that you'll be able to work with any/all of the footage you receive.
In terms of narrative structure, we'll be using thoughtful prompts and questions to spark emotional reactions, and we'll use those reactions to help paint a picture of what Meow Wolf is. The primary job of these is to build the idea that Meow Wolf is a place of discovery, transformation, and art, and again, to affirm that "It’s unlike anything else you've experienced." You can find more information and some sample questions in the Background, but the structure of these testimonials should go as follows:
Overall, the campaign editor will be responsible for:
For your pitch, we'd recommend (although we're not requiring) that you utilize some of Meow Wolf's existing testimonial videos, or even generative AI video content, to put together a short 15-second proof of concept video that establishes how you might approach this creatively. Otherwise, your treatment should address how you'd approach the various types of deliverables included here and how you'd differentiate them from one another, to ensure you're creating content that's optimized for each respective platform and format.
For any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
DELIVERABLES: There are 80 total video assets, delivered in two waves (1st wave in February, 2nd in March).
EXPECTED TIMELINE: HERE
RELEVANT ASSETS:
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 we CANNOT guarantee that usage is limited to these platforms. You should also review our Music providers in the Project Requirements, as well as the platform best practices.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Broadly speaking, we're looking at Millennial & Gen Z audiences interested in visual storytelling, unique experiences, and FOMO-driven adventures, with Instagram-worthy rich environments. We're also looking for travelers searching for things to do in each local destination market. Within that umbrella, we'd define two subsets:
TONE/FEEL:
EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES:
AI USAGE: You may not use AI generated visual or audio assets in your final content. However, for the purposes of your pitch and pre-production materials, you are welcome to use generative AI to create visuals, storyboards, animatics, proofs-of-concept, etc. that might help the Sponsor understand your vision for creating the final content. Additionally, assistive AI tools (e.g. object removal, compositing, color grading, sound mixing, subtitling, etc.) may be used in post-production to supplement your workflow. Please keep record of any AI usage deployed in your submissions in the event that the Sponsor requests AI disclosures. If you have questions about any specific usage or tool, please ask your Tongal producer.
WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO CAPTURE & SHOW:
VIDEO NARRATIVE FRAMEWORK: For the connected TV videos and YouTube testimonials, we'd largely expect videos to follow this format.
PROMPTS TO CONSIDER:
MEOW WOLF LOCATIONS: The first wave of physical production would include the locations in Las Vegas and Houston; the second wave would then include Grapevine, Denver, and Santa fe.
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. Unless specifically requested, there's no need to include a budget with your submission.
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 BIBLE & APPROVALS: Prior to the commencement of actual production, creators MUST prepare a singular pre-production "bible" document with the elements contained below, and that document MUST receive final approval from the Sponsor. We recommend that you use the bible template we provide HERE, or something very similar. The bible can be presented in stages as different elements are ready for review (i.e. it's not expected that storyboards, if required, are ready with your first draft). Apart from the below, you're also welcome to include other key items that you think would be helpful to communicate your plan (e.g. moodboards, lighting, music, shot list, etc.).
Note that there may be multiple rounds of feedback until elements are approved, and 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: Universal Production Music, PrimalHouse, or Slipstream Music. 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 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.