This product will only ship to the United States and Canada, so while you can be based in another country, you must be able to receive the product at a US or Canadian address.
Reames Frozen Egg Noodles aren’t your average frozen or pre-cooked noodle. Instead of the thin, small, soggy noodles that we’ve all eaten from our go-to ramen package, they’re hearty – because they’re never dried – and they’re so thick that you’re gonna want a fork. They’re so thick that, before you take your first bite, you’ll be saying “That’s a big forkin’ noodle!” Every bag of Reames, waiting for you in the freezer aisle, comes packed with the power to transform classic family recipes into deliciously hearty dishes. Reames now wants to help spread the word about their mighty noodles and are looking to do it in a clever, social-savvy, fun, and potentially even irreverent, way.
The goal here is to get the word out about Reames Frozen Egg Noodles, and to create a suite of short digital videos that excite, engage, and educate audiences not only about the heartiness and the texture (recipe wise, but also in the noodles themselves), as well as their delicious taste, and – importantly – where to find them yourself. We are looking for a single :30 hero video that can be cutdown and versioned into a number of different formats. Now, we all read the project title – and if you’re reading this, mom, I said “Forkin'” so it doesn’t count – so that should give you an idea of the tone Reames is looking to capture with these videos. They want to lean into the humor, and maybe even go slightly irreverent, to make these videos fun, memorable, and unique.
With that said, while they want to really lean into their tagline “Big Forkin’ Noodle,” we also need these videos to also relay the core benefits of adding Reames noodles to your next recipe. Reames is a slightly more expensive product, but customers get a lot out of that higher price point with a more pleasant and homemade-style taste and texture, as well as complete meal that’s both filling and delicious. Finally having elements that convey where customers can find these in-store will be important because unlike some of their competitors (No Yolk being the most notable), Reames noodles are located in the freezer aisle.
Reames wants these videos to really stir the pot and help push their frozen egg noodles to top of mind for customers as they plan out their next soup, stew, or casserole. As far as execution goes, the Reames team had been thinking about an animated or motion graphic approach to this “Big Forkin’ Noodle” concept, with live action elements, which would show off the noodles, the packaging, and some giant forks, etc., to create a fun, social-savvy video, ala this collage style of animation. If you went in that direction, you might feature different packaging elements in tandem with provided or original capture stills, and show the noodles jumping in and out of bowls, all set to a bumping music track or an original jingle. That said, they’re really open to new ideas, so you might also consider a stop motion world ruled by sad, thin, crumbly noodles before the Reames noodles comes in like a superhero crushing the competition and delighting the citizens of this fictitious world.
How you bring this message to life is up to you, and the Reames team open to something fresh, new, and even humorous. This is a great opportunity to really flex your creative muscles and throw some metaphorical egg noodles at the wall to see what sticks… actually come to think of it maybe your concept involves throwing a competitors thin, limp noodles at a wall with a lackluster result before attempting it with Reames noodles that straight up knock the wall down? You get the picture, we’re looking for a creative approach that leans into the funny and does that while communicating Reames key messaging to get noodles in bowls.
This is not necessarily about creating a traditional narrative. Creatively, the target audience for these videos is families, and specifically families with children, so please keep that in mind as you develop your concepts. You should remember to demonstrate the benefits of the products – such as the minimal prep time and homemade taste – but beyond that, it’s really how you’re delivering your message, and the visuals you’re pairing with that message, that will be key. While you certainly can have the message of the video delivered through VO, it’s not mandatory. In terms of branding, Reames currently doesn’t have a formal document so creatively refer to the packaging for guidance on colors elements.
Each video will have a 16×9 version as well as a 9×16 version. While the cutdowns can be created with direct pulls from the main hero video, some thought should be put into how the 9×16 versions will be optimized for vertical; as they should not simply be a center-cut reframing. For the :03 cutdown specifically, Reames is looking for an asset that can work as a perfect loop, so consideration should be given to using a portion of the animation that can pull this off.
Check out more information in the Background, and for any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
DELIVERABLES: There are 8 total videos assets.
One :30 Main spot (16×9, 9×16)
One :06-:15 Cutdown (16×9, 9×16)
One GIF (1×1); GIF must be 10 MB or smaller.
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.
EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES:
While you can show and make comparisons to actual competitor noodles you cannot use actual competitor brand names or show specific branding.
When showing people, they cannot wear clothing with team logos, product logos, retailer logos, slogans, or other messages visible.
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.
Background/Additional Details
ABOUT THE BRAND:
Reames Frozen Egg Noodles began in Ethel Reames’ family kitchen in the heart of Iowa, and during cold midwestern winters, few things could top the taste of a hearty, homemade noodle – but making fresh noodles is easier said than done. Thankfully, Ethel and her family cracked the code on capturing all the goodness of homemade egg noodles and freezing them for your convenience. They gave the world its mightiest noodle. The noodle that will change the way you look at noodles. Today, Reames noodles are still taking old family recipes to new heights and showing everyone that a noodle isn’t truly hearty unless you need a fork.
HELPFUL REFERENCE VIDEOS FOR INSPIRATION/TONE:
Reames Facebook Account – Only to see how the brand currently represents itself
Ours v. Theirs Graphic – Good example of acceptable competitor comparison
Submission Requirements
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.
TEXT (REQUIRED): Up to 500 characters synopsizing how you plan to approach and produce the content listed in the Deliverables.
TREATMENT (REQUIRED): A more detailed and specific description of how you propose to execute all of the content listed out in the Deliverables. Explain what we can expect to see, and how you’ll make it. If it’s helpful, we’ve provided a treatment template HERE.
LINKS (REQUIRED): To your previous video work. Please specify your role (producer, director, editor, artist, etc.) but do not include links to your showreel. Please link to individual videos.
PITCH VIDEO (Optional): This is your opportunity to be face-to-face with the Sponsor and show what you’re capable of. Consider a video in which you tell the Sponsor what they can expect, or consider test videos, proof-of-concept edits, animatics, etc. For examples of effective Pitch videos, check out this gallery.
Payment & Project Requirements
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.
SCRIPT: Include clear descriptions of the visuals or action, along with dialogue, voiceover, or on-screen text, as relevant.
STORYBOARD: Include individual images for each key beat in your video. It is best practice to include scripted dialogue or VO, along with on-screen text or disclaimers, under each panel in our Storyboards. If there are multiple unique videos, ensure you submit a Storyboard for each video.
‘VO CASTING (if applicable): Tongal advocates for inclusivity in on-screen representation and diversity in casting. Please submit three to four options per role, with at least one of those options being a person of color. It is preferable to share multimedia content (i.e. video & audio clips) to help the Sponsor gauge the talent’s performance, rather than headshots or resumes.
LOCATION (if applicable): Present images of your potential filming locations, and submit at least two options per location. If possible, please include context on where you intend to film within each location, what angles you might use, or how you might dress the location.
WARDROBE (if applicable): Submit descriptions and/or pictures of your cast’s wardrobe. You must submit at least two wardrobe options per role.
FOOD STYLIST (if applicable): Present options for the Food Stylist you intend to collaborate with, and ensure the past work that you share is relevant to this project.
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 Universal Production 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 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.
Awards:- Project Fund $20,000
