Job Description
Assignment Title:
Documentary Video Production, photography – Home Gardening interventions and storytelling of community resilience
Level:
Individual/Team Consultant
Supervisor:
Executive Director, VILUTHU
Reporting:
Logistics and Compliance Officer
1. Background
Viluthu, a civil society organization committed to empowering marginalized communities and has in the recent past undertaken a diverse range of home gardening interventions that have been community participatory, and community led. Each of the districts namely, Batticaloa, Mullaitivu, and Kilinochchi, have different perspectives and experiences to share. This initiative of recording highlights, key examples, community/traditional methods, community cohesion for inter-linked objectives of improved yield, increased incomes and promoting organic farming that demonstrates resilience, innovation, and sustainable practices of local communities engaged in home gardening is critical at this time to bring the community women’s voices to the forefront on the related themes of agriculture, women’s leadership etc. The produced content will be used for advocacy, awareness, and donor communications.
2. Objectives
The key objectives of this assignment are to:
- Capture high-quality (HD) video and photography of home gardening activities in Batticaloa, Mullaitivu, and Kilinochchi.
- Record interviews with selected beneficiaries and stakeholders involved in the initiative. Produce one compelling documentary video (7–10 minutes) with English subtitles.
- Produce two short videos highlighting key success stories or thematic insights. Ensure clear audio quality and strong visual storytelling that demonstrates community learning and adapting, innovating, social cohesive actions that provide advantage for the marginalized, social transformative practices incorporated or influenced by the projects and sustainable measures taken during and after the project.
- Provide a collection of impactful photographs that reflect the diversity and creativity of the project and have the objective of telling compelling stories.
3. Scope of Work
The selected contractor/team will be responsible for:
- Visiting and documenting field-level home gardening activities in all three districts with final products of one 7–10-minute documentary (HD quality and low resolution for social media sharing versions), 2 shorter videos (3 min each) and short 1 minute 10-short clips (HD quality and low resolution for social media sharing versions). The videos to have English subtitles.
- Filming interviews with beneficiaries and relevant stakeholders.
- Capturing supporting B-roll footage of activities, environments, places of cultivation and communities.
- Taking high-quality photographs during all field visits.
- Editing video, audio, subtitles, and photos based on project team feedback and any donor requirements that may be imposed.
- Period of filming and deliverable of products June 2025.
4. Deliverables
- One documentary video (7–10 minutes long).
- Two short videos for awareness-raising and social media sharing (3 min each).
- A set of 30–40 high-resolution photographs (action shots, portraits, environmental, farming related practices with descriptions). Photos to be collated together for the story with accompanying story in Tamil/English.
- Raw interview footage and photographs must all be provided to Viluthu at the end of the assignment. Consent forms signed by all the participants in the footage and photographs.
- Delivery time (Within July 2025).
5. Timeline
Field visits to Batticaloa, Mullaitivu, and Kilinochchi should be completed by [July]. First draft of videos to be submitted within 20 days after filming. Final deliverables due within 45 days of filming completion.
6. Budget
A detailed budget breakdown must be submitted, covering travel, filming, post-production, accommodation, and equipment. Final budget will be negotiated upon selection.
7. Qualifications and Experience
Proven experience in documentary filmmaking and photography. Portfolio with previous relevant video projects. Experience working with community-level or grassroots initiatives preferred. Familiarity with culturally sensitive filming practices is mandatory. Fluency in English and Tamil is mandatory. Access to professional-grade filming and editing equipment.
8. Consent and Child Protection
Written informed consent must be obtained from all individuals filmed or photographed. Consent forms should be in local languages and in line with Viluthu’s child protection and ethical standards. Privacy of individuals must be respected at all times.
9. Submission of Proposals
Interested individuals or teams should submit:
- A technical proposal with understanding of the assignment, approach, and timeline.
- A detailed budget breakdown.
- Portfolio of past work (links or attached samples).
- Contact information for two professional references.
Submit proposals to: [email protected] by 20th June 2025.
10. Selection Criteria
- Quality and relevance of previous work.
- Feasibility of proposed timeline and approach.
- Competitive pricing.
- Cultural and ethical sensitivity and past work that shows capable of working within similar communities.
11. Contact Information
Organisation: Viluthu
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 011-255 6773
Please email your application to: [email protected] (Subject line: Application for Documentary Video Production, photography – Home Gardening) before 25th June 2025.
