Accountability Lab is building a new generation of active citizens and responsible leaders around the world. We train, mentor, and resource citizens in creative ways to strengthen systems of accountability and unleash positive social and economic change.

Integrity Icon is a campaign to name and fame honest public servants. A lack of integrity – which leads to corruption, inequality, and insecurity – is a global challenge. Ordinary citizens often feel helpless in the face of graft and mismanagement. The campaign aims to build public trust in public institutions by encouraging the champions of integrity who work in them. Integrity Icon’s ‘names and fames’ public servants who display exemplary integrity and make heroes out of ordinary people doing the right thing.

Objective(s)

• To raise awareness and engagement of the Integrity Icon Campaign through profiling Integrity Icon Finalists;
• To train the next generation of impact filmmakers with hands-on skills and experience in making integrity Icon short documentaries

Scope of work and technical requirements

Accountability Lab Zimbabwe seeks (a) consultant(s) to produce short documentary films that profile the Integrity Icon Campaign Finalists. The short documentaries are to be empathy and impact-driven, moving and motivational, told from the perspective of the nominator and nominee while incorporating interviews and inputs from local community members, colleagues, and friends of the subjects (Integrity Icons).

The films must be produced at the highest quality standard, fast-paced and colorful, with clean stylistic touches. The total number of documentaries to be produced is five (5), each with a running time of not more than five (5) minutes. Primary cinematography will be filmed using a hybrid approach combining high-quality film cameras and mobile phones.

Film production will be done in collaboration with the ALZ Film Fellowship and Magamba Network. The entire development and production process will be monitored by Accountability Lab Zimbabwe, providing a continuous review, comments, and thematic input support when needed. The consultant(s) will provide mentoring, visual storytelling, and directorial expertise to a cohort of ten amateur filmmakers currently enrolled in the Lab’s Film Fellowship.

Accountability Lab Zimbabwe is the Executive Producer of the films and has the final cut of the film as well as the creative, editorial, and technical direction of the films.

Expected milestones

• The consultant(s) shall commence work as soon as possible, immediately upon signing the contract;
• The contractor, ALZ, and Magamba Network will hold a project inception meeting to agree on timelines, narrative framing, storyboards, and mentoring approach;
• A detailed budget and shooting schedule should be provided before commencing filming;
• The rough cut of each film should be provided to the Executive Producer i.e. Accountability Lab Zimbabwe for review, comments, and approval;
• The final product i.e. the films as well as the raw material and project files should be delivered to ALZ on an external hard drive no later than Friday 8 October 2021

Deliverables

• Five (5) short films of not more than five (5) minutes each profiling five Integrity Icon Finalists and the footage (raw) of the recorded stories;
• Five (5) 59-second teaser versions of the documentary films for promotion on social media;
• On-site mentoring and coaching of ten ALZ Film Fellows on visual storytelling, cinematography, film editing, and interviewing throughout the production of the five (5) films required;
• High quality (1920×1080, and 1080x1080px minimum size) Professional portraits of each of the Integrity Icons, comprising one full body shot, and one-half body shot in both RAW and .jpeg format;
• High-quality behind-the-scenes images of the film production process

Qualifications

Documented work experience in the areas of:

• Film / reportage / documentary writing, producing, directing, and editing;
• Previous experience mentoring and coaching amateur filmmakers;
• Access to highest quality filming, light, sound, and editing equipment;
• Ability to operate under strict time limits and apply high production and technical standards to maintain a high level of professionalism;
• Ability to communicate and conduct interviews;
• A track record of successful materials filmed in the region and/or on similar topics would be an asset;
• Excellent technical capacities (state of art equipment including drone camera) to ensure smooth and high-quality production.