Film Production for the Cross Border Project at Hivos East Africa

Background

Local pastoralists communities face a number of challenges that have contributed to the levels of poverty in these regions. One of the challenges they experience is lack of participation of pastoralists in matters that are of concern to them. The pastoralists do not have a platform to convey their messages and share their knowledge with the relevant stakeholders; the county government, the media, research institutions and international development organizations.

Hivos East Africa and Robert Bosch Stiftung are jointly bringing together the local pastoralists, the county government, the media, the academic institutions and local and international NGOs to explore successful interventions that empower informal civil society in east Africa border lands.

Empowering informal civil society in the Eastern Africa border regions (Cross border project)

Implemented in the Kenya- Uganda border: Turkana and Moroto

The Cross Border project seeks to enable trustworthy personalities of the informal civil society and among pastoralists to integrate their expertise into debates on resources planning and implementation and bring them into dialogue among themselves and with relevant stakeholders.

To have impact, the project’s main goal is to contribute to a sustainable pastoralist civil society through the use of technology in piloting and building systems of community-centred communication to assure the inclusion and participation of borderland citizens in local development and related decision-making.

About Film

To raise awareness and amplify some of the best community based practices that contribute to good governance among pastoralists; Hivos East Africa is looking to produce a film highlighting stories of these positive cultural practises of the Turkana and Karamajong communities in Kenya and Uganda respectively.

The Film Will Be Focusing On The Following

• The pastoralist communities on the Kenya –Uganda border.
• The profiles of keys personalities and integer personalities, their role in influencing policy and practise.
• Positive cross-cultural practices among the community in enhancing good governance.
• Cross border exchange of good practises.
• Their participation in local affairs particularly the use of resources.
• Knowledge sharing practices.

The film targets a local and international audience for awareness creation.

Scope of work

Motivation and boldness should be the essence of the film curation, particularly the individuals whose stories will be filmed. Hivos East Africa welcomes the use of artistic innovation through creative ideas to execute the production and deliver the message.

The film should be produced in the local language of the community with the highest standards of quality, high definition with colour and stylistic touches. Appropriate translations to English as subtitles should also feature on the film.

The total length of the film should be15 minutes long with a short trailer version for social media use of up to 1:50 seconds long.

The filmmaker is also at liberty to nominate the film for International and local film festivals and awards such as Cannes, Berlinale and Kalasha.

In addition, the filmmaker should organise a community screening through opportunities such as the Turkana Cultural Festival or a TEDX event. The filmmaker is free to select the most appropriate choice of screening in two locations: Lodwar and Moroto.

Nature of work

The communities to be filmed are located in Turkana and Karamoja regions which are 144KM apart by road.

The budget should be cognisant of the terrain in Turkana County and Karamoja region which are the project sites.

Timelines

Upon Selection

• A detailed work-plan with budget and artistic concept should be submitted within 14 days with a deadline of 30 April 2020.
• A detailed shoot time-plan should also be submitted before filming begins.
• An event plan for screening with an appropriate budget can also be included in the work plan.
• Rough cut of the first version should be submitted to Hivos for approval.

Payment structure

Payments will be made in line with Hivos’ financial policy:

• 40% upon signing of contract to facilitate pre-production fees.
• 40% upon submission of first rough cut.
• 20% upon delivery of final cut film.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in film/reportage/documentary writing, producing, directing and editing;
• Track record of filming in border regions/ pastoralist communities will be an asset;
• High levels of professionalism in adhering to strict timelines and delivering quality products.