TV Drama Production House/Agency at Girl Effect

What we are looking for

• Girl Effect is looking for an experienced production house that will be responsible for the production, script writing, and post-production for one season of a drama series. This production house should have a creative and technical staff team to fulfill all our production needs. The production house/agency needs experience working on successful drama series productions in Kenya. It should be able to use existing best practices and tools for an efficient and effective production process. It is important to note that while the program's core objectives are geared towards messaging on thematic areas around reproductive health and women’s economic empowerment, the tone of the drama series needs to remain entertaining and engaging, in keeping with the brand's tonality.

Scope of Work

• The production company would partner with Girl Effect to produce a branded youth-focused series rooted and resonant with the realities that young people in Kenya face. The series must embody the spirit of the times, with a premise authentic to contemporary youth culture.
• The characters should be relatable, multi-layered, and complex. We follow them on a journey of self-discovery and change as they fail, forge friendships, find mentors and find mental resilience in their adulting journey.
• The characters will negotiate through our behaviour change framework, modeling positive journeys for our audience.

Three areas of work include but are not limited to:

Development phase:

• Assembling the writer room (Consultation during the recruitment of writers)
• Work with a GE-appointed writing consultant
• Finalize the concept and get sign-off
• Review and feedback on scripts
• Setting up plans and processes for pre-production and production

Pre-production

• Planning - Review and consult on the production schedule
• Casting - Conduct casting calls, select actors representing the target audience demographics and embody the characters' traits and personalities as outlined in the concept development phase.
• Ensuring all the locations are locked before the shoot
• Template and process development
• Consultation during recruitment of creative team and HODs (Directors and LP, ADs, DPs, Production Designer)
• Document review and support - Approve script changes and oversee delivery of final shooting scripts
• Ensuring all the correct contracts have been signed by the cast and the crew
• Overseeing any additional preparation before scripts are finalized and pre-production starts - CTA’s, Social Media Content, Cast Interviews, etc
• Production Management: Oversee all aspects of production, including scheduling, budgeting, location scouting, and securing necessary permits.

Production Phase

• Provide all the necessary equipment to execute the TV series successfully.
• Provide studio and locations for shooting.
• Timely and on-budget delivery of agreed-upon deliverables
• Ensuring smooth setup of production processes, including weekly production meetings and templates.
• Troubleshooting and problem-solving for continued delivery
• Run a safe and compliant set and ensure that all stakeholders remain well-informed on the production process
• Compile progress reporting and be present at all production meetings
• Directing: Lead the direction of each episode, working closely with the cast and crew to ensure the vision of the series is realized on screen.
• Post-Production: Handle post-production tasks such as sound design, color correction, and visual effects to enhance the overall viewing experience.
• Promotion and Marketing: Collaborate with Girl Effect on promotional strategies to generate excitement and anticipation for the series among the target audience. This may include teaser trailers, social media clips, etc.

Expected Deliverables

• End-to-end production of 13 Episodes, each 23 minutes long. Including but not limited to:
• 30-second promo per episode plus three teaser spots. A total of 16 pieces
• Shorter cuts/shoulder content for each episode for Instagram reel and YouTube Shorts - a Total of 40 shorts/clips.
• Development of the story arc, storylines, and scripts for the season
• Graphics package & VFX
• Ensure that a senior and experienced team leads the production and can support where necessary.
• Ensuring industry-standard production quality
• Setting up smooth processes for final delivery
• Weekly reporting and status updates with the Girl Effect team
• Delivery of all raw footage, music stems used, SFX, and files to the GE team on HDD’s.
• Documentation, including concepts, scripts, briefs, etc
• Other documentation, including location or supporting cast releases, may be needed.
• Hiring and paying individuals who will be part of the series using our template contracts
• Scripting, filming, editing, and delivering full episode 13 episodes
• Delivery to the channel, including FCC and Music cue sheets
• Deliver season trailers (3) for marketing and episodic trailers ahead of time.
• Ensure the reinforcement message is included at the end of each episode.
• Provide monthly budget reports.
• Provide behind-the-scenes shots (pictures and some other short videos) materials for marketing and digital content.

Who You Are

Skills, Experience and Expertise:

• Credentials: You have expertise in producing long-format TV shows/dramas and have been in the industry for a significant time.
• Background: A diverse clientele for different industries, such as corporate clients, non-profit organizations (preferred), government agencies, and private individuals.
• Project Management: Ability to effectively manage projects, coordinate teams with diverse skill sets, ensure successful execution from start to finish, and have a strong work ethic to execute the project within the intended timeline with support from the GE team.
• Local Market Knowledge: Strong understanding of local trends, landscape, and cultural nuances to tailor creative outcomes that resonate with the target audience in the country you are working.
• Time and Budget Management: Proficiency in delivering the project on schedule and within budgetary constraints, ensuring efficient allocation of resources and adherence to financial targets.
• Creative Ideation: Skill to generate innovative and unique ideas aligned with our objectives and target audience(girls and women), fostering creativity and pushing boundaries to deliver outstanding creative work. You will have a proven ability to work with subject matter experts and ‘translate’ their expertise into appropriate content for the target audience.
• Multi-platform Expertise: Proficiency in creating content for various communities (small and large). Experience in health-related content/Behavior change content production in the field of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights would be a massive bonus.
• Branding and Storytelling: Capability to craft compelling narratives and storytelling techniques that effectively communicate the Girl Effect message, create emotional connections, and build brand loyalty.
• Collaboration and Teamwork: Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with clients, creative teams, copywriters, and stakeholders to bring ideas to life, fostering a collaborative and productive work environment.
• Language: Effective communicator and writer in English and Kiswahili, Sheng, able to synthesize, communicate, and simplify complex language concepts per the needs of girls and young women.
• Safeguarding: Experience working with young adults and understanding of policies involved when working with minors.

Attitudes we are looking for:

• Teams comfortable with complex organizational structures and multiple stakeholders
• Comfortable with shared decision-making
• A team that makes informed decisions and takes actions
• Enthusiastic about working with, talking to, and interacting with people across cultures and geographies - this work will require extensive conversations, presentations, documentation, and fire-fighting
• Highly empathetic and context-sensitive - able to balance conflicting needs and priorities decisively
• Mission-driven and cares about making a difference in young people's lives and society's vulnerable sections.