Consultancy: Documentary Photography and Short Documentary Video on Invisible Victims of Russia’s Aggression Against Ukraine
1. Introduction / Organizational Background
The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) is an international human rights organization that works across societies and borders to address the causes and consequences of massive human rights violations. ICTJ works in Ukraine to advance truth, justice, and acknowledgment for victims of the Russian aggression that started in 2014.
With support from development partners, ICTJ is implementing activities that highlight the role of conflict‑affected communities in shaping a just and peaceful future. Visual storytelling is a key component of this work, enabling victims to share their experiences, expectations, and visions for change.
2. Background and Rationale
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, accountability efforts in Ukraine have been extensive. However, they have also remained relatively narrow in scope: not all categories of victims or types of violations have been equally acknowledged, and accountability efforts have largely centered on criminal prosecutions, often at the expense of a broader, more holistic understanding of justice. Meanwhile, displaced people, survivors disabled by the war, survivors of reproductive harm, individuals affected by environmental damage, children born of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), male survivors of CRSV, and other overlooked victims are left with few if any avenues to pursue justice.
In this context, critical questions emerge: what might justice look like if it were genuinely shaped by the victims themselves? More specifically, what would it mean to design justice processes that include all victims, particularly those who remain underrepresented in public discourse, media narratives, and policy debates about Ukraine’s future?
ICTJ is documenting “stories of change” that show that a victim-centered approach to justice is vital to any meaningful and sustainable peace. To amplify these stories, ICTJ seeks a videographer/photojournalist to produce documentary photography, portrait photography, and a short documentary video capturing daily life, healing, engagement, and concerns of these victims in Ukraine.
3. Purpose of the Assignment
The purpose of this consultancy is to produce a cohesive set of still images and a short documentary video that:
- Visually document the lived experiences and voices of victims, young people, and other community members;
- Emphasize the gaps in current justice responses and expand the understanding of justice beyond criminal accountability;
- Stress the importance of inclusion and encourage stakeholders to design and implement justice processes that better reflect the diversity of harms experienced by Ukrainians.
- Provide ICTJ with high‑quality audio‑visual materials for use in storytelling, advocacy, and outreach at national and international levels.
The material should be emotionally resonant yet respectful, reflecting trauma‑sensitive and ethical representation of all participants.
4. Scope of Work
The Consultant will undertake the following tasks in close coordination with ICTJ:
- Participate in a planning and briefing session with ICTJ to agree on key themes, target audiences, ethical and safeguarding protocols, and logistical arrangements.
- Review relevant background materials and, where applicable, coordinate with the journalist/writer engaged on the related feature article to ensure narrative and visual coherence.
- Develop a concise visual concept, including an outline for the short documentary video and a shot list for still photography (documentary and portrait).
- Conduct on‑site filming and photography over an agreed period.
- Capture:
- Documentary photography portraying daily life and justice expectations of victims and broader community members, taken with informed consent and in line with ICTJ’s safeguarding guidelines;
- Video interviews with selected participants (e.g., victims, community leaders, local authorities, programme staff);
- B‑roll footage showing environmental context and interactions.
- Ensure all filming and photography adhere to trauma‑informed and do‑no‑harm principles, including protection of identity where required, avoidance of re‑traumatization, and respect for local cultural norms.
- Edit the captured material into a short documentary video of 3–5 minutes, including narrative structure, colour grading, subtitles, and professional audio mixing.
- Produce a first rough cut for ICTJ’s review and incorporate up to two rounds of feedback.
- Select and edit a curated set of high‑resolution photographs, applying appropriate color correction and basic retouching while retaining documentary integrity.
- Prepare and submit raw footage and original image files, with a basic shot log and file structure to facilitate future archiving and reuse.
5. Key Deliverables
The Consultant will deliver the following outputs:
- Brief technical proposal (maximum 3 pages) describing:
- Proposed concept and visual approach;
- Proposed fieldwork plan and timeline;
- Risk management and safeguarding considerations, such as informed consent protocols.
- Approximately 35 high‑resolution edited photographs, including a mix of:
- Documentary images of daily life of affected communities and victims;
- Portraits of victims, community leaders, and any other relevant individuals;
- Images illustrating the physical environment in Ukraine.
- One short documentary video of 3–5 minutes’ duration, meeting the following standards:
- HD 1080p or 4K resolution;
- 16:9 aspect ratio;
- Professional audio recording and mixing;
- Color graded;
- Subtitles in English.
- Video teaser of approximately 60–90 seconds for use on social media and web platforms.
- All raw video footage, project files (where feasible), and original high‑resolution image files, organized and delivered on an external hard drive or via secure digital transfer, along with a basic log.
- All deliverables must comply with ICTJ branding and crediting guidelines, which will be provided to the Consultant.
6. Required Qualifications and Experience
Applicants should meet the following requirements:
- At least three years of proven professional experience in documentary videography and photojournalism.
- Demonstrated experience producing development, human rights, or social justice–oriented documentaries for NGOs, media organizations, or international agencies, targeting both local and international audiences.
- Strong portfolio of previous work (links to 3–5 videos and photography series) showcasing documentary storytelling, portraiture, and ability to work in conflict or vulnerable community settings.
- Proven experience in video concept development, script/storyboard development, production, and post‑production for short documentary formats.
- Excellent technical capacities, including:
- Professional‑grade HD or 4K video cameras;
- Professional audio equipment (e.g., lapel microphones, boom mic, audio recorder);
- Use of industry‑standard editing software (e.g., Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve) and photo‑editing software (e.g., Adobe Lightroom).
- Demonstrated understanding of ethical, trauma‑informed, and safeguarding principles in filming with victims, youth, and vulnerable groups, including informed consent and protection of identity where necessary.
- Ability to work independently in the field and collaborate effectively with ICTJ staff and partners.
- Registration and compliance with relevant national tax requirements (for firms, registration certificates and TIN; for individuals, proof of tax registration) will be an advantage where applicable.
7. Duration of Assignment
The consultancy is expected to be implemented over approximately 30 working days, within a period of up to two months from the date of contract signing. This includes pre‑production, fieldwork, post‑production, and delivery of all final outputs.
8. Copyright and Usage Rights
All raw and edited video materials produced during this assignment will be owned by ICTJ, which will hold full copyright and utilization rights. The Consultant will transfer these rights to ICTJ upon completion and final payment, in accordance with the consultancy agreement.
For still photographs, ICTJ and the Consultant may agree that copyright remains with the Consultant while granting ICTJ broad, non‑exclusive rights to:
- Publish and disseminate the images on ICTJ’s website and digital platforms;
- Use the images in ICTJ publications, reports, presentations, and other materials worldwide and in all languages;
- Adapt or crop images as needed for design and communication purposes, without distorting the meaning or context.
In all uses, ICTJ will credit the Consultant in line with standard practice. The Consultant warrants that all material is original, does not infringe any third‑party rights, and complies with privacy and data‑protection standards. The Consultant is responsible for securing written informed consent from all identifiable participants featured in the film and photographs, using consent forms approved by ICTJ.
9. Application Procedure
Interested firms or individual consultants are invited to submit the following:
- Letter of interest (maximum 2 pages) outlining suitability for the assignment, understanding of the brief, and proposed creative approach.
- Curriculum vitae (for individuals) or organizational profile (for firms), including details of key team members.
- Portfolio:
- Web links to 3–5 short documentary videos previously produced;
- Web links or digital samples of documentary and portrait photography work.
- Financial proposal in USD specifying an all‑inclusive fee, covering filming, equipment, travel, accommodation, per diems, post‑production (editing, color grading, subtitles, audio mixing), and delivery of final and raw materials.
10. Deadline and Submission Instructions
Applications should be submitted by email to mcosson@ictj.org with the subject line: “Application – Videographer/Photojournalist – Ukraine” no later than August 7, 2026.
Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. ICTJ strongly encourages applications from qualified women, young professionals, and individuals from conflict‑affected communities and is committed to upholding high standards of safeguarding, ethical storytelling, and respect for the dignity of all participants.
