Sida loo diyaariyo faahfaahinta shirkad wax-soo-saar muuqaal: hage loogu talagalay NGO-yada Soomaaliya

Most problems with programme films start before anyone picks up a camera. The brief was vague, so the quote was a guess, the shoot missed the moments that mattered, and the edit went through five rounds of changes. A good brief fixes most of that. It does not need to be long. One or two pages that answer the questions below will get you a more accurate quote and a better film.

1. What is the film for?

Start with the job the film has to do. Is it for a donor report, a closing event, a fundraising appeal, a public awareness campaign or your website? Each one changes the length, the tone and who appears on screen. If the film has more than one job, say which one matters most.

2. Who will watch it, and in which language?

A film for a donor's head office in Europe and a film for a community radio campaign in Somali are different films, even if they cover the same programme. Name the audience and the language they watch in. If you need versions, for example Somali with English subtitles plus a separate English narration, list them now. Adding a language at the end costs more than planning for it.

3. Where will it be shown?

A two to four minute film suits most reports and events. Social media usually needs shorter cut-downs, often under a minute, and sometimes vertical as well as horizontal. Tell your production partner every place the film will appear so they can shoot and edit for all of them in one go.

4. What must the film show?

List the key messages, results and activities the film needs to include, and attach the figures you want on screen with their source. Every number in the film should match your report. If there are things the film must not show, such as certain locations, faces or partner names, say so clearly.

5. Who can we film, and where?

Name the sites, the people who could be interviewed and the staff who will help on the day. Share any access, security or travel arrangements your field team already uses. This is often the biggest factor in the schedule and the budget, so the more you can say early, the more accurate the quote.

6. Consent and safeguarding

Send your safeguarding policy with the brief and say who on your team signs off on contributors. A good production partner will brief contributors in their own language, record consent separately from the interview, and respect limits such as no face, first name only or no location. If children or other vulnerable people may appear, flag it at the start.

7. Donor visibility and branding

Most donors have visibility guidelines covering logos, wording and credits. Attach them, together with your own brand guidelines and any partner logos that must appear. It is much easier to design the titles and end card around these rules than to fix them in the final edit.

8. Deadline, review points and budget

Give the date the film is needed and work back from it. Agree who reviews each draft and how many rounds of changes are included. If you have a budget range, share it. It lets your production partner propose the right size of shoot instead of guessing, and it is the quickest way to an honest quote.

A short checklist

Purpose. Audience and languages. Where it will be shown and the versions you need. Key messages and the figures to include. Sites and people to film. Safeguarding policy and sign-off. Donor visibility and brand guidelines. Deadline, reviewers and budget range.

If you have a programme film coming up, you can send your brief or TOR to Talantali through our Invite us to bid page, or start with a few lines on WhatsApp. We are based in Mogadishu and work in Somali, English and Amharic.