How to write a terms of reference for a documentary or photo assignment

A terms of reference for a documentary or photo assignment (often shortened to ToR) is the document that tells a producer or photographer what you need, why, by when and under what conditions. It becomes the basis of their proposal and, later, of the contract.

It is different from a creative brief. The ToR sets the scope, the rules and the deliverables. The creative brief, usually agreed after selection, shapes the story, tone and look. Mixing the two produces a long document that still leaves bidders guessing.

Published UN terms of reference for video work follow a similar pattern: purpose, scope of work, duration, place of service, deliverables, supervision, qualifications, inputs from the commissioning agency and special conditions such as payment and ownership.¹² You do not need to copy their format, but the order is a useful guide.

Open with two or three short paragraphs. Explain the programme, what the film or photographs must achieve, and who will see them. A film for a donor board, a ministry launch and a social media campaign need very different approaches.

Be honest about context. Say where filming will happen, which languages people speak, how far sites are from Kigali or the nearest town, and whether any participants are children or in vulnerable situations. This lets bidders plan crew, travel and interpreters realistically.

• One sentence on the problem the programme addresses
• One sentence on the change you want the content to support
• The main audience and where they will watch or read
• Any fixed dates, such as an event, launch or reporting deadline

The deliverables section is where most terms of reference go wrong. "A short documentary and photos" will bring back proposals for a 90-second clip and for a 20-minute film. Be specific about each item.

The UN examples show the level of detail that helps. One sets out four videos of one to two minutes and two social media videos of up to one minute.³ Another asks for videos of five to ten minutes with subtitles and sign language, two to three minutes of B-roll, and timestamped transcripts in English.²

For each deliverable, state:

• Length or number of images, and orientation (landscape, vertical or square)
• Languages, subtitles and captions
• File format, resolution and how files will be delivered
• Whether raw footage or unedited images are included
• Supporting items: captions, credits, consent records, transcripts

Name the number of review rounds you expect. It protects both sides from endless revisions.

Break the work into stages with approval points. One UN ToR asks for the storyboard and script for all videos in month two and the finished videos in month six.³ Even a two-week photo assignment benefits from a short plan: brief, shot list approval, field days, selection, final delivery.

Name one focal person who approves work. Several reviewers with equal say slow everything down. Say what your organisation will supply. One UN ToR promises consent forms, branding guidelines and technical and quality checks on the video.¹ Add anything else you will provide, such as introductions to field staff or transport. If you expect the supplier to bring their own camera, sound and editing equipment, say so.²

Allow time for approvals inside your organisation and with donors. In our own practice, internal sign-off is the stage most often underestimated.

These clauses belong in the ToR, because they affect cost and crew. Ask the supplier to obtain and hand over informed consent for every identifiable person, and to protect identities where needed.² If children may appear, require a named safeguarding approach and adult supervision during filming. In Rwanda, the law on the protection of personal data and privacy requires clear and unambiguous consent for collecting, storing and processing personal data, and the National Cyber Security Authority enforces it.⁴

State who will own the work. UN terms of reference commonly say that all videos, footage and materials produced become the property of the commissioning body.¹³⁵ One also names the raw footage as well as the final product.² If you want full ownership, say so. If a licence is enough, describe the uses, territories and period, so the supplier can price it fairly.

Add accessibility at this stage too. The W3C advises putting specific accessibility requirements into project requirements, requests for proposals and contracts, and planning them as the video is produced.⁶ It also notes that automatic captions are not sufficient on their own.⁶

Ask only for qualifications that matter for this job. Relevant experience, a portfolio of similar work, language skills and references are usually more useful than a long list of degrees.

Publish how you will score proposals. One UN roster call weighted the technical proposal at 60 per cent and the financial proposal at 40 per cent. Within the technical score, portfolio quality carried 35 per cent, experience 15 per cent and references 10 per cent.⁵ Your weighting may differ, but writing it down makes the decision transparent.

• Ask for three to five samples close to your brief
• Ask bidders to name the people who will actually do the work
• Ask for a short approach note, not a long essay
• Ask how they handle consent and safeguarding in the field

Use this outline and replace the brackets with your own details.

• Background: [Programme, location, partners, dates.]
• Purpose: [What the film or photos must achieve, for whom.]
• Scope of work: [Pre-production, field days, post-production, number of sites.]
• Deliverables: [Each item with length, format, language, captions, raw files.]
• Timeline and approvals: [Stages, dates, review rounds, focal person.]
• Inputs provided: [Consent forms, brand guidelines, transport, introductions.]
• Ethics: [Informed consent, safeguarding, identity protection, data storage.]
• Rights and use: [Ownership or licence, credit line, uses, period.]
• Accessibility: [Captions, transcripts, alt text, audio description if needed.]
• Qualifications: [Experience, languages, equipment, team.]
• Submission: [Technical proposal, samples, financial proposal, deadline.]
• Evaluation: [Criteria and weighting.]

Before you publish, read it as a bidder would. If you could not price it from the document alone, add the missing detail.