Videographers for Immigrant Storytelling Series (Contractor)

Project Overview

The American Immigration Council (the Council) seeks an experienced videographer or video production team to help produce a series of three original immigrant stories, combining short-form video and still images, optimized for Instagram and related digital platforms.

This project is supported by Ford Foundation, Unbound, and the Haas Foundation—foundations committed  to elevating immigrant voices and challenging harmful narratives particularly in the context of the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda. Together, we aim to humanize the experiences of people impacted by Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda and shift the cultural narrative around immigration by countering misinformation and showcasing immigrant experiences in a relatable manner across diverse sectors. These stories spark empathy ,   mobilizing audiences that have tuned out traditional media outlets and plant a seed of skepticism on the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda.

We are looking for creative collaborators who can craft visually compelling, emotionally resonant stories in partnership with our communications and narrative strategy teams.

About the Council

The American Immigration Council confronts today’s immigration challenges with a comprehensive strategy rooted in legal advocacy, public education, and cultural change. We operate at the intersection of law, policy, and storytelling to promote fairness, inclusion, and dignity for all immigrants.

Scope of Work

We seek videographers to produce three short video narratives over an 18-month period. Each video will:

• Highlight one immigrant’s story in a compelling, documentary style.
• Blend short-form video clips and still photography for a visually cohesive Instagram-native format.
• Run 60–90 seconds (primary video), with supplementary cutdowns or reels as needed.
• Be delivered in multiple formats (portrait, square, captions burned-in) for cross-platform publishing.
• Be rooted in ethical storytelling, prioritizing the safety, consent, and agency of subjects.

Each story will be developed in close partnership with our team. We’ll identify subjects and collaborate on story arcs and filming logistics.

Examples of potential stories include:

• An asylum-seeker from a majority-Muslim country who is LGBTQ and upon release, connected with our community partners in Philadelphia.
• Woman from Southern NM who was detained in front of her children and husband. She has a wide support network with her church community and family.
• Individual with very strong asylum case who agreed to a self-deport because his case kept being delayed because he speaks a rare language
• Mom who has been detained for almost a year. Her daughter is very sick (likely bone cancer). Child is in Brooklyn, has a child caseworker from the Young Center who has done an evaluation filed in support of the client’s release. Husband and family have substantial ties here in NY.
• A Tennessee-based caregiver, church group, or landlord impacted by a recently passed Tennessee law which makes it a criminal offense to provide “safe harbor” to undocumented immigrants including caring for them or providing them shelter. 
• A 19-year-old Ohio-based soccer player who was deported to Honduras, facing separation from his family, community, and team.
• An undocumented person or family who has been in the U.S. for years who is otherwise law abiding but is now facing removal [RW3] 
• A U.S. veteran who served in South Korea and earned a Purple Heart chose to self deport after nearly 50 years in the United States
• The family of a 6-year-old boy with leukemia, who was detained by ICE and missed medical appointments, now pursuing legal action.

Deliverables (per story)

• Story board and shot list (in collaboration with Council team)
• On-location filming (1–2 days per story, depending on subject/location)
• Short-form video (60–90 seconds, final cut with captions)
• 3–5 edited still images for visual storytelling
• One teaser or social media cutdown (15–30 seconds)
• Raw footage and project files
• Release forms for all subjects  
• Follow up with subjects shortly before publication to get updates on their stories.

Timeline

• Pre-production: September –October 2025
• Production & Post: October 2025–January 2026  
• Final delivery for each story: Rolling delivery, starting December 2025

Budget

Proposals should include an all-inclusive budget estimate per story, including pre-production, travel, filming, editing, equipment, and any necessary subcontractors. We anticipate a total budget of $45,000 across all three stories with the possibility of additional funding as the project proceeds. 

Proposal Requirements

Please include the following in your submission:  

1. Cover letter explaining your interest and approach to ethical, story-driven video production.
2. Portfolio with 2–4 examples of relevant video work (e.g., documentary, short-form social content, first-person narratives).
3. Bio/Company Overview, including any collaborators or subcontractors.
4. Proposed vision and strategy, including an outline of themes or a unifying narrative you propose. Share how you would highlight that theme into each short film, including through specific storytelling or film techniques. 
5. Preliminary budget and fee structure per story.
6. Timeline availability between Fall 2025 and Winter 2027.
7. Influencers and outlets you’ve worked with in the past
8. References from previous clients or collaborators (optional but preferred).

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

• Experience with documentary or narrative short-form video
• Demonstrated commitment to ethical, respectful storytelling
• Visual style and storytelling approach aligned with our goals
• Cost-effectiveness and clarity of budget
• Ability to collaborate with nonprofit teams and adapt to sensitive content

Submission Process

Interested candidates should click the "apply" button below. Please submit all materials in a single PDF no later than August 15, 2025. Questions may be directed to ksteinberg@immcouncil.org. Early submissions are encouraged.