JOB TITLE: Documentary advisor (Fixed term)
DURATION: Immediate commencement, with completion deadline in June 2026
BACKGROUND
The Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) is responsible for the conservation and management of Aldabra Atoll, UNESCO World Heritage site. In 2022, the SIF Board of Trustees prioritised an eradication of introduced rats and cats (‘RaCE’) from Aldabra as the most important action for the atoll’s conservation.
SIF has previously led successful eradications of introduced feral goats, Madagascar fodies, red whiskered bulbuls and sisal from Aldabra, but the presence of black rats (R. rattus) and feral cats (Felis catus) on Aldabra poses a severe threat to the atoll’s biodiversity, ecological integrity and climate change resilience. Introduced rats and feral cats can devastate ecological communities and have caused the extinction and decline of many threatened endemic species on islands worldwide, particularly of birds and reptiles.
On Aldabra, rats are the presumed cause of the extinction of the Aldabra warbler (Nesillas aldabrana) and are probably the reason behind Aldabra’s lack of smaller seabirds. Rats also cause low breeding success in several species of seabird and landbird, as well as consuming turtle and tortoise eggs. and impacting upon native vegetation, invertebrates and small reptiles. Cats also eat turtle and tortoise eggs and hatchlings and have caused the local extinction of the Aldabra rail on every island they co-existed so today the rail occurs only on islands where cats are absent.
SIF is 2 years into a 3-year period of feasibility trials and ecological monitoring to prepare for and plan an eradication of introduced rats and feral cats from Aldabra. A component of the feasibility phase focuses on communication and outreach to stakeholder groups, including the general public of Seychelles. Aside from targeted media campaigns via social media, local newspapers and the SIF newsletter, SIF aims to produce a short documentary which will air on Seychelles television and a short visual summary for sharing on social media platforms. These aim to convey the scientific evidence that supports the need for and ecological benefits of a rat and cat eradication, and how it could boost regional resilience to climate change. A major aim of this work is to assist fundraising for the eradication.
OBJECTIVE
The main objective is to produce a documentary that is scientifically accurate, emotionally engaging, and visually captivating for a wide audience. The documentary advisor will lead the storytelling process and edit the footage collected into a compelling, polished documentary.
The documentary advisor will work closely with:
- SIF Communications Team – for branding, messaging, and outreach alignment
- Rat and Cat Eradication Project Coordinator – for technical accuracy and project insights
- On-site Videographer (Frederique Olivier) – who will spend two months on Aldabra in late 2025 gathering high-quality footage
SCOPE OF WORK:
Creative Leadership
- Developing the documentary’s narrative arc, tone, and visual style in consultation with SIF
- Advising on storyboarding and shot lists in advance of field filming
- Ensuring the storyline effectively conveys the ecological and conservation importance of invasive species eradication on Aldabra
Editing & Post-Production
- Reviewing and cataloguing all footage collected from the field
- Editing footage into a coherent and engaging documentary
- Integrating interviews, narration, archival material, and scientific graphics where relevant
- Managing sound design, colour grading, and final mastering
Producing final versions optimised for different platforms (broadcast, online streaming, presentations)
DELIVERABLES
- Final documentary (length to be agreed upon – anticipated 25–45 minutes) delivered in broadcast-quality format by June 2026, in two versions, one in Creole, one in English.
- Short teaser/trailer (1–3 minutes) for promotional purposes
- All project files and assets provided to SIF upon completion
TIMELINE
Contract start : As soon as possible (early engagement required to influence filming plan)
Pre-production planning & storyboarding: Q3 2025
Filming on Aldabra will require input and guidance: Q4 2025
Footage review & editing begins: Q1 2026
Draft cut submission: April 2026
Feedback rounds on draft cut: April/May 2026
Final approval on draft: May 30th 2026
Final cut versions delivery: June 30th 2026
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
The ideal candidate will have:
- Proven high profile experience in documentary storytelling, particularly in conservation, environmental or science-related subjects
- Strong editing skills and proficiency in industry-standard editing software
- Creative vision with the ability to communicate complex topics to diverse audiences
- Experience working collaboratively with multi-disciplinary teams
- Knowledge of conservation issues in island ecosystems (advantageous but not essential)
Apply now with your cover letter, CV, portfolio to communications@sif.sc. Kindly note deadline for application is 7th September 2025.