STAGE 1 OF 2 · FRONT SHEET

Film Request

One page. Twelve questions. Ten minutes.

Complete this sheet for any film you would like The Barking Gecko to make. It is deliberately short. You do not need a finished idea, a costing or agreement from everyone before you send it — we would rather see it early and rough than late and polished.

Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management AuthorityThe Barking GeckoVersion 1.0 · August 2026

Question numbers in the margin show where each answer lands in the full brief, so nothing is ever written twice.

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Full brief 1.1

1Working title of the film

A placeholder is fine.

Full brief 1.3

2Who is asking, and who signs off

The owner is our day-to-day contact. The approver is the one person who can approve the final film.

Role	Name	Position	Email / phone
Project owner
Final approver

Full brief 1.5

3In one sentence, what film do you want made?

One sentence. Resist the urge to explain.

Full brief 2.1

4What problem or opportunity does it exist to address?

Three or four lines on the situation as it stands today — not on the film.

Full brief 2.2

5Primary objective — choose ONE only

A film with three primary objectives has none.

Build public awareness or understanding Change a specific behaviour in a specific group Attract funding, investment or a named donor Secure political, diplomatic or ministerial support Report to existing donors or partners Recruit, train or brief staff and rangers Promote tourism or visitation Create a permanent record Correct a misconception or defend a position

Full brief 2.5

6What must be different once this film exists?

Not what the film contains — what changes because of it. This is the question we care about most.

Full brief 3.1

7Who is the primary audience?

Be specific. “The general public” tells us nothing; “finance officials in Harare” tells us a great deal.

Full brief 3.4

8What one thing do you want them to do after watching?

And where do they do it — a page, an address, a person.

Full brief 8.1

11Is any external or donor funding attached to this film?

Either answer is workable. We just need to know which, because it changes what is possible.

No — none attached Yes — confirmed Yes — being sought Not sure

Full brief 1.4

12When is it needed, and what drives that date?

An event, a funding cycle, a meeting. If nothing drives it, say “no fixed date” — that is useful too.

Date needed	What drives that date

13Anything else we should know?

Optional. Sensitivities, history, previous attempts, things that must not be repeated.

Submission

	Name	Position	Date
Submitted by

Send it to us

Nothing here is binding and nothing is final. We will read it, and come back within three working days with whether it is feasible, what it will take, and when the season allows us to film.

Would rather send a document? Download the Word version or the printable PDF and email it back instead.

What happens after you send this

Within three working days: We respond with a short written note: whether the film is feasible as described, an indicative budget range, and the shooting window the season allows.
For straightforward commissions: That note becomes the proposal. Nothing further is required from you and we can begin.
For larger or more complex commissions: We send Stage 2 — the full brief — and work through it with you, usually in a single call. Nothing you have written here is retyped; your answers carry across.

When we will ask for the full brief

So there is no mystery about it, we ask for Stage 2 when any one of the following is true. Otherwise this sheet is all we need.

The shoot needs more than about ten filming days
Filming crosses into Zambia or involves another authority
Communities will be filmed and consent must be arranged
Aviation, specialist crew or equipment beyond our standard kit is needed
More than three versions, formats or languages are required
The subject carries political, diplomatic or security sensitivity