ALT EFF x Mongabay India
Video Reporting Opportunity 2025
Mongabay India, in collaboration with ALT EFF, is seeking environmental video story pitches from journalists and filmmakers. Three selected applicants will receive up to USD 1,000 each, and mentorship to develop their video stories.
The final videos will be published by Mongabay India, and premiered at ALT EFF 2025.
Please read the description and application form carefully to understand the theme, eligibility, and application process before submitting your pitch
Amidst the economic, political and social changes in India, reporting on the much-neglected environment becomes important. Video storytelling helps us reach wider audiences and narrate stories in a powerful and engaging way.
This opportunity aims to mentor three journalists/filmmakers to develop, craft, and deliver well-rounded environmental video stories with journalistic rigor.
THEME
Our theme for 2025 is Environment and Health.
Our environment, its biodiversity, natural resources, and ecosystems matter to human health and well-being. Negative impacts on human health are brought on by various changes such as unsustainable industrial practices, land-use change, climate change, and biodiversity loss. At the same time, safeguarding the environment and sustainably harnessing it can help tackle several health challenges.
Understanding and communicating these linkages make environmental stories more relatable.
We are seeking proposals that probe linkages between environment and human health.
Topics can include but are not limited to:
Impact of environmental changes on human health and well-being
Threats to natural resources that contribute to human health and well-being
Traditional knowledge of ecosystems and biodiversity that lead to better health
Efforts of individuals or communities to protect and/or harness the environment for human health
What are we looking for?
Film pitches between 8 to 12 minutes in length will be evaluated based on how well they align with the theme and address contemporary issues. The points mentioned under the theme section provide a broad direction for developing story ideas, but they are not limited to the examples stated.
The pitch and the story should be grounded in scientific research, data, and expert insights. Include relevant reports and scientific literature in the pitch where applicable.
We will prioritise pitches on under-reported topics that need more attention, while fresh perspectives on known topics are welcome, too.
We encourage applicants to look into their regions and even backyards for story ideas. If you propose traveling to another state, far away from your own, we’ll expect justifiable reasons and budget.
Field reporting that goes beyond press releases and an organisation’s projects would be considered.
We encourage strong, character-driven narratives that bring issues to life.
What do you get?
USD 1,000 for the whole production, excluding travel, food, and accommodation, which will be reimbursed on actuals.
1. Publication on Mongabay India’s website and digital platforms.
2. Film premier at ALT EFF 2025 Film Festival.
3. The three selected video storytellers will get guidance and editorial support from Mongabay India’s team during production.
4. Direct entry to join the Mongabay India X ALT EFF Masterclass 2025: Environment Video Journalism, taking place on May 22 and 23.
Eligibility
1. Applicants should show prior experience in video reporting or filmmaking (2-10 years).
2. Applicants should be Indian citizens.
Timelines
April 21, 2025, 6 PM IST: Application deadline.
On May 7, 2025 the final three applicants will be announced.
Application Process
1. Fill out this application form
2. Stories should be pitched in English. Mongabay India might translate the produced video into other languages.
3. Only one story pitch will be accepted per applicant.
4. You can form a small team to execute an idea (e.g., collaborate with a filmmaker, reporter, video editor, and so on).
However, the application should be submitted under one name, and the primary applicant will be the point of contact for all communication with the organisers.
The core team should be declared in the application form.
5. The final files should be submitted by September 2025. Mongabay India will publish the videos based on its publication schedules.
6. Shortlisted candidates will be expected to provide a production budget breakdown and travel plan when called for interviews.
We will not consider budgets for purchasing new equipment.
Mongabay India reserves the right to disqualify applicants engaging in unethical practices, including but not limited to plagiarism or use of AI-generated content as their own.
Contact:
For any questions, please email to kartik@mongabay.com with the subject line ‘Video Reporting Opportunity 2025’.
Watch films from the Mongabay India X ALT EFF Video Reporting Opportunity 2024
-
Traditional engineers reduce water stress: Kattas of Kerala
-
Searching for soppu: Foraging food in Bengaluru
-
Covered in mud, buried under myths: Red sand boa illegal trade
About
Mongabay India
Mongabay India is a nonprofit environment and conservation news platform that brings high-quality, original reports from nature’s frontline in India. Mongabay India is the India-specific portal of the global news platform mongabay.com.
We have focused on geographies and themes often neglected by the mainstream media. With a vast network of journalists, our deeply researched stories have nuanced and disaggregated the national understanding of the environment - be it about India’s iconic landscapes, plant and animal species, or climate change. Our fact-oriented, well-analysed stories aim to build awareness and conversations about the environment in the public and policy space.
Mongabay articles are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Other publications can republish Mongabay content at no cost.
