About me

July 21th, 2012

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am writing to indicate my great interest in filling the Video Producer position currently available at the Telegraph. I believe my diverse and atypical background can be an invaluable addition to the team that produces content for Bloomberg News. As a video journalist and filmmaker, I see myself as an observer, a storyteller and a documentary maker; recording, documenting and uncovering stories on human behaviours.

Shortly after graduating in Media and Video Production in 2006, I took on a full-time position as a Video Editor and Producer for UNICEF headquarters' office in New York. Five years later, I became a correspondent, gained extensive field and video editing skills, produced advocacy videos, travelled to post-conflict and emergency countries including D.R.C, Haiti and Burundi, covered stories on food crisis, micro credit, education, health and sanitation. I have also organized and coordinated media workshops for young people in Ghana, Laos, DRC and Haiti. Amongst other things, working for a United Nations' agency expanded my knowledge and understanding of issues related to displaced population, child survival, harmful traditional practices and gender based violence. I've learned to collaborate, research, pitch, develop ideas, write budgets, projects reports and successfully be a one woman-crew.

Throughout my years at UNICEF, I kept directing and editing short films and videos for other clients. Amongst other things I have directed a spot for Saatchi and Saatchi, produced and edited a piece for Time Out Singapore, worked with LoveQtv in Singapore, and produced corporate video for the London based publishing company Ink Global. I'm currently finishing co-directing and editing a documentary film project titled Tales From Kin set in the Democratic Republic of the Congo about the challenges and struggles of a middle class man in a country still recovering from decades of war. The influence of emerging middle class in sub-saharan Africa is a topic, I feel, often under-covered in the Western media. For this documentary film I have had to hire local crew, deal with local authorities for film permit, organise shooting schedule and prepare call sheets.

Although I have been working independently since 2010, I have continued to consult for UNICEF and other UN agencies. My most recent assignments for UNICEF, UNDP and FAO between February and April 2012 took me throughout the DRC covering issues related to health distribution, the wild poliovirus resurgence in the country and U.N. security and stabilization support strategy. My work so far has been about contributing to the conversation and challenging preconceived ideas. I can offer creative ideas and inventive ways of translating economic issues into human interest stories or a news piece. This opportunity would give me a chance to further explore global economic issues while using my strong story telling and filmmaking skills.

Sincerely,

Natacha Ikoli