Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Awards
Timeline
Arnaud Zajtman

Arnaud Zajtman

Summary

Investigative journalist and documentary film-maker with a special focus on African politics, economics and human rights, I have traveled extensively in Africa where I have built a strong network of contacts.

I also run my own film and podcast production company, dealing with various stakeholders, including public and private partners.




Overview

21
21
years of professional experience

Work History

CEO

Esprit Libre production
03.2011 - Current
  • Built productive relationships with industry partners, film commissioners and international development agencies to produce film documentaries and podcasts.
  • Led operational oversight and budgetary supervision for various investigative documentary films and reported to the main financial partners.
  • Research and wrote long investigative documentary film outlines on various subjects, mostly related to African economics.
  • Filmed and edited the films.

Film Director "The Rush for Cobalt"

Les Films du Tambour de Soie / Esprit Libre Prod.
03.2020 - 06.2022
  • Beside producing the film with my company, I directed it and collaborated with another director, two producers, two screenwriters, four TV commissioners and one development agency. Our challenge was to make a collective vision for a long format documentary film on the need for cobalt linked to the automotive industry.
  • Built the investigative team, researched and wrote the investigation with two partners.
  • Directed the shooting of the film.
  • Oversaw post-production editing, sound editing and performance's overall tone.

Adjunct Lecturer

Ecole Supérieure de Journalisme, ESJ
12.2020 - 03.2021
  • created a parnership between three highly considered institutions: the Université Libre de Bruxelles, the Ecole Supérieure de Journalisme de Lille and RTBF.
  • outlined a course of in-depth journalistic documentary approach.
  • directed the students in creating their own work ready for broadcast.

Senior Editor

European Commission
09.2012 - 06.2013
  • Edited the knowledge sharing platform for the International Cooperation and Development agency of the European Commission. (https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/)
  • Built productive relationships with European Commission staff and partners in international development agencies to produce articles and videos on development issues that I wrote, filmed, edited and published.
  • Production of all the videos on EC cooperation in Mali for the 2012 special donor conference on Mali organized by the European Commission (Over 3 bln € pledged).

Central Africa Correspondent, Reporter, Film-maker

France 24
01.2008 - 06.2010
  • Wrote and filed accurate, engaging and fact-checked stories.
  • Interviewed guests from all spectrum of African society (civil society, politicians, artists, sport champions...) on all range of topics
  • Investigated economics and political stories relevant to France 24's audience.
  • Researched and produced regular news reports.
  • Made long-format TV packages.
  • Established and maintained relationships with credible sources.
  • Followed-up on leads for information regarding news and events.
  • Deployed to news event spots to provide on-the-ground broadcast solutions and news coverage.

DRCongo correspondent

BBC World Service
01.2005 - 01.2008
  • Reported on conflict, difficult political negotiations and carried out various investigations into the economics and the mining sector.
  • Built contacts with bottom to top end of Congolese society, including mere citizens, civil society organizations, political groups, businessmen, artists, activists and top politicians.
  • Daily reporting in respect with BBC guidelines of accuracy that include verifying any information with at least two different sources before reporting it on air.
  • Worked independently flexible hours; night, weekend, and holiday shifts.
  • Creating, training and leading a team of local journalists and staff members.
  • Found and opened an office that could accommodate and offer decent logistics to the local staff.
  • Negotiated with the authorities to help the BBC being accessible via FM to all sectors of the population.


Producer

BBC
07.2004 - 12.2004
  • Built daily news programs.
  • Commissioned radio reports to correspondents, mainly in Africa.
  • Create, record, edit and mix interviews as well as longer radio packages.
  • Create radio documentaries.
  • Coordinated with producers and on-air talent to create program content, new ideas and segments.
  • Presented the news.


Education

Masters of Art - Radio

Goldsmiths College, University of London, London

Mastère - Journalisme et Communication

Université Libre de Bruxelles

Diploma - Training of Trainers in Journalism.

BBC Training Unit, London

Diploma - Estudios espanolas e hispanicas

Universidad Central de Barcelona

Diplôme d’Etudes secondaires -

Ecole Decroly, Brussels

Skills

  • Writing, filming and editing articles, documentary films and podcasts
  • Good sense of investigation with a special focus on Africa
  • Creating and managing budgets
  • Good sense of human relationships
  • Classroom Lecturing and providing individual support with a special focus on creative journalism and film directing

Awards

Prix Albert Londres (France's most prestigious award often described as France's Pulitzer Prize in journalism) was attributed to the director of the film "Congo Lucha", a film I produced.

Personal mention for BBC's best reporting award.

Prix Bayeux of war correspondents.



Timeline

Adjunct Lecturer - Ecole Supérieure de Journalisme, ESJ
12.2020 - 03.2021
Film Director "The Rush for Cobalt" - Les Films du Tambour de Soie / Esprit Libre Prod.
03.2020 - 06.2022
Senior Editor - European Commission
09.2012 - 06.2013
CEO - Esprit Libre production
03.2011 - Current
Central Africa Correspondent, Reporter, Film-maker - France 24
01.2008 - 06.2010
DRCongo correspondent - BBC World Service
01.2005 - 01.2008
Producer - BBC
07.2004 - 12.2004
Goldsmiths College, University of London - Masters of Art, Radio
Université Libre de Bruxelles - Mastère, Journalisme et Communication
BBC Training Unit - Diploma, Training of Trainers in Journalism.
Universidad Central de Barcelona - Diploma, Estudios espanolas e hispanicas
Ecole Decroly - Diplôme d’Etudes secondaires,

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