Documentary Film | Production | Costs

Our Promises to You

A Young & Highly Motivated Team
Our team consists of young and motivated employees. When choosing us as your partner in the production of any project you can be sure that your film project will be realised according to the latest standards. We make sure that your final product corresponds to the spirit of time.

Complete Support
From the very beginning, we support you with a competent and complete consultation. From the first conversation through the production to the end of your film project. We want to be your partner, not just a service provider.

Highest Quality
Our extensive technology from well-known manufacturers enables us to guarantee you the best possible quality for your projects. It is really important to us to always achieve the maximum with our work.

Creativity & Award-Winning Experience
We see ourselves not only as a service provider but also understand ourselves as creative artists. Because of that it is important to us that our team, besides the business, has time for their own projects. In recent years, we have won more than 35 film awards with three of our productions – including the "Certificate Highly Commended” (german: “Prädikat Besonders Wertvoll”).

What is a Documentary Film?

By definition the first moving images were documentary films. In these pictures individual moments were captured from real life. The documentation genre has therefore enjoyed great popularity for several decades – and will continue to be an important part of the film industry in the future.

In the production of the documentary film it is important to us to make a modern video and capture as many emotions as possible. However, we also focus on the authenticity. It is important to capture the reality of events and to represent them appropriately. Scenes which are set up or embarrassing are therefore not an option for us. In a documentary, real actions, people, circumstances, and events need to be presented in a way that allows the viewer to get a realistic picture of it. As a result, documentaries generally do not produce detailed storyboards that anticipate actions in advance.
Rather, you work out a rough story to follow a central idea during production. The rest comes with the help of improvisation and a good sense for people and actions. This is the only way to get authentic and emotional stories.

The Conception
Because documentary films typically depict reality, the biggest challenge is finding people with a personal history who can give the film a vivid character. Defining a target group can help planning the project. This is important in order to set the message of the documentation to be conveyed in a way that is appropriate to the target group and to clearly define the associated communication goal.

The Organisation
Depending on the duration of the shoot and the intended content of the documentation, it is necessary to schedule and procure any equipment and staff that may be required.

Highest Quality
Current quality standards are a guideline for us: Our modern technology from well-known manufacturers enables us to always achieve the highest possible image quality. Like this, we can provide you with the best pictures and thus a perfect result.

Professional Sound
In order to achieve the right effect, pictures are usually accompanied by music and other sound effects – in documentary films the right sound plays an important role. A professional speaker can also be hired to accompany the story of the documentary.

What is the Purpose of a Documentary?

The main intention of a documentary is to evoke emotions which cast a spell over the audience. A documentary should document and inform. On the other hand such a film should also encourage the viewer to reflect on and deal with the topic. For this purpose, mostly personal stories and / or individual fates are told. With moving images, the right speaker and atmospheric music, the story of the documentary is completed. The goal of a documentary film is to touch and catch the audience on an emotional level.

Production & Costs of a Documentary

First of all, all-in prices can not be stated. That is because every documentary differs in its effort. In terms of the time required for a documentary, the length of the documentary is not the most important factor. Shorter documentaries (60 to 90 seconds) are often produced with the same amount of total effort as longer documentaries (120 to 180 seconds). The decisive factors are the number of shooting days, the amount of material shot and the size of the team.

First, the topic of the film is defined in the conception. Together with the customer, a basic story is developed for this purpose. Then the goal and the purpose of the documentation are defined. After that we will create the script. The emotion that is to be achieved as well as the information of the target group should also have been determined by that time at the latest. The conception process usually takes about one to three days. If actors are needed for the documentary they must of course be organised. Perfect for a documentary are people who appear confidently in front of the camera, appear authentic and speak a clear language. Short interviews with several people provide a lot of variety.

In addition to the right equipment and suitable filming locations, actors and staff have to be organised. Please consider that additional costs can occur for props, rides and technology rentals. During the shoot, the previously prepared schedule will be followed. The size of the film crew depends on the size of the project – the bigger the project is and the longer the shooting takes, the more staff is needed. Another very time-consuming aspect is post-production. Huge amounts of data must be sifted and sorted out. This applies above all for documentaries. One second of playing time in the finished film is often accompanied by 5 to 10 minutes of raw material. The design of the intros / outros or animations and special effects can be additionally designed by our graphic designers. The right music and sound effects are a very important stylistic device since they can significantly enhance a documentary. GEMA-free songs are the cheapest option. They are paid for by a license model. On request, we also compose your own, unique music.

Conclusion

Our team not only offers you competent support in the production of your documentary, but also in video projects such as the creation of commercials, tutorials and image films. In the past we have already gained extensive experience in a number of successful projects. The television commercials of the online printing company Saxoprint and the opening credits of the 18th and 19th season of the German KIKA youth series "Schloss Einstein" are among our best-known productions.

If you are looking for an experienced partner for your video or film project, we look forward to hearing from you and are more than happy to help!