Documentary development & production
We make documentaries through research into people’s stories, everyday lives and cultural contexts. Film, YouTube programmes and audio offer different forms for each subject and audience.
Research before conclusions.
Even a clear brief leaves room for unexpected voices and events. Rather than forcing the material into a predetermined story, we develop the structure through what the research reveals and the purpose of the project.
For an organisation or a place, the people and histories behind its activities matter as much as the activities themselves. We discuss the relationship between communication goals and editorial space at the outset.
Production stages to discuss
- Development & research
- Defining the subject, reviewing sources, identifying participants and conducting preliminary interviews.
- Interviews & filming
- Planning interviews and filming around the people and locations, including permissions and the impact on participants.
- Structure & editing
- Developing the structure through images, words and sound, with review stages and revision scope agreed in advance.
- Finishing & release preparation
- Discussing delivery formats, captions and rights for the intended outlet. Foreign-language subtitles and screening materials are scoped separately as needed.
Define what to follow before its length.
Running time alone does not determine cost or schedule. Research duration, filming days, locations, archive and music rights, subtitles and review rounds all matter. A short work may still require sustained research.
Share the subject, your relationship with prospective participants, the intended outlet and timing. If duration or budget is undecided, we can first identify the requirements.
Explore LORE’s projectsAbout documentary production
Can the subject be an organisation or a community?
Yes. We discuss not only what to introduce but whose perspective to take and what context to include, alongside communication goals, participant information and review arrangements.
What if the documentary is for YouTube?
Use documentary production for a research-led work, or YouTube production and management if you also need an ongoing programme and channel plan. A project can span both.
Are festival submissions and international release included?
Share release ambitions during development. Submissions, subtitles and distribution are not automatically included; responsibilities and costs need separate agreement. Selection or release is not guaranteed.