Documentary Video Production
Some companies have a story too big for a short film. A technology the industry runs on. A founding that is already a legend. We find the story and turn it into a full-length documentary people remember.
Documentaries we've made
We have told stories from inside some of the biggest companies in the world. Our documentaries have premiered in theatres and at industry events. This is what we can do for you.
2023 · 78 min
React.JS
A small team at Facebook builds a tool for one app, and it takes over the web. A Cult.Repo original.
Who commissions a full-length documentary
A full-length documentary is not the right format for every company. It is the right format when the story is too big for anything shorter, and that is usually true in one of three situations.
You changed how your industry works
Every industry has a few things everyone now does without knowing where they came from. If your company is where one of them started, the story of how is a film your whole field will watch.
Your founding story is already a legend
Some companies have an origin story that gets repeated at conferences and dinners by people who were never there. A film is the first time it gets told properly by the people who were in the room.
Something happened, and you were in the middle of it
Some companies were in the room when an industry, a city or a way of doing things changed. Everyone else tells that story from the outside. You can tell it from the inside.
Don’t need a full-length film?
If you don’t need a full-length film, these are the shorter ones we can help make.
Brand Story Films
For when the product has people worth meeting.
Company Story Films
For when the founding story should be on record.
Nonprofit & Impact Films
For when donors need to see the work.
Recruitment Videos
For when candidates should see the work before they apply.
Mini-Docs
For when the story is one person, one idea, ten minutes.
Everything you get with the film
You commission one film and receive everything you will need to promote your company with it, from the full documentary to the trailer.
- The full-length documentary
- A trailer
- A film poster
- The full interviews
- Full usage rights
How a film gets made
Our documentary production services run in four steps, from the first conversation to the finished film.
01
The conversation
You tell us the story you think is there and the budget you have. We tell you honestly what fits, and you get a fixed quote before anything starts.
02
Research
We talk to the people who were there, go through the archive, and find the story that is actually in the company. You see the plan and approve it before the cameras roll.
03
Filming
We film where it happened, with the people it happened to, in real conversations rather than scripted answers. A small crew means the room stays normal, and that is when people say the things worth filming.
04
Edit & delivery
Most of a documentary is made in the edit. We build the film from the interviews, you see two cuts, give notes, and the finished version is delivered in every format you need.
The crew
Josiah Mcgarvie, Ida Bechtle and Guillermo Lopez, the team behind Cult.Repo. They have spent years filming the people who built the modern web. Berlin Film House is the same crew, making documentaries for companies.
Frequently asked questions
What does documentary video production cost?
Every film is priced on scope: filming days, locations and length. Tell us your budget in the first call and we will tell you honestly what it can get you. Then you get a fixed quote, so there are no surprises.
How long does a documentary production take?
A full-length documentary usually takes three to six months from first call to finished film. Filming is a few days to a few weeks, depending on how many people are interviewed and where they are. Most of the time is spent researching and editing.
How much of our time will it take?
Less than you expect. We need a kickoff conversation, help scheduling interviews, and notes on two cuts. We handle everything else, including research, filming and the edit.
Where do you film?
Anywhere. We are based in Berlin and regularly film across Europe, the US and Australia. Travel is planned and priced into the quote up front.
Who owns the film?
You do. You receive the finished film in every format you need, with full usage rights.
What is the difference between a documentary and a corporate video?
A corporate video is scripted, and it says what the company wants said. A documentary is researched, and it finds out what actually happened. That is why people watch one to the end and skip the other.
Got a story worth filming?
Tell us what it is and who it is for. We read every message and reply ourselves.