Documentary | Finding the thread in dozens of hours of footage

These situations are a good fit

  • Portraits: the life stories of craftspeople, creators and older people
  • Local culture: preserving a record of communities, industries and traditional crafts
  • Issue-led documentaries: subjects that need interviews from several sides and a lot of material to organise
  • Companies or institutions recording their history, or a long-form brand story
  • Academic or research projects documenting their findings on film
  • Oral history interviews to be organised and turned into film

Common formats and lengths

  • 10–20 minutes: short form, suited to exhibition playback and online release
  • 30–50 minutes: television length, or a festival short
  • 60 minutes and over: feature length
  • Landscape 1920×1080 or 3840×2160
  • Chinese subtitles are usually needed; for festival submission an English-subtitled version is also required

Please have these ready

The rules for materials are simple. Just follow whichever one of the options below matches what you have:

1. You already have footage

  • Upload the original files to Google Drive, then share the folder link with us
  • Please put the files in order first — name them in the order you want them to appear (01, 02, 03…). This step saves a great deal of back-and-forth and makes the quote more accurate
  • Please send the original files rather than sending them through a messaging app, which compresses them and costs you quality

2. You do not have footage yet

A simple script is enough. You only need to write down three things:

  • From which second to which second
  • What is on screen
  • What text appears

For example:

0–5 sec | Opening shot (for example an aerial of the setting, the entrance, the product itself) | Text: the brand or topic name
5–12 sec | Main content, camera pushing in slowly | Text: the one line you most want people to remember
12–20 sec | Closing shot | Text: contact details or a call to action

It does not need to be beautifully written, just clear. We will use that script to assess how feasible it is and what the scope of work would be.

For anything else, just ask on our official LINE.

How we work together

Every project is bespoke, so the process starts with “taking a look first”, not with a price.

Fill in the enquiry form

Tell us the video type, length, format and delivery date. It takes about a minute.

Send the material or a script

If you have footage, upload it to Google Drive and put it in order; if you do not, send a simple three-point script (from which second to which second / what is on screen / what text appears).

Assessment and quotation

We tell you what we found and how much improvement you can expect, and send a quote for you to decide on. If we judge that it cannot be handled, we will say so and explain why.

Production and delivery

We deliver a first cut on the agreed schedule, and export the finished film once the revisions are confirmed. Working days are counted from confirmation of payment.

Frequently asked questions

We have dozens of hours of footage — can you handle that?

Yes, but to be honest about it: the volume of footage has a direct effect on the hours involved and on the quote. Tell us roughly the total running time and how many people were interviewed, and we can give you a sensible assessment.

What if the interview audio was badly recorded?

Most of it can be improved. Background noise, uneven levels and room reverb can all be dealt with — see audio noise repair. If the voice signal itself has gone, there is only so much that can be done.

Can you produce the transcripts?

We can look into it. Transcription is a separate item of work and is quoted separately, so please say whether you need it when you enquire.

Will you take part in discussions about the content?

Yes. A documentary's structure cannot be decided without understanding the material, so once we have watched the footage we put a structure to you, and only proceed once it has been discussed and agreed.

How long does it take?

It depends on the amount of footage and the length, and it is usually measured in “weeks” or even “months”. Once we have assessed it we give you a clear stage-by-stage schedule rather than one vague number.

Thinking about a documentary?

Email us and we will reply with what else we need to know, then move on to assessment and a quote. LINE works too.

Chat with us on LINE