Behind-the-Scenes: The Documentary Production Process

Documentary production is fundamentally different from any other form of video content. While music videos and corporate productions follow carefully planned scripts and shot lists, documentaries demand flexibility, authenticity, and the ability to capture truth as it unfolds. After producing dozens of documentaries ranging from artist profiles to major construction projects, I've learned that great documentary work is equal parts preparation and improvisation.

In this guide, I'll walk you through the complete documentary production process we use at 171 Entertainment, sharing insights from our award-winning work.

Phase 1: Pre-Production and Research

Many people assume documentaries are simply about showing up with a camera and filming reality. Nothing could be further from the truth. The pre-production phase is where documentaries are truly made.

Story Discovery and Research

Before we roll a single frame, we invest significant time understanding the story:

• Subject research: Spend weeks or even months learning about your subject matter. Read everything available, watch related documentaries, understand the context.
• Character identification: Who are the key people who can tell this story? Not everyone who seems important initially will be compelling on camera.
• Narrative arc discovery: What's the real story here? Often the story you start researching isn't the story you end up telling.
• Historical timeline: Build a detailed timeline of events if your documentary covers a historical period or process.

Pro tip: Conduct pre-interviews without cameras rolling. People speak more freely in casual conversations, and you'll discover story angles you'd never find in formal interviews.

Creating Your Documentary Treatment

Unlike scripted content, a documentary treatment is a living document that outlines your intended approach:

• Logline: A single sentence that captures your documentary's essence
• Synopsis: A paragraph describing the story arc
• Character profiles: Detailed backgrounds on your main subjects
• Visual approach: How will you tell this story visually?
• Thematic elements: What deeper themes does this documentary explore?
• Interview questions: Key questions for each subject (though you'll deviate from these)

Phase 2: Production - Capturing Reality

Documentary production requires different skills and equipment than traditional video production. You're not controlling a set - you're observing and capturing real life.

Interview Techniques That Work

Great documentary interviews feel like conversations, not interrogations. Here's our approach:

• Create comfort first: Spend 15-30 minutes before filming just talking. Let subjects forget about the camera.
• Start broad, go deep: Begin with easy questions, then gradually move to more emotional or complex territory.
• Use silence: Don't rush to fill every pause. Some of the most powerful moments come after silence.
• Follow the emotion: If a subject becomes emotional or passionate, lean into that moment with follow-up questions.
• Ask for stories, not facts: "Tell me about a time when..." elicits better responses than "What do you think about..."

Capturing Observational Footage

The heart of documentary filmmaking is observational footage - the unscripted moments that reveal truth:

• Be invisible: Use minimal crew and equipment. The smaller your footprint, the more natural people behave.
• Shoot everything: You never know which moment will be pivotal. Keep cameras rolling.
• Anticipate action: Based on your research, position yourself where important moments are likely to happen.
• Capture details: Close-ups of hands working, objects, environments - these cutaways are editing gold.
• Audio is critical: Natural sound brings authenticity. Capture ambient audio at every location.

Real example: During a construction documentary, we noticed workers always gathered at a particular spot during breaks. By simply positioning a camera there each morning, we captured authentic conversations that revealed the human side of the project - material that became central to the final film.

Technical Setup for Documentaries

Documentary production demands reliable, flexible equipment:

• Camera selection: Prioritise reliability and low-light performance over maximum resolution. Documentary subjects won't wait for you to change settings.
• Audio redundancy: Always record audio to multiple sources. Use wireless lavs plus a boom mic when possible.
• Lighting approach: Natural light when possible, but have practical lights ready to enhance without making scenes look "lit."
• Stabilisation: Shoulder rigs, gimbals, or monopods for mobile shooting while maintaining stability.

Phase 3: Building Your B-Roll and Archive

B-roll transforms good documentaries into great ones. This is the visual material that supports your narrative and keeps viewers engaged.

Essential Types of B-Roll

• Environmental establishes: Wide shots of locations that provide context
• Process footage: People working, creating, doing their daily activities
• Detail shots: Close-ups that reveal character and add visual interest
• Transitional shots: Movement between locations, weather changes, time passing
• Historical material: Photos, archival footage, documents (cleared for use)

Similar to planning a music video shoot, you need a shot list - but stay flexible enough to capture unexpected moments.

Working with Archive Footage

Many documentaries require historical footage or photography:

• Research archive sources early in pre-production
• Budget for archive licensing fees
• Consider motion graphics to bring still images to life
• Ensure all historical material is properly credited

Phase 4: Post-Production - Finding the Story

This is where documentaries truly come alive. Post-production for documentaries is less about executing a plan and more about discovering what story you've actually captured.

The Assembly Edit Process

Your first edit is about organization and discovery:

• Transcribe everything: All interviews should be transcribed. This allows you to search for key moments easily.
• Log and categorise: Tag footage by subject, location, emotion, theme. Thorough organisation saves countless hours.
• Create select reels: Pull the best moments from interviews and observational footage before attempting to assemble.
• Build a paper edit: Using transcripts, sketch out your story structure before touching the timeline.
• Assemble chronologically first: Put the story together in the order it happened, then experiment with structure.

Finding Your Narrative Structure

Documentary structure isn't predetermined - you discover it in the edit:

• Chronological: Following events as they happened in time
• Thematic: Organizing around themes or ideas rather than timeline
• Character-driven: Following the journey of specific individuals
• Question-driven: Posing questions and exploring answers
• Hybrid: Combining multiple approaches for complexity

Don't be afraid to kill your darlings. That amazing interview quote might not serve the story. The story always comes first.

Technical Post-Production

Once your story structure is solid, technical work begins:

• Audio mixing: Balance interview levels, enhance natural sound, add music thoughtfully
• Colour grading: Create consistency across footage shot in different conditions
• Graphics and titles: Lower thirds for interview subjects, location titles, dates
• Music selection: Choose music that supports without overwhelming the narrative
• Final polish: Smooth transitions, fix any technical issues, ensure perfect timing

Music in documentaries should enhance emotion without manipulating it. The story should work even without music - score should amplify what's already there.

Documentary Ethics and Integrity

Documentary filmmakers have a responsibility to truth. Unlike our work on commercial content, documentaries must maintain ethical standards:

• Informed consent: Subjects should understand how they'll be portrayed
• Contextual accuracy: Never edit interviews to change meaning
• Transparency: Be clear about your intentions and the nature of your film
• Fair representation: Present multiple perspectives when appropriate
• Fact-checking: Verify all claims and historical information

Types of Documentary Projects

At 171 Entertainment, we've produced various documentary formats, each requiring different approaches:

Artist Profile Documentaries

These explore the life and work of musicians or performers:

• Combination of performance footage and intimate interviews
• Focus on creative process and personal journey
• Often includes concert or studio footage
• Balances public persona with private reality

Corporate Documentaries

Business-focused documentaries that tell company or project stories:

• Document major projects from inception to completion
• Highlight team members and company culture
• Combine process footage with expert interviews
• Often used for marketing, recruitment, or historical record

Social Issue Documentaries

Exploring social themes or community issues:

• Require extensive research and sensitivity
• Multiple perspectives essential for balance
• Often advocate for change while maintaining objectivity
• Particularly important to handle subjects with respect

Documentary Production Timeline

Unlike other forms of video production, documentaries have flexible timelines. Here's a typical structure:

• Pre-production: 4-8 weeks for short docs, 3-6 months for feature-length
• Principal photography: 2-6 weeks spread over months (shooting key events as they happen)
• Additional shooting: Ongoing as story develops
• Assembly edit: 2-4 weeks
• Fine cut: 4-8 weeks with multiple revision rounds
• Final post-production: 2-3 weeks

Total production time can range from 3-4 months for a short documentary to 12-18 months for more complex projects.

Budget Considerations

Documentary budgets vary enormously based on scope:

• Small budget (under $10k): Solo filmmaker or tiny crew, minimal travel, short form
• Medium budget ($10k-$50k): Small professional crew, moderate travel, 20-40 minute runtime
• Larger budget ($50k+): Full crew, extensive travel, longer shooting schedule, feature length

Key budget considerations:

• Extended shooting schedules (crew costs accumulate)
• Travel and accommodation for location shoots
• Archive footage licensing fees
• Music licensing (or custom composition)
• Extensive post-production time

Final Thoughts: The Art of Documentary

Documentary production is the most challenging and rewarding form of filmmaking. Unlike scripted content where you control every element, documentaries require you to observe, adapt, and discover stories as they unfold. The best documentaries don't just show events - they reveal truth, evoke emotion, and change perspectives.

The key to successful documentary work is respecting your subjects, maintaining flexibility, and trusting the process. Not every shooting day will yield gold, but when you capture those authentic moments of truth, you'll remember why documentary filmmaking is so powerful.

At 171 Entertainment, our documentary work has taken us from construction sites to recording studios, from small communities to major corporate projects. Each documentary teaches us something new about storytelling, people, and the craft of filmmaking.

If you have a story that needs to be told - whether it's documenting a major project, capturing an artist's journey, or exploring a community issue - we'd love to discuss how documentary production can bring that story to life.

Get in touch to explore documentary production for your next project.