June 25, 2024
Do You Need a Production Team for Documentary Filming?
Documentary production is one of the most satisfying forms of video content to watch unfold when the final piece is released and made live to the public.
Nothing can quite compare to an engaging documentary that keeps people on the edge of their seats at all times, and for the record, it takes a lot of different elements to ensure that it’s going to grab and maintain the attention of the audience.
That’s why, here, we’re going to look at whether or not you need a production team for documentary filming, and if so, how many people and how you can hire them. Carry on reading to learn the entire process!
Different Roles Needed For a Documentary
Within a documentary, there are so many different roles that can be played in order to have the most efficient and high-quality documentary. Here are some of the main roles needed for your documentary film production crew:
A Production Sound Mixer
Whether your audio for the documentary is high-quality or not depends entirely on the production sound mixer. Their job is to:
- Capture the sound of every part of the production process
- Plan any sound effects in pre-production before filming
- Sync up with the film’s videographer or photographer during filming
A Videographer and/or Photographer
Rather than recording your documentary through an iPhone or camera you purchased years ago, hiring a videographer and/or photographer will be the golden ticket to receiving the most high-quality, crisp video content. They have the creative brains on shoot day to be able to create dynamic, mesmerising footage that can be turned into engaging images/videos.
An Executive Producer
If you’re talking about who the entire documentary runs through, it is the executive film producer. This is the role that everything runs through, from digital PR campaigns to speaking to television channels, distribution channels, and way more, the producer is the one that keeps the whole boat afloat.
A Film Director
The film director, on the other hand, is the one responsible for the entire creative process behind the documentary. They’re the ones who decide how everything is shot, how everything sounds, how everything looks, and how everything feels. They’re essentially the conductors of the entire film crew.
Do You Need a Production Team For a Documentary?
In regards to whether you need a production team for a documentary, we would say that if you have the upfront budget to do so, it is worth it. It’s not only going to save you lots of time creating your documentary, but you’re also going to be able to reach the full potential of the vision behind your documentary.
Sometimes, we have these grand ideas, but we don’t have the skill set to execute them. Whereas, hiring a production company will allow you to live out your goals, objectives, and vision for whatever you want to make your documentary around.
Benefits of Having a Production Team For Your Documentary
As we’ve just mentioned, a production department can allow you to live out the documentary of your dreams essentially, but what are the other benefits of hiring documentary filmmakers?
- Aligning your goals and objectives with the documentary
- You have professionals in each area of documentary production at your disposal
- It will save you a lot of time in pre-production, production, and post-production
- Once they understand your motivation, it will be almost a hands-off experience
- They can offer creative suggestions to add to your documentary based on your situation
- They will most likely have media heavyweights as connections
- Your documentary will reach a lot more people, leading to more opportunity
- You will see a lot more traction in your business
How to Hire the Best Production Team For Your Documentary
If you feel as though working on your own to create the type of documentary you want isn’t feasible, then you’re going to want to hire the best team possible for the job. Here are some tips you can use to hire the best in the industry:
Your Next Steps
Now that you know whether hiring a production team for your documentary is on the cards or not, all you need to do is pitch your project to one of these companies and get your word out there!
Here at Guide Video, we have an extremely talented team filled with documentary filmmakers, videographers, cinematographers, directors, producers, and many more, such as editors and sound mixers, to add the final touches.
We’ve worked on documentaries such as ‘The Birth of Beatlemania’ for the Beatles, the NHS, HMP Risley, and many more notable projects. Our positive reviews, feedback, and working up and down the country for our people is what drives us to work harder for future projects, so if you want to get in touch with us today regarding yours, call us at 0151 702 0140 or ‘get in touch with us’ below!
Abiee is the Business Development Executive at Guide Video. She is an accredited Marketer and has worked within the hospitality and marketing industries for a decade. Abiee works with a range of businesses across Liverpool and beyond.