Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a documentary cost?

Most commissioned films fall between $3,000 and $20,000 depending on length, shoot days, and scope — from a 3-minute story short to a 45-minute signature documentary with a premiere screening. Every project starts with a free scope conversation, and you'll have a written proposal with a firm number before anything is filmed. No surprises.

How long does it take?

A short film typically runs 4–8 weeks from first conversation to delivery. Longer documentaries that follow a season, an event, or a story as it unfolds can take several months — the story's own calendar usually sets the timeline. If your film is tied to a date (an anniversary, a gala, a dedication, a demolition), say so early; real events make the best deadlines.

Do you travel outside of Findlay?

Yes. The studio is based in Findlay, Ohio and serves Northwest Ohio — Findlay, Bluffton, Lima, Toledo, and the surrounding counties — and travels throughout Ohio and the Midwest for the right story.

What kinds of films do you make?

Three kinds. Brand documentaries for companies — founder stories, anniversary films, recruiting films. Legacy and community films — schools, churches, farms, and buildings a community is about to lose. And nonprofit impact films — made for galas, capital campaigns, and the moments a story has to carry the ask.

Who owns the finished film?

You do. Clients receive the finished film with unlimited usage rights — your website, your events, your social channels, forever. The studio keeps portfolio rights to show the work.

We're a nonprofit. How do we afford this?

Many organizations fund their film through a local sponsor — a business underwrites part of the production and receives a "presented with support from" credit in the film. It's a genuinely good deal for the sponsor, and I'm glad to help shape that ask.

What happens after I reach out?

A conversation — free, no obligation — about what the film needs to accomplish and who it needs to move. From that comes a written scope: the story, the people we'll film, the shoot days, the timeline, and the investment. Nothing gets filmed until you've seen all of it in writing.