At Epic Light Media we don’t subscribe. We don’t subscribe to boring or unoriginal. That means we take your big documentary project and give it the heart it needs to impact people’s lives for the better. Let’s make something together.
Documentaries
There is nothing that moves people more than a powerful story. The ability to tell stories, to convince one another of brave ideas and new ways of thinking, is what defines us as a species. It was the major evolutionary step that allowed us to conquer the world.
Religion. Nations. Human rights. The economy. All these concepts are at their core built up from the imagination of the collective human consciousness. Our need to constantly pass information from one another was an evolutionary advantage, allowing us to develop storytelling as our greatest ever cultural tool. And who tells the greatest stories of all? Advertisers.
The greatest stories of all.
There is a simple truth in advertising. People need stuff. Brands sell stuff. Advertisers tell people what stuff to buy. We are the middlemen in this transaction, guiding the masses toward the product that will make their lives complete. At our Arizona documentary production company, we are always looking for a way to use the medium in a new and interesting way. So, where does documentary filmmaking fit into this cold hard world of commerce? It’s all about adding trust to your brand message.
We are all in search of things we can trust. And while advertising is a great way to spread the word about your company, it doesn’t always instill the necessary confidence needed for its audience. The beauty of the documentary form is that it is seen as inherently trustworthy. Documentaries tap into our need to connect directly with other human beings. We hear their stories, how their lives have been impacted, and what they have to say. It’s through this simple and honest storytelling technique that can show your brand is trustworthy.
What makes a good documentary?
The documentary form is all about creating a story viewed through a genuine and authentic lens. The best place to begin when coming up with ideas for a documentary is to look at your brand and see where humanity lies. One simple example would be if you were promoting your health service, then you might document a heartfelt story of a customer’s recovery journey while using your service.
There are some techniques that lend well to the form. Setting up face to face interviews with real people is a great way to add that human touch. Following a subject in their day to day lives, allowing the audience to live in their shoes for a moment. Teaching the world something new or giving them a new perspective to change their minds on an important subject. And a bit of handheld camerawork is always a big help to pull it all together. The physical mechanics of making it are mostly about style and time. It takes a little longer than your average advert but the results are often much more heartfelt and effective.
It will open up the human stories, people, places, important causes, and social movements that your brand wants to shout about. The most challenging aspect of this documentary format is finding a worthy subject matter that can be connected to your brand. This needs to be given plenty of thought, as there are plenty of examples of brands being called out for giving a false portrayal of themselves. Once you’ve found the cause that is true to the values of your brand then you can connect with the real people that truly represent that cause.
Finding truth for Brands.
The world of advertising needs the documentary medium to unearth truthful stories. It is a well-known fact that consumers give meaning to the brands and products that they value the most. By reaching out to your community then you are crossing the divide between commerce and culture.
For a company, it can be a really fulfilling way to show your brand and create a special and meaningful piece of film. If this seems like a high-minded approach that’s because it is. We want people to talk about your commercial. Big subjects make big conversations. The ultimate goal is for the advert to take a life of its own and generate enough interest to spread across every platform and outlet. Hashtags aside, people will be more than willing to back your brand and product if they can get behind your campaign.
There is always space to develop this documentary-style content within your brand. It is a great way to build out a larger marketing campaign with smaller bitesize interviews and testimonies backing up your bigger message. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the people connected to your brand and shout about the issues that they’re dealing with. It might be beauty perceptions for a fashion brand or a drive to find homes for homeless people during winter. It should always be honest and this will pay dividends for your brand image.
Our experience with documentary filmmaking is vast and varied. We specialize in truthful stories that hit right at the heart of the issues that matter. If you need to build out your documentary campaign give us a shout. Let’s make something together.
Common Questions
What are the advantages of commercial documentaries?
Documentaries have the power to change the world. They provide humans with a way to see how other people live, understand subjects that are important, and to empathize with the world at large. For brands and companies that want to change the world for the better or get their personal message across they can be an incredible resource. It’s possible for brands to connect with audiences far further than they anticipated and create a genuine following by telling unique and compelling stories.
What is a commercial documentary?
It’s pretty much the same as a regular documentary, except that it’s produced by a commercial entity. The documentary will often serve the needs of the company in some particular way, such as reflecting the brand identity or featuring their product or service. The real success in this style of documentary is in the story you want to tell. It needs to be relevant to your brand but also to the public at large. The key is finding the right story for your brand and that’s something we’re experts at. Get in touch to talk about your next big brand story.
How can I film a documentary-style advert?
First and foremost, you need to find the right story for your brand. If your business needs to prioritize being environmentally friendly, then there is space to talk about this subject in a positive manner. There is also a certain style of filmmaking that is synonymous with documentaries, with a loose handheld camera action or the premium interviews you see on sports docs. We’re comfortable with each and every method of footage capture to get the story on film. Once you’ve got all the footage to tell your story then the real work begins in the edit. We can help you find your story and broadcast it to the world.