Why Our 4-6 Week Documentary Process Delivers Better Results

Documentary-style brand films that deliver faster without cutting corners.

Most video companies take 8-12 weeks.

They spend weeks in meetings, months in post-production, and endless cycles of revisions.

We deliver in 4-6 weeks.

Here’s exactly why our documentary approach works better—and faster.

The Problem with Traditional Video Timelines

Traditional Corporate Video: 16-20 Weeks

Week 1-2: Initial meetings and brief development
Week 3-4: Script writing and storyboarding
Week 5-6: Equipment booking and scheduling
Week 7-9: Production (spread across multiple days)
Week 10-15: Post-production editing
Week 16-18: Revisions and final approval
Week 19-20: Final delivery

Total: 4-5 months

The problems:

Endless meetings that don’t add value
Scripts that sound corporate instead of authentic
Production stretched across too many days
Post-production that prioritizes perfection over storytelling
Revision cycles that go nowhere

Our Documentary Approach: 4-6 Weeks

Week 1: Discovery and story development
Week 2: Pre-production and planning
Week 3: Production (2-3 focused days)
Week 4-5: Post-production and first cut
Week 6: Final revisions and delivery

Total: 4-6 weeks

Why Documentary-Style is Faster

Documentary filmmakers work with constraints:

Limited time with subjects
Natural lighting and environments
Authentic conversations over scripts
Focus on truth over perfection

We bring these principles to corporate filmmaking:

More authentic content in less time
Professional quality without corporate stiffness
Stories people want to watch
Results that justify the investment

What Makes Our Process Different

1. Story-First Discovery (Week 1)

Instead of endless requirements meetings, we spend 1-2 weeks discovering the real human story behind your brand.

What this means: We dig into your organization until we find the actual human moments that make people care.

Real example: For an energy company, we spent 90 minutes understanding not just their services, but their role in maintaining power during extreme weather. That became the heart of their story.

Time investment: 15-20 hours of professional work
Value delivered: Story clarity and production efficiency

Why discovery takes a full week:

Traditional agencies ask: “What do you want to communicate?”

We ask different questions:

“What customer problem keeps you up at night?”
“Tell me about a time your product actually saved someone’s ass.”
“What do your best employees say about working here that you never put in marketing?”

These conversations can’t be rushed. A 30-minute kickoff call won’t uncover the real story.

Real discovery outcome:

A manufacturing client requested a “company overview video.” Generic. Boring.

During discovery, we learned their real differentiator: they’d never missed a delivery deadline in 23 years. Not once. Even during the 2013 flood that shut down half of Southern Alberta.

That became the story: not what they make, but their obsessive commitment to promises kept.

The video drove 47 qualified leads in 60 days. A “company overview” would have driven zero.

2. Efficient Pre-Production (Week 2)

Good preparation prevents production problems.

Our pre-production phase:

Location scouting and logistics
Interview preparation
Equipment and crew coordination
Final review and confirmation

Time investment: 10-15 hours
Value delivered: Smooth production, professional results

3. Focused Production (Week 3)

Documentary-style efficiency in action.

Instead of:

Multiple days of setup and breakdown
Endless takes and retakes
Corporate interview setups
Artificial lighting and staging

We do:

Focused 2-3 day intensive shoots
Natural lighting and authentic environments
Documentary interview techniques
Efficient crew movement

Results:

Higher quality footage in less time
More authentic and engaging content
Reduced disruption to your operations
Better overall value

Time investment: 3 full days of production
Value delivered: 12-18 hours of broadcast-quality footage

4. Story-Driven Post-Production (Weeks 4-5)

Editing that serves the story, not perfection.

Instead of:

Endless revision cycles with no clear goals
Technical perfection over narrative impact
Over-editing that distracts from your story

We do:

Clear revision process with specific goals
Story-first editing approach
Efficient feedback implementation

Time investment: 50-60 hours of professional editing
Value delivered: Professional film with multiple platform options

What actually happens in post-production:

Week 4, Days 1-2: Review all footage (6-12 hours of raw material)

Tag the best moments
Identify story arc
Select interview soundbites

Week 4, Days 3-5: Rough cut assembly

Build narrative structure
Cut interviews down to key points
Add B-roll for visual interest
Deliver rough cut for client feedback

Week 5, Days 1-2: Client review and feedback

Stakeholders watch rough cut
Provide consolidated feedback
We clarify revision requests

Week 5, Days 3-5: Revisions and polish

Implement feedback
Color grading
Audio mixing
Final graphics and titles

Week 6: Final tweaks and delivery

Last review cycle
Export in multiple formats
Deliver all assets

Why this is faster than traditional agencies:

We don’t chase perfection. We chase impact.

Traditional editors will spend 8 hours adjusting color on one shot. We spend 8 hours making sure the story flows.

The result? Better engagement, faster delivery, same professional quality.

Why 4-6 Weeks Works Better

For Your Business:

Faster Time-to-Market

Launch campaigns sooner
Meet deadlines consistently
Capitalize on market opportunities
Reduce overall project costs

Better Story Development

More authentic narrative
Stronger audience connection
Higher engagement rates (our 73% completion rate vs 37% industry average)
Better business results

Reduced Disruption

Minimal impact on operations
Efficient scheduling
Professional approach
Clear expectations

For Your Marketing:

Immediate Impact

Content ready when you need it
Seasonal timing alignment
Campaign synchronization
Competitive advantages

Multiple Applications

Website integration
Social media content
Sales presentations
Recruitment materials

Common Questions

”Can you do it faster?”

4 weeks is our minimum timeline for quality results.

Why:

Discovery requires time to find the real story
Professional production needs adequate planning
Quality post-production can’t be rushed
Effective revision process requires time

But we’ve delivered in 3 weeks for urgent situations with additional resources, client commitment to quick feedback, and clear scope.

”How do you maintain quality with a fast timeline?”

Our process is designed for efficiency, not shortcuts:

Experienced team: 65+ films of refined process
Documentary approach: Authentic content in less time
Professional equipment: Quality without extended setups
Clear communication: Prevents delays and revisions
Story-first focus: Editing serves the narrative

”What happens if we’re not satisfied?”

We’re committed to your satisfaction.

Our process includes:

Regular check-ins and approvals
Clear feedback and revision guidelines
Professional standards and quality control
Final approval before delivery

If issues arise, we provide open communication, additional revision rounds if needed, and commitment to making it right.

The Hidden Cost of Slow Timelines

Let’s talk about what you’re actually losing when video takes 4-5 months:

Missed Market Opportunities

You need a recruitment video for spring hiring season. Traditional agency delivers in August. You missed your window.

Stale Content

Your industry changes. Competitors launch. Your messaging evolves. By the time the video arrives, it’s already outdated.

Momentum Loss

Week 1: Team is excited Week 8: Team is engaged Week 16: Team forgot this project exists Week 20: “Oh yeah, that video”

Momentum matters. Engagement matters. Long timelines kill both.

Real Example: Time-Sensitive Opportunity

An agriculture client needed a video for an industry trade show in 6 weeks. They’d already been turned down by three agencies (“we need 12-14 weeks minimum”).

We delivered in 5 weeks:

Week 1: Discovery and planning
Week 2: Location scouting and interview prep
Week 3: Production (2 days)
Week 4-5: Edit and revisions

They screened the video at the trade show. It generated 67 qualified leads and $340,000 in new business.

A slower timeline would have meant missing the show entirely. Zero ROI.

What “Fast” Doesn’t Mean

Fast doesn’t mean:

✗ Cutting corners on quality
✗ Skipping discovery
✗ Rushing through production
✗ Delivering something half-baked

Fast means:

✓ Focused, efficient process
✓ Clear decision-making
✓ No wasted time in meetings
✓ Experienced team that knows the workflow

We’ve done this 65+ times. We know exactly how long each phase takes and what actually matters.

The Bottom Line

Traditional video companies take 4-5 months.

We deliver professional films in 4-6 weeks.

The difference isn’t shortcuts—it’s efficiency.

Documentary-style filmmaking delivers:

Faster time-to-market
More authentic content
Better audience engagement (73% completion rate)
Stronger business results

That’s 90-110 hours of professional work across 65+ refined films since 2019.

Want to see how our process works for your story?

Book a discovery call →

Read more about our process:

Discovery & Pre-Production Breakdown - Coming soon
Production Through Delivery - Coming soon

Coalbanks Creative: Documentary-style films delivered in 4-6 weeks. Starting at $8,000. 65+ films since 2019. 73% average completion rate.