award-winning documentary film production company.
Document this: beyond branding, selling, and promoting, charlieuniformtango has deep experience engaging, explaining, and revealing. Our work in the documentary space spans topics as disparate as punk rock, politics, and Shakespeare, with the common thread between them all a devotion to empathetic storytelling. Let us help you chase your muse, share your passion, or tell your truth.
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production and post-production for documentary films.
end-to-end documentary film production.
We tackle all aspects of documentary film conception, creation, and production. Whether your needs are turnkey or à la carte, charlieuniformtango has the talent and technology to handle strategy, scripting, shooting, directing, editing, VFX, motion design, scoring, and audio. Even better, we collaborate across disciplines, projects, and days to deliver results that far exceed your original ask. Simply put, we’re more than artists, we’re partners.
riveting storytelling from start to finish.
ready to make a documentary?
let’s tangoaccomplished documentary filmmakers
award-winning production, premier film festivals, international distribution
“Their talent from top to bottom has amazed me any time I get the opportunity to collaborate with CUT. Every step of the documentary film process from pre to post-production is always a joy because of how fun and professional they are. I cannot recommend them enough!”
-Grant R.
“We have the best time working with the people at CUT. They’re collaborative, and always come to the table with smart, fun ideas, and solutions. It’s such a privilege to work with them, so we keep coming back. Our post-production experience at CUT is fantastic. They’re collaborative, creative, and kind. We love working with them!”
-Sonia A.
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frequently asked questions.
how do i get started with Tango?
Click any of the “let’s tango” buttons on our website to get started. We’ll ask for some basic information about your documentary project, your budget, and your timeframe. Then, we’ll be in touch with you shortly to begin the conversation!
what is a documentary film?
A documentary film is the cinematic story of factual events with little or no fiction. The terminology stems from a filmmaker’s attempt to document reality by capturing on film a historical record of people, places, and events for the purposes of education, revelation, and entertainment. Originally called “actuality films,” documentaries range in length from short films of 30 minutes or less to full-length motion pictures of 90 minutes or more. Traditionally, documentary filmmakers tell the story of the people and events at the center of historical movements and seek to accurately represent the truth of cultural happenings.
how to cite a documentary?
Here’s how to cite your documentary film, with an added example from our documentary film, FILMAGE: The Story of DESCENDANTS/ALL:
[Director Last Name], [Director First Initial]. (Director). (Year). Title of the motion picture. [Film]. [Studio].
Riggle, M.; LaCour, D. (director). (2014). FILMAGE: The Story of DESCENDANTS/ALL. [Film]. charlieuniformtango.
how to make a documentary?
Organizing your documentary film production comes down to five stages.
- Development:
-Develop the topic for your documentary.
-Secure investors and financing for production.
-Obtain licensure, authorizations, and permits.
-Create a budget for start-to-finish documentary production. - Pre-Production:
-Planning for the production and post-production processes.
-Obtain copyrights and permits for the use of footage and/or music.
-Acquire production assets for your film’s shoot.
-Make a storyboard/shot list and schedule your shoot. - Documentary Film Production:
-Shoot your documentary.
-Capture scenes from the shot list.
-Capture B-roll. - Post-Production:
-Edit your film footage.
-Edit your audio.
-Add graphics and effects.
-Add music and film score.
-Approve the final cut of the film. - Distribution:
-Self-Distribution online (social media, website)
-Documentary channels online
-Film Festivals
-Submission for Awards
-Television Proposal Submission
-Theatrical Release
-DVD
See “What is Film Production?” for an in-depth understanding of the documentary production process.
how much does it cost to make a documentary?
In 2023, the average cost of a 90-minute documentary production will be $3000-$5000 per finished minute. Depending on the expertise of your strategy, production, and post-production teams, the timeline of your project, and the length of your film, the final cost of documentaries can range from $100,000 to $1 million or more.
how long is post production on a documentary film?
With a healthy budget, post-production for a 90 minute documentary film takes between nine months and one year (or more).