How do you create authenticity?

Authenticity by its very nature can't be controlled. But it can be nourished. Documentary filmmakers typically find the story through the theme and then the footage.  If you're building a customer story, then authenticity is essential to the telling.  That’s not to say there is no clear intention prior to production- in fact there is considerable research undertaken to ensure the message is captured during shooting.  We do create a pre-shoot script based on your brief so we can plan our shots but we remain open to finding the story too.  If you're building a scripted story, we will build something human.  Either way, we are expert at showing abstract concepts in the concrete world that become the visual symbols to a deeper truth in your story.  Once you relinquish control you will get the gold at the end of the journey.  A filmmaker who understands how to “show” not “tell”, who understands how to build a story through action, how to weave multiple storylines and story layers, but equally who understands the nuances of the organisation and its brand values, will be able to deliver a stellar result.

How long does it take to build a story?

Depending on the magnitude of project, the availability and the number of stakeholders, we typically build a story in 3-4 weeks.

How much does it cost?

We are focused on building you a bespoke story that delivers a solid Return on Investment.  For this reason, our production fees are at the premium end.  However we also put as much of the budget as possible into your production to keep the quality high. We use local crews all over Australia to keep travel and overtime to an absolute minimum.  We also produce enough content for you to create other edits based on the same footage.  Please contact us to view our offerings and pricing or to request an estimate.

How good are your crews?

Our crews are among the best in the industry, with accolades in Australia and in the world arena.  They are hand-picked for your project because they not only have the expertise to tell stories but they love to tell them.  Nobody goes into the film industry because they're in a holding pattern to do something else.  It's an industry of very dedicated people who genuinely love what they do.  And who don't just do the job, they are the job.  Sometimes when you choose a production company who uses contractors or freelancers, the process can be scattered and the result may suffer.  Organic Films projects on the other hand, are overseen by its CEO Elly who acts as the glue between marketing/PR clients and the storytellers because she is fluent in both languages.

What kinds of projects have you done?

Our projects range from business stories to consumer stories, customer testimonials, webinars as mini-documentaries, Q&A, 'how to' and training videos and scripted narratives.  We frequently work in technology because that's where our expertise is.  To that end, we have built a strong showreel for Microsoft and its partners and customers.  But we can work for anyone.  View stories here.

Do you specialise in an industry?

We can work for anyone who has an audience with emotions.

How can you ensure the message is compliant?

When it comes to documentary style customer stories, there is a lot less control in what your customers say in their interviews.  However you can rest assured, we have an extensive pre-production and briefing process as well as a number of checkpoints to ensure your message is on point and on brand.

Why can't you use my script?

Your script is very useful to us in our briefing process but we probably won't provide it to our characters.  Verbal or dialogue scripts are finely developed by writers.  It takes fine skill to pen something that is intended to be heard rather than read.  Just ask any radio writer.  The beauty of using real, unscripted interviews is that you don’t have to worry about how natural the script is…it’s already real!   Your script will inform the visual storytelling we build.  You will find that with skilled interviewing techniques, all the information you require will emerge but in a magical way you never imagined!  What’s more, dialogue is simple and concise but at its best, it is melodic and poetic.  Remember a good filmmaker can tell a story without words.  That’s the power of film.

Do you make TV commercials?

In the content spectrum, we make something between a corporate video and a TV commercial, but we do so using both documentary and scripted filmmaking techniques.  Traditional 30-second TV commercials are formulated to suit a traditional medium which is now competing with multiple screens and devices.  It is also not relevant in Business to Business marketing.  The new, and rapidly evolving medium is online digital and we have innovated content to suit its ever-changing needs.   We have built webinar documentaries, vignettes, social media bites, interviewer/presenter/investigative journalist stories, infomercials, vox pops, animations, training videos, cinema graphs, in just about every genre borrowed from film from the love story to the heist film and the list is constantly evolving. We will be building content in formats that have never before existed. That's exciting!

How many crew do you have?

There will be a variety of people involved in your project. At the minimum, we use three crew members on the day of the shoot- director, cinematographer and sound recordist.  If the shoot is bigger, we’ll use more on site.  In addition, other crew work behind the scenes to include transcribers, writers, editors, colour graders, and sound designers, depending on the project and the budget.  We understand that it's important that we create minimum disruption to our valued clients if we're filming on their premises.  We will work with you to schedule a day that gives us enough time to film your story whilst respecting your clients.

Can we have the raw footage files?

You own the final video we produce for you and are free to use it in any way you like.  But rest assured, your footage is only used for that project and held for you to create new edits over 2 years.  

Raw footage is work product owned by Organic Films.  This is standard industry practice.  It is often very large and cumbersome, fragmented and uncompressed, making it unusable for basic editing platforms; sound is often recorded separately, and the image looks flat and washed out without expert grading.  

Also in the interest of protecting your participants, it is very easy for footage to travel to places it wasn't intended.  We are careful to at least protect raw files from internet misuse especially to honour and limit the participants’ release of their image for that client's project.  This is particularly important in protecting footage of children, sensitive issues or usage restrictions placed on talent by agencies.

If you require proof of execution then we can provide a transcript of interviews or screen shots.

What's the human story?

When we build your stories, we will tell the business story but at the same time, we tell the human story which adds the emotion and the story "arc" or transformation.  Every story has a beginning, middle and end.  Every story is about some kind of transformation, usually from a bitter place to a better place and when carried through a hero. Stories need someone the audience can empathise with who is the voice of the story.  Even real people are heroes.  What makes it engaging is watching this change which occurs as the hero battles the odds.  The bigger the odds, the better the story.  Finally the deeper truth is revealed at the end of the story to leave your audience with a resonating 'a-ha' moment.  This format is the foundation based on 2,000 years of human stories.  What Organic Films has done is placed this framework on top of the usually dry, factual business story.