Branded documentary and mini-series production in London
Airframe Media makes branded documentaries and mini-series in London for organisations that have a real story to tell, from one short film to a four-part series.
We film your people at work, on location and without a script, then edit the footage into films for your website, your channel and your events. A small, mobile crew keeps the filming natural. Crew and kit are scoped to the story and its access.
Behind the Pass: official trailer
The trailer for Behind the Pass, the four-part mini documentary series we produced for ExCeL London and Levy UK & Ireland. The series has four films and runs to 24 minutes 26 seconds in total, filmed over three days inside a working venue that could not stop. ExCeL London published it on its YouTube channel.
Watch on YouTubeTower Bridge Maintenance
A 2 minute 18 second night-time documentary that moves from Tower Bridge at city scale to the crews working across its walkways and structure after dark. It shows how we film people at work in a place that stays open.
Explore this filmTell us what you are planning
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Fly-on-the-wall and reality-style filming
Fly-on-the-wall filming follows real people doing real work, without staging or a script, so the viewer sees events as they happen. It is the style behind reality television, applied to a brand story. Behind the Pass was made this way: we spent three filming days inside a working venue that could not stop for the cameras.
The approach depends on a small crew, early agreement on access and people who are comfortable being filmed. We plan the days around what is happening, then find the story in the edit. You still review every cut, and we check accuracy with the people featured where the story calls for it.
What shapes the quote for a branded documentary
We do not publish a headline price for this work, because two jobs of the same type rarely need the same crew, kit or edit. Send the brief and we will quote it.
How Airframe pricing works- One film or a series
- A single short documentary, a trailer plus four episodes and a longer run of films are different scopes. Behind the Pass ran to four films and 24 minutes 26 seconds in total.
- Filming days and access
- Observational filming needs time inside the story. Behind the Pass took three filming days inside a working venue, and access decides how many days a story needs.
- Contributors and interviews
- The number of people we interview, and where we film them, add planning, filming and edit time.
- Crew and cameras
- Following people at work suits a small, mobile unit. Set-piece scenes and sit-down interviews add sound, lighting and more camera operators.
- Graphics, archive and sound
- Animated graphics, archive material, original music and voiceover each add work in the edit.
- Versions and release plan
- A trailer, episode cuts, short clips for social media and a longer cut for your website are scoped as deliverables, along with the dates you want to publish them.
How a branded documentary gets made
Frame from World Travel Market 2025
Brief and story
You tell us who the film is for and what it should achieve. We research the story and agree what it is really about, so the film does not read as an advert.
Plan the series
We agree the number of films, the people and places we will film, and what access each location needs.
Film on location
A small crew works alongside the people in the story, filming what happens and interviewing contributors where they work.
Shape the story
We build each film from the footage, set the structure, pace and sound, and send a first cut.
Review
You send consolidated notes. We make the agreed changes and check accuracy with the people featured where the story calls for it.
Deliver and release
You receive the finished films, a trailer and the agreed short versions, ready to publish on your release schedule.
Kit and crew for observational filming
- On Behind the Pass: Canon R5 C and Canon C80 cameras, two handheld cameras and one gimbal camera, with a DJI RS 4 Pro gimbal.
- DJI wireless lavalier microphones and an overhead boom for interviews, with an amaran key light and side light.
- public liability cover up to £10M.
Frame from INTA Annual Meeting London
Questions people ask before they book
Frame from Game On Chef Competition
Still unsure? Message us
Message us on WhatsAppWhat is a branded documentary?
It is a documentary made for an organisation that tells a real story about its people, work or place, using real footage and real voices rather than a script. It earns attention because it is interesting first and about your brand second. Behind the Pass is an example.
What is a mini documentary series?
It is a set of short documentary films that share one subject and are released as episodes, usually with a trailer. Behind the Pass has four films, each between 3 and 8 minutes long, released with a trailer. Short episodes also cut down easily for social media.
What is fly-on-the-wall or reality-style filming?
It means filming real events as they happen, with no staging and little direction, so people behave naturally. We keep the crew small and film over several days, so people get used to the camera. Behind the Pass was filmed this way, over three days inside a working venue.
How much does a branded documentary cost?
We quote each documentary on its own requirements, so there is no headline price. The number of films, filming days, contributors, crew, graphics and versions all shape the quote. Send the brief on WhatsApp or read how our pricing works.
How long does a documentary series take to make?
It depends on the story, the access and the number of films. Filming can take a few days, while research, review and the edit add time on either side. Tell us the date you want to publish and we will say what is realistic.
How long should each episode be?
Long enough to tell one part of the story and short enough to hold attention. The Behind the Pass episodes run from 3 minutes 44 seconds to 7 minutes 32 seconds. We agree the lengths with you before we film.
Do we get a say in what the documentary shows?
Yes. We agree the story and the people we will film before we start, and you review each cut. We do not stage or script what people say, so the film stays credible to the audience.
Where should we publish a documentary series?
It depends on your audience. A series often goes on a YouTube channel, with clips for LinkedIn and Instagram and the full films on your website. Our YouTube production page explains how a channel works.
Tell us what you are planning
WhatsApp is the quickest way to reach us. Say what you are filming, where and roughly when, and we will come back with questions or a quote.
Send your brief
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