Documentary and brand film studio

Mid-sized businesses, agencies, not-for-profits, government bodies, tourism groups, and sometimes broadcasters or streaming platforms.

Project fees quoted from a budget covering crew, gear, editing and delivery, often paid in stages. Grants or pre-sales can fund documentary work.

• Producing and budgeting
• Directing and storytelling
• Pitching to clients and managing freelancers

• Public liability, equipment and professional indemnity insurance, check what clients require
• Workers compensation insurance once you hire staff, rules vary by state
• Location permits for filming in public places, check with the local council or your state's film office
• Working with children checks if children appear in your productions
• Cash flow, as clients often pay late, so use deposits and staged invoices
• Rights, releases and music licensing for anything you deliver or sell

Startup costs are typically around $10,000 to $50,000, depending on the camera and sound gear you buy, whether you have premises, and how many freelancers you hire per job. These are estimates, so build a budget from your own plans.

Monthly revenue is typically around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on the size of your projects, your client mix and how many jobs you take on. This is revenue, not profit, and clients often pay late, so deposits and staged invoices help.

Things to check include public liability, equipment and professional indemnity insurance, workers compensation once you hire staff, and location permits from your council or state film office. Also check working with children checks, plus rights, releases and music licensing.