The short version
You’ll have a finished documentary with clear bilingual continuity, clean interview sound, and releases and captions that match what’s on screen, so the edit does not collapse when you get to delivery.
We’ll plan access and releases before we roll, then shoot interviews and B-roll with a small crew that knows winter rooms and real schedules. You’ll end up with a finished film and a broadcast-ready delivery package. Next is a quick story and logistics call so we can lock shoot days and locations.
We keep the thread steady by deciding the story spine early, then building a call sheet around access, language, and sound. On set, we run interviews with a two-camera setup and a dedicated sound recordist, then we cut from a paper edit so the edit is built on what people actually said, not what we hoped we’d get.
About us
We’re a Montréal documentary crew built around interviews, access, and the kind of real locations where you cannot “fix it in post.” We came up shooting for cultural groups and NGOs where a subject’s trust matters as much as a good frame. Our work is Documentary Proposal with a calm set and a tight plan, so people can speak naturally and you can still make a deadline.
People pick us when the risk is story drift, messy bilingual versions, or audio that forces you to throw away the best lines. We avoid that by doing the unglamorous work early: access notes, a call sheet you can act on, releases in the right language, and a sound plan for each room. Then we cut with a paper edit and keep decisions visible, so nobody is guessing what the film is becoming.
Who you will work with
You’ll be working with the same small group from shoot planning through finishing, so decisions stay consistent and the set stays calm.
Team
Élise Charbonneau, Director. Élise directs the interviews and keeps story beats and consent clear, so the strongest lines make it into the cut with the right context.
Marc-André Beaulieu, Director of photography. Marc-André runs camera and lighting choices that suit real rooms, so faces look good without turning your location into a construction site.
Nora Feldman, Sound recordist. Nora records sound on set and flags problems immediately, so you do not discover HVAC noise or clothing rustle once you are editing.
Julien Mercier, Editor. Julien edits from stringout to final masters, keeping bilingual versions aligned so timing, captions, and music cues match across languages.
Selected work
Here are a few recent documentary production projects that show how we handle interviews, real locations, and bilingual delivery without losing the story.
Portfolio
Bilingual profile film. Two-day shoot built around sit-down interviews and workplace coverage. We planned questions against the story spine, then cut from a paper edit so the final stayed tight at 12 minutes with matched FR and EN captions.
Access-heavy community doc. Multi-location shoot with tight access windows. We built call sheets around who could be filmed when, gathered releases on arrival, and recorded consistent sound across spaces that changed hourly, which kept the edit usable.
Archive-led short documentary. Short film built around historical footage and stills. We supported archival research and clearance, tracked licenses in a single list, and finished with broadcast-safe captions and mixes so delivery did not turn into a scramble.
“They kept the interviews calm, and the edit held together from the first cut.”
Communications lead, a cultural nonprofit
How we work
We run documentary production like a series of small locks. If story, access, sound, and releases are decided early, the shoot day gets simpler and the edit stops being damage control.
1. Story and access Week 1 We do a story and access call and leave with a usable spine: who we need, what we need them to say on camera, and what B-roll proves it. We build a call sheet draft and a releases plan in FR and EN, and you confirm access owners and any restrictions. 2. Interview day Week 2 We shoot interviews with two cameras and a dedicated sound recordist. We manage the room for sound first, then lighting and framing, so the audio is usable for a full cut. We collect signed releases on the day and log takes so the editor can find lines fast. 3. B-roll coverage Week 2-3 We shoot walk-and-roll, process coverage, and location atmosphere that supports the interview claims. We match shots for bilingual continuity where it matters, and we track what we did not get so we can decide quickly whether a pickup is worth the time. 4. Edit to finish Weeks 3-6 We build a stringout, then a paper edit, then a structured cut that you can react to without guessing what is missing. We move through picture lock, then colour, mix, captions, and masters. You review at the rough cut and fine cut points, with notes consolidated in one place.
Field shoot day package
A director-led documentary shoot with camera and dedicated sound on set, planned from a call sheet you can share with your team and partners.
BILINGUAL INTERVIEW PRODUCTION
Interview direction and production in French and English, including bilingual releases and on-set language continuity so the cut does not drift between versions.
ARCHIVAL CLEARANCE SUPPORT
Support for finding, selecting, and clearing archive materials, with a single tracked list of sources and license notes you can file with the project.
Offline and online edit
A complete edit from stringout through picture lock, then colour and finishing, with review rounds at rough cut and fine cut so notes stay manageable.
BROADCAST-READY MASTERS
Final masters with mixes, captions, and delivery files prepared for broadcast or platform handoff, with FR and EN versions kept aligned.
PROJECT HANDOVER FOLDER
An organised handover of masters, caption files, cue sheets where needed, and a simple delivery summary so the project can be handed off internally.
What it costs
These are starting points. The right tier comes down to how many shoot days you need and how much archival work sits between the story and the cut.
Priced items
Getting started
If you’re ready to lock in documentary production, we can hold dates, confirm access, and start building the call sheet this week.
1. Sign this proposal to book the work. 2. Pay the 40% booking invoice within 14 days. 3. Schedule the story and access call so we can lock shoot days.
Signature
Fee summary
Payment
We book the work with 40% when the proposal is signed. The remaining 60% is due when the finished work is handed over. Each invoice is payable within 14 days of its date.
Schedule. We’ll hold shoot dates once the booking payment is in and access is confirmed. If access slips, we’ll move the shoot and keep the edit weeks aligned where we can, based on availability.
Changes. If the scope changes, we’ll write it down before we do it. That includes added shoot days, added languages, or extra archival clearance. We’ll confirm the cost and the effect on the timeline.
Access. You’ll line up locations, interview availability, and a point person for the day. We’ll send a call sheet and access list in advance, because the day goes fastest when arrivals and permissions are settled.
Releases
We handle interview releases on the day, in French or English as needed. You’ll flag any minors, vulnerable participants, or site rules ahead of time, because those change how we document consent.
Client materials. If you’re providing logos, photos, or past footage, you’ll confirm you have the rights to use them. We can help with clearance, but we can’t assume permission where it is not in writing.
Feedback and approvals. We’ll share a paper edit and a cut for review on the timeline we set. You’ll send one consolidated set of notes per review, because split feedback creates conflicting changes in the edit.
Ownership. Once the final payment is made, you own the finished masters and the project handover folder we deliver. We keep our working project files and backups so we can support fixes or new versions later.
