The Documentary Timeline: From First Idea to Finished Film

People often ask: “Why do documentaries take so long?” From the outside, it can look simple film some interviews, cut them together, and release. It's needed now...

Whilst urgency is important, a documentary is not a news special. It's a deeply reserached piece of work, often one that others simply havent had the time to undertake.

We have learnt a lot as we developed the process for Shattered, it was far more than picking up a camera and its no surprise to most that an Executive Producer can often take years in development before the structure goes into full swing production. It is their vision that has to be translated into film.

The reality is most documentaries are layered journeys. They can rarely be made in under 18 months, and most take between 2 and 5 years. So if you have a story to tell that is important you must be prepared to commit for the long haul.

Here’s a timeline that shows why.

0–12 Months: Development & Research

• The Spark: Every documentary begins with a question or a story worth telling.

• Research: Digging into archives, interviewing experts, and testing if the idea has enough depth.

• Access & Trust: Building relationships with participants (this can take months or even years and even then some relationships cannot be used in interview).

• Funding: Applying for grants, seed funding, angel investors, product placement, pitching to broadcasters or streaming platforms, finding a distributor, sometimes crowdfunding. Without this foundation, nothing else moves forward.

  
  

12–16 Months: Pre-Production

• Planning: Assembling a crew, writing a budget, scheduling filming days.

• Safeguards: Designing frameworks, consent forms, trauma-informed practices, sometimes intimacy or cultural consultants.

• Partnerships: Aligning with NGOs, institutions, if the story requires.Think of this as building the scaffolding before construction.

  
  

16–34 Months: Production (Filming)

• Reality Unfolds: Filmmakers often follow events, which means filming in waves, weeks here, months later, another burst.

• Observational Footage: Waiting for life to happen; documentaries aren’t scripted, so patience is key.

• Flexibility: A major development in a participant’s life can reset the whole direction of the story.This stage is unpredictable and usually the longest.

  
  

24–42 Months: Post-Production

• The Editing Mountain: Hundreds of hours of footage are sifted down to 90 minutes.

• Story Arc: The narrative is built in the edit suite sometimes very different from the original concept.

• Finishing: Music, graphics, archival material, legal checks, and final mastering. Editing alone can take 6–12 months it’s where the documentary is truly “written.”

  
  

36–60 Months: Distribution & Impact

• Festivals: Submissions, waiting periods, premieres all take time. Meet with distributors

• Deals: Networks and streamers often wait for a festival debut before committing.

• Impact Campaigns: Screenings, workshops, educational toolkits, and advocacy campaigns.The documentary’s “afterlife” can last years beyond its release.

  
  

Why the 18-Month Mark is Rare

It’s unusual to produce a feature-length, in-depth documentary in under 18 months. Some can be done faster for instance, short-form docs, projects with mostly archival footage, or films tied to breaking news. But the deeper the story, the longer it takes to honour it.

Stewardship

Documentary filmmaking is less about speed and more about stewardship. It asks for patience, respect, and the willingness to let real life set the pace. When done well, the result is not just a film, but a legacy.