Project Timeline
Researching, funding, filming, editing, then distributing a documentary takes a long time. Below we break our estimated project timeline, highlighting where we are in the process and what our next steps are.
Timeline | Pre-Production + Production | Approximate Dates |
Research | N/A | Initiated January 2023 |
Production 1 - Principal Photography - Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve | ~61 days | October - December 2024 |
Production 2 | ~28 days | February - March 2025 |
Production 3 | ~28 days | March - April 2025 |
Edit | 9 months | April - December 2025 |
Total Post | 10 months | January 2026 |
Final Total/Release | 13 months | February 2026 |
The highlighted row in the table above indicates our current stage of the project. We intend to begin principal photography with approximately two months of pre-production in Santiago in October 2024. Filming will take place in the Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve in December 2024 lasting approximately 20 days. As the story of Huilo-Huilo makes up a significant portion of the documentary we estimate that this will be the longest and most expensive phase of production.
We have allocated two additional phases of production for February through April. These phases are to capture interviews with industry experts, additional B-roll footage, and other materials for the second and third acts. These phases include 2-3 weeks allocated for pre-production planning then 1-2 weeks for filming. As this project contains several ongoing investigations, we have the flexibility to postpone Productions 2 and 3, while our investigative team continues to uncover relevant stories. Should we need to postpone, this time will be used to begin preparing collected materials from Production 1 for grant applications and further funding.
We have allocated 10 months for post-production, 9 of those being for editing. Editing will likely take less than 9 months, but we are building in additional time should we encounter any challenges such as a participant requesting to be removed from the film.
We aim to have the film completed by January 2026. If we complete the film earlier, we hope to submit to the prestigious festivals that take place in January-February including but not limited to Sundance and Berlin. If we finish on time, we will submit to the biggest festivals in the autumn months including Venice, Toronto, and Mar del Plata. If we need additional time to complete this project, we will submit to the winter festivals mentioned above in the subsequent year.
Financial Information
A documentary film is an expensive endeavor. Below, we include our budget for Production 1 (Principle Photography) and our overall budget.
Production 1 | |||
ACCT | DESCRIPTION | AMOUNT | |
1000 | Pre-Production | 1743 | |
2000 | Crew & Personnel | 37,487 | |
3000 | Production Expenses | 13,743 | |
4000 | Travel | 14,242 | |
5000 | Insurance | 1,250 | |
Contingency | 1000 | ||
69,465 |
Our estimated cost for Production 1 is approximately ~$70,000. This includes salaries, food, accommodation, equipment rental, vehicle rental and more. To see the full breakdown of Production 1 expenses click on the pdf below.
STAGE | AMOUNT | ||
Production 1 | 69,465 | ||
Production 2 | 38,180 | ||
Production 3 | 40,380 | ||
Post-Production | 59,458 | ||
TOTAL | 207,483 |
The total estimated cost of this documentary is ~$208,000. To see a full breakdown of costs, click on the pdf document below. We have secured $40,000 in funding in the form of a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. These funds have been used for initial investigations, story development and the collection of recorded materials present on this website. We are looking for partnerships with organizations, philanthropists and investors to make this project a reality.
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