There are 3 types of film we offer - the Brand film, the Project film, and the Mood film - each with different use cases and outcomes, but all serving to define your brand.
But before we get into them, let's define the term ‘brand’: your brand is simply your relationship with your audience.
The function of our films is to develop that relationship with your audience by building understanding, confidence and trust in your ability to serve them.
Because when you offer a high-value creative service, trust comes before conversion.
These are the three ways we help you build that trust:
At its heart, a Brand Film is about relationship-building.
It’s your flagship piece of content; an evergreen distillation of what you do, who you are, who you best serve and how.
It’s human-led storytelling that builds confidence and trust in your potential clients by communicating who the practice is, how the service works, how it’s unique, and how it serves them, and all before the first call.
A Brand Film answers the questions your potential clients might be asking before deciding to work with you:
Will these people understand our vision?
Can we trust them with our project?
Do they seem like the kind of team we want to work with?
And when you offer a high-value creative service, where trust comes before conversion, giving potential clients confidence in what it will feel like to work with you becomes even more valuable.
This is an interview-led study of a particular building, project or development. It’s proof for a client who needs evidence that you can deliver on a particular type of project.
Typically longer form and structured around an interview or interviews, featuring the key people involved in the project. Topics might include the initial vision and principles of the design, the construction process, the challenges overcome and the outcome.
Architecture and design is meant to be experienced, but if a client is unable or unwilling to visit your project, the Project Film is the next best thing. It immerses your audience in what it feels like to move through the space, giving a sense of the ambience with shifting light, scale, compositions, textures and sounds.
It allows you to showcase technical expertise in design principles, construction methods, the use of materials and the ability to seamlessly collaborate with contractors, suppliers and commissioning clients.
In doing so, a Project Film answers a different set of questions:
Can they actually deliver on a project, not just design and render?
Does the finished result match what was promised at the start?
Were their clients happy with the results?
If budget is your main obstacle to using film, a Project Film may be a good option since in some cases the developer might share, or even cover, the cost, because the finished film can also support their own marketing.
This is perhaps the simplest, yet no less powerful form of film.
A shorter form though still narrative-led, generally using a voice-over, taken from an interview, rather than the talking head interview itself.
Leaning heavily on beautiful, cinematic imagery of interiors, exteriors and spaces in-between, a Mood Film feels more poetic, tactile, sensual even.The contrasting textures of materials. Rain on glass. Shimmering light moving across a concrete curve.
A Mood Film creates exactly that: a mood. An emotional response that stays in the heart and mind of the viewer, creating a deeper connection.
It allows people to experience something of the atmosphere of a space before ever setting foot in it - the light, materials, movement, scale and feeling that can be difficult to communicate through words or still images alone.
And because it is less concerned with explaining and more concerned with evoking a feeling, a Mood Film can be particularly powerful for practices wanting to express a distinctive aesthetic, point of view or design sensibility.
As described above, we offer three types of film, all of which include our full consultation process, creative development, production, and a full suite of edits, scaled to what each project requires.
Scope and complexity determines the final investment, but we always provide a fixed estimate as part of our creative proposal. We've delivered projects from £5k to £25k+.
Brand films start at £8,000 + VAT. This includes a full exploration of your practice, values, and the people behind it. Typically involves a full consultation, multiple shoot locations and a multiple days production.
Project films start at £6,000 + VAT. This includes a focused study of a single project or development, built around interviews with the people who delivered it. Scope depends on the number of locations and interviews involved. Typically a 1-2 day production.
Mood films start at £5,000 + VAT. A faster, more visual production process that includes a VoiceOver taken from a recorded interview, and is built on location based cinematic imagery, usually from a single location and filmed over a single day.
For Project Films, costs can often be shared with, or passed on to, a developer who recognises the marketing value - see above for how we approach that.
The best way to understand cost for your specific situation is a conversation about what you're trying to achieve.
For every True Story project you get:
- 30min online consultation
- Proposal outline and costing
- In-person deep discovery session
- Narrative development and full creative proposal
- Cinematic production
- Post production: Editing (incl. 2 rounds of amends), colour grading, audio mix, social edits
Brand film
- Deep discovery session with key people in your practice
- Production: typically 2-3 shoot days
- Hero brand film (2-5 minutes) for your About page
- Visual-led film (30-60 seconds) for your Home page
- Full edited interview (YouTube, podcast, deeper content)
- 10-20 short-form edits for social
Project film
- Discovery session focused on the project and those who delivered it
- Production: typically 1-2 shoot days
- Hero project film (2-4 minutes)
- 5-10 short-form edits for social
- Full edited interview available as an add-on
Mood film
- Discovery with VoiceOver subject
- voiceover script development
- Production: typically 1 shoot day
- Hero mood film (60-90 seconds)
- 3-5 short-form edits for social
Intangibles:
- Greater clarity and confidence in your brand story
- An easier and faster sales process
- A brand story that attracts aligned clients and fuels longterm growth
What makes us different:
Our service isn't transactional, it’s about connection and relationship. Our clients become part of the True Story community, and we will always seek to create connections within our network.
We offer a limited number of free online consultations every month. We’ll discuss where you are now and where you want to be. We'll ask about your philosophy, your ideal clients and their needs, and why you can serve them the best. By the end, you'll have greater clarity and insight into your positioning, and understand if a brand film would serve your goals. If it's a fit, we'll outline what working together would look like. Register your interest in a 30min consultation here.
Established creative businesses where the people, place and philosophy are central to the value they offer, and who are:
- Proven in their craft (portfolio isn't the question)
- Established in their field (you already have clients)
- Ready to attract better-aligned clients
- Prepared to communicate who they are, not just what they do
If you’re ready to go beyond competing on cost, and connect with people who truly value what you offer, True Story is for you.
True Story isn't right if you:
- Are just starting out and need to build a portfolio first
- Are happy to compete primarily on price
- Want quick content without a collaborative process
- Value cost over outcome
We take a high-touch, low-volume approach, working with a maximum of 3 clients per quarter.
Consultation: We begin with a 30 minute online conversation. We'll ask about where you are now and where you want to be, your creative philosophy, your ideal clients, and what makes your approach distinct. By the end, you'll have greater clarity and insight into your positioning, and understand if a brand film would serve your goals.
Narrative Development: Based on discovery, we develop a narrative outline, a visual approach, deliverables and costing. This becomes our shared roadmap.
Discovery: An in-person collaborative session where we get to know you and your business better and develop the narrative, style and approach of the film. It's also an opportunity to get a sense of the spaces we'll be shooting in.
Creative proposal: We're now at a place where we can provide a more detailed creative proposal, along with a schedule and timeline.
Production: Depending on the scope and locations, we film over 1-3 days, capturing interviews, process, projects and the details that make your work distinct.
Delivery: Within 4-6 weeks, you receive your complete content suite, ready to transform how you attract clients.
From discovery to final delivery: typically 6-10 weeks, depending on scheduling and production complexity.
Unless you’re used to being on camera, you probably won’t feel comfortable with the idea of being filmed.
We are used to working with people who have very little on-camera experience, and you can trust us to get the best out of you. We lead with curiosity and empathy to create space for authentic conversation. If you are passionate about what you do, you can do this.
However, if you’d like to work with us but would prefer not to appear on camera, we have creative ways to capture your story, values and vision without filming you.
Book a consultation. It's a no-obligation conversation to explore where you are and where you want to be, and whether True Story can help you bridge that gap. We'll be honest if we don’t think its the right time or fit.
Yes. While we're based near London, we travel throughout the UK and internationally for the right projects. Production travel costs are discussed during the proposal stage.
Legal Scope
True Story operates as a filmmaking service creating brand films for established creative practitioners.
All projects are governed by a written agreement outlining deliverables, timelines, payment terms, and usage rights.
We carry professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
You receive full usage rights for standard marketing purposes (website, social media, email, paid advertising).
True Story retains copyright of the underlying creative work and portfolio rights.
All music is properly licensed for standard use.
We handle your data in accordance with UK GDPR.
While we deliver high-quality films designed to attract aligned clients, we cannot guarantee specific business outcomes or ROI.
Ethical Scope
We're committed to authenticity over artifice - we'll never misrepresent who you are or create a manufactured persona.
If we don't believe in your work or values, or if True Story isn't the right fit for your needs, we'll tell you honestly.
We work collaboratively, not extractively - your story belongs to you, and the discovery process should feel like a partnership.
We take on a limited number of projects to ensure each client receives full creative attention.
We can't promise specific business results, but we can promise honest collaboration, high-quality craft, and a film that authentically represents who you are and what you stand for.