A documentary gives a story room to breathe. It is the right format when you need people to understand something complicated: why a fishery is struggling, how a community rebuilt after a flood, what a population trend means for a country’s future.

Afrovo Studios produces short and long documentaries for NGOs, universities, research institutes and foundations across Kenya and East Africa. We handle the research, the access, the filming and the edit, and we deliver versions for every place the film will be seen.

Documentaries we have made

• Fishers of Change for Cornell University, with ILRI and the Kenya Ministry of Fisheries, on fish health and food security among Lake Victoria’s cage fish farmers.
• Hope Behind the Floods with Give a Hand Charity in Kisumu.
• Path to Zero Poaching for Teledyne FLIR and WWF.
• Population Decline, a feature documentary.

What you get

• Development: research, story outline and a treatment you can share with partners or funders.
• Access and permits: KFCB filming licence, park and county permissions, and community entry with your field team.
• Production: a small, experienced crew with cinema cameras and professional sound.
• Post-production: edit, grade, sound mix, subtitles and music licensing.
• Versions: a full-length cut, a short version for events, social clips and a Kiswahili version.
• Rights and consent: signed releases for every participant, and a clear rights agreement.

Research documentaries

Research institutions need films that are accurate as well as engaging. We work closely with principal investigators to get the science right, and we build the film around the people the research serves, not just the people who did it. This makes the film useful beyond the project: in teaching, policy briefings and future funding applications.

Budget and timeline

Budgets depend on length, locations, travel and archive. We will give you a fixed quote and a schedule after a short brief call.

Related: NGO video production and conservation filming.

Frequently asked questions

Do you work with international production companies?

Yes. We provide local production, crew and permits for visiting teams, and co-produce where that suits the project.

Can you help with documentary funding?

We can prepare treatments and sample footage for funding applications, and we follow the main funds that accept Kenyan projects.

Planning a film? Tell us what you need and when. We will come back to you with questions or a quote. Start a project or email dennis@afrovostudios.com.