Of Place Films is a commercial documentary company that uses the processes of documentary filmmaking to help purpose-driven small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to deeply connect with their community of stakeholders.
Our open-ended process of discovery allows authentic narratives to float to the surface, enabling organisation leaders to communicate complex ideas with simplicity and emotional weight. Unlike product videos or corporate testimonials, human stories are universal and have the power to bridge communication gaps amongst a diverse range audiences.
We believe small is beautiful and choose to work with organisations no larger than a few hundred people. By working directly with organisation leaders, we can build understanding and trust without intermediaries. This connection between the filmmakers and the story is essential to ensuring films have depth and integrity and ultimately that they are effective in connecting with the target audience.
We believe that authenticity can and always will cut through the bullshit and noise of the world. Our films connect back with something real for genuine impact.
Every project begins with a deep dive into your current communication challenge and a nuanced understanding of your audience. We walk with you to understand where you are currently and where you would like to be.
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We carry out in depth pre-interviews and uncover compelling characters, locations and story ideas.
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We refine learnings down into a series of story threads and shape them into creative pitches.
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We assemble creative teams to meet the unique needs of your project and produce film content.
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We unlock fresh opportunities through bespoke engagement plans.
What’s Our Story?
Of Place Films was founded by Mitchell Withers as he prepared for the arrival of his first child. After 11 years of directing documentary film projects, he faced persistent financial insecurity and was reliant on irregular funding rounds and grants.
With fatherhood fast approaching, Mitchell became convinced he would be forced to leave filmmaking behind and "get a real job.” But following a series of job-hunting failures, Mitchell re-evaluated his path and sought out the intersection of his craft with the needs of a commercial marketplace.
A chance meeting in a coffee shop led to his first commercial client, allowing Mitchell to evolve his offering to meet the communication challenges of purpose-driven, small to medium businesses.
Today, Of Place Films is guided by a simple philosophy centred on relationships, trust, creativity, and discovery.
