Production Services

Documentary Production Company

MY Entertainment is an unscripted documentary production company based in New York, with offices in Toronto and London. Since 2000, we have produced documentary series for Discovery, PBS, Travel Channel, A&E, Max, and 28+ other networks — including Emmy-nominated programming. We develop, produce, and pitch documentary concepts, and work with independent documentary filmmakers to package their projects for broadcast.

What a Documentary Production Company Provides

A documentary production company does more than produce video — it develops the story, secures the access, structures the format for broadcast, and brings the project to the right buyer at the right time. For independent documentary filmmakers and IP holders, the right production partner transforms a compelling subject into a commissioned series.

MY Entertainment brings three things to every documentary project:

25 years of buyer relationships.We have active development relationships with commissioning editors at PBS, Discovery, National Geographic, A&E, Max, and international broadcasters. Your documentary pitch goes to a specific person who knows our track record — not a blind submission inbox.
Format development expertise. We know how to shape a documentary subject into a series format that a network will commission — how many episodes, what length, what recurring structure, what kind of access the story requires, and how to build a sizzle reel that makes the buyer see the full series.
Full production infrastructure. From concept development and sizzle reel production through series delivery — crew, equipment, edit bays, post-production, and compliance clearances. We are the production company, not a broker.

Documentary Series We've Produced

25 years of documentary production across paranormal, lifestyle, true crime, and travel formats.

Paranormal Docuseries

Ghost Adventures (28 seasons, Travel Channel / Discovery), Destination Fear (Travel Channel)

Pioneered the paranormal investigation docuseries format on US cable television.

Lifestyle Documentary

Legacy List with Matt Paxton (PBS, Emmy-nominated)

Produced for PBS with co-production funding; demonstrates MYE's range into premium public broadcasting.

True Crime / Investigation

Sin City Justice (Investigation Discovery)

Crime and investigation format for ID, one of the most active buyers of true crime content.

Travel & Adventure

Breaking Borders (Travel Channel, critically acclaimed)

Travel documentary format combining cultural exploration with real-world conflict resolution.

How to Pitch a Documentary Series

A documentary series pitch has different requirements than a reality TV or competition format pitch. The buyer wants to know three things immediately:

What is the subject — and what is your access?

Every great documentary series is built on exclusive access. A subject that everyone knows about but nobody has been able to film is more valuable than a completely novel subject. Define your access clearly — and honestly. Networks will ask how you secured it and whether it can sustain a full series.

Is this a series or a film?

The difference matters enormously for broadcast placement. A documentary series requires a recurring structure — a compelling reason for the audience to come back episode after episode. A documentary film tells a self-contained story. Networks commission series for their schedules; films go through a different funding path. Know which you are pitching before you walk in.

Who is the audience and where do they watch?

PBS audiences, Discovery audiences, and Netflix audiences have very different expectations. Your pitch needs to be specific about where this series lives and why. The pitch materials — deck, sizzle reel, logline — should all signal the same network home.

For a complete guide to the pitch process, see our How to Pitch a TV Show guide and free pitch deck template. For documentary-specific sizzle reel guidance, see our Sizzle Reel page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a documentary production company do?

A documentary production company develops, finances, produces, and distributes documentary content for television, streaming platforms, and theatrical release. For documentary creators, a production company provides the infrastructure (crew, equipment, post-production), network access (relationships with commissioning editors), and distribution pipeline to get your documentary from concept to broadcast.

How do I pitch a documentary series to a network?

To pitch a documentary series, you need: a clear subject and access (what is the story and why do you have unique access to it?), a pitch deck outlining the series format and episode structure, a sizzle reel that demonstrates visual and narrative potential, and a production partner with existing relationships at your target network. Documentary commissions at PBS, Discovery, Netflix, and similar buyers are almost exclusively made through established production companies — cold submissions from independent filmmakers are rarely reviewed.

What networks buy documentary series?

The primary buyers of documentary series include PBS (which has a structured co-production funding system), Discovery, National Geographic, Netflix, Max, Hulu, Apple TV+, A&E, Investigation Discovery, and many international broadcasters. Each network has distinct preferences for subject matter, length, and tone. MY Entertainment has active development relationships with buyers across this spectrum and can advise on which buyers are the right fit for your documentary concept.

How much does it cost to produce a documentary series?

Documentary production costs vary widely. A single-episode documentary for a major streaming platform might budget $500,000–$1.5 million per episode. A PBS-level documentary series might run $200,000–$600,000 per episode with co-production funding. Lower-budget documentary series for cable can be produced for $75,000–$200,000 per episode. The production budget is almost always tied to a commission or co-production deal — documentary projects that try to fund production entirely before securing a broadcast deal are structurally difficult to finance.

Does MY Entertainment produce documentaries?

Yes. MY Entertainment has a 25-year track record producing documentary and docuseries content, including Emmy-nominated Legacy List for PBS. We work across documentary genres including true crime, paranormal, lifestyle, sports, food, and travel. We evaluate documentary pitches from independent creators and, for projects that fit our development slate, co-produce the project and bring it to our network buyers.

Partner With MY Entertainment

MY Entertainment is actively developing new documentary and unscripted concepts. If you have a documentary subject, exclusive access, or an IP opportunity — reach out. We evaluate every pitch and respond to those that fit our current development slate.

Also read: TV Production Company · How to Pitch a TV Show · Sizzle Reel Production · Free Pitch Deck Template