About


  • Nick Agafonoff, Director of Authentic Video.


  • What is Authentic Video? Authentic Video co-creates high-quality, low-cost documentary video projects for a wide variety of applications, including social impact, human insight, memorial, historical, educational, training, marketing and promotional.
  • In a world where people are increasingly skeptical of traditional advertising and marketing, Authentic Video helps businesses, NGOs, consultants and everyday individuals to tell real stories that resonate with audiences, creating empathy and credibility through authenticity.

  • Nick Agafonoff

Our Promise

  • Documentary video projects tailored to your specific needs.
  • Real storytelling that builds empathy and credibility through authenticity.
  • High quality videos that are supported by AI upscaling tools to improve resolution and definition.
  • Low-cost productions compared to larger production houses.
  • Value-added video content (segments, reels, explainers, quotes, podcast content, teasers, promos) from one documentary project.
  • Co-creation to reduce costs, build efficiencies and control deliverables.

  • Real Storytelling

    Authenticity is at the heart of everything we do. Whether I'm documenting real-life stories and everyday lives, or recording oral histories with community elders, we believe in capturing the substance of each moment with honesty, integrity, curiosity and insight.


  • Co-creation

    We believe in the power of collaboration and work closely with my clients to ensure that their voices are heard throughout the filmmaking and editing process. We make videos with people, not for people.


  • Human Connection

    With a background as a marketing consultant, we understand audiences and how to connect with them on a human and cultural level. This includes creating tailored video content for digital marketing campaigns.
EXPERIENCE
High Quality
Creativity
Planning
  • 25+ years as a commercial video ethnographer + qualitative researcher
  • Trained in observational and ethnographic filmmaking techniques
  • Over 4000 hours of real world videography experience
  • Researched, produced and edited 100s of video documentary programs

Service Areas

Authentic Video is located in the Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia. We service the following areas: > Blue Mountains & Regional NSW > Eastern Australia (Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne) > *Overseas customers for editing projects only

Contact Us

Reel

Keeping it Real!

We specialize in creating authentic, compelling video content that resonates with your audience. Whether you're looking to showcase your brand’s story, explore genuine customer experiences, or capture real, personal moments and memories, Authentic Video is dedicated to producing videos that drive human connection.
Authenticity
100%

TYPES OF PROJECTS

Custom Documentary
Capture real human stories that explore the lived experiences of local groups, communities and individuals from all walks of life. From concept development to post-production, Authentic Video manages every aspect of the filmmaking process with dedication, sensitivity and creativity.
Cultural Videos
Authentic Video employs ethnographic filmmaking techniques to sensitively record and represent unique cultural phenomena, such as cultural festivals and celebrations, traditional rituals and practices, as well as dance, music and other types of cultural performance.
Special Events
Whether it's a wedding, birthday, corporate event, or community gathering, observational filmmaking is employed to fully immerse in an event, capturing the energy and emotion. Authentic Video collaborates with other people at the event to extend the documentary coverage to multiple perspectives using innovative techniques.
Education & Training
How-to videos have become an essential tool in modern life! Authentic Video helps your organisation to produce a range of instructive videos for your students, employees or your customers that also capture your organisational culture, brand personality and values.
Historical & Biographical
Using the latest digital tools, Authentic Video carefully restores old photographs and combines with beautiful oral history interviews to produce evocative historical and biographical documentaries. Think History Channel on a budget!
Research & Insight
Drawing on years of experience in commercial market research, Authentic Video deep dives into the real worlds of target markets and user groups to create engaging and insightful videos bringing-to-life customer segments, personas, customer journeys and scenarios to inform business decision makers and marketing strategy.

Feature Projects

BRAND DOCUMENTARY
Captures the behind-the-scene story of your brand, products, services, people, values and philosophy.
Create a deeper connection with your clients & STAKEHOLDERS
Communicate the true value of your business, product or service!

Tell your business story

  • Give your customers and investors a glimpse into the everyday life of your business.

The Executive Documentary

*For Social and Market researchers
The Executive Documentary is a dynamic, engaging, and visually-rich way to present research findings and insights, beyond the traditional written report. Rather than simply summarizing data, the documentary tells a compelling story about the market landscape, the people behind the data, and the real-world implications of the research.
  • More engaging than written reports
  • Broader audience reach across platforms
  • Enhanced clarity and simplicity
  • Humanizes the research
  • Stronger emotional impact
  • Fosters trust and authority
  • Time efficiency for decision-makers
  • Perfect for presentations

Other Project Examples

Video Ethnography
If you are social or market researcher, Authentic Video offers a range of video insight and storytelling services that explore and bring-to-life the lived experiences of target markets and groups.
Memorial Video
We create beautifully crafted video slideshow tributes for funerals and special occasions. We have a process that is inclusive of family members and reduces stress during a difficult time.
Artist Portrait
We help artists to promote themselves and their work by producing intimate video portraits that explore their personal background and interests, their creative process, and, their impact and legacy.
  • After Nick made the most wonderful video for my 60th birthday celebration, I asked him to record an oral history with my Aunt who survived the holocaust. She was so very anxious, but Nick made her feel quite at ease and she was able to share her story in a clear and powerful way. The interview has travelled across the world and is available in various Jewish museums in Australia and beyond. Ultimately the interview gave validation to my Aunt's life, after decades of frustration that her story had not been heard.
    Peter Kaldor, Customer
  • I consider Nick to be one of the most experienced video ethnographers in the area of commercial market research in the world. He understands customers and how to capture and communicate their real worlds, frustrations and delights with insight and empathy.
    Rigas Harbilas, The Practice Insights
  • Making a documentary film with Nick Agafonoff about the role of music in the Bougainville Peace Process in Papua New Guinea was a wonderful collaboration. He has a gift for opening people up and letting them tell their stories. He possesses the full suite of documentary skills from conceptualising to camerawork and editing. The film made a real difference to the people on Bougainville Island reinforcing all they achieved in emerging from a bitter civil war.
    Iain 'Fred' Smith, Diplomat, Author, Musician
  • Nick came to our 30 year School Reunion and recorded some great vox pops that brought our whole year together. In addition, he produced a series of short documentary portraits about different people from our year to capture where they are at in life, using video diary footage and photos. I'd recommend him as a someone who can not only document an event in a professional way, but build community around content.
    Jeremy Capes-Baldwin, CGS School Captain (1994)
  • After my wife passed, I found the video memorial prepared by Authentic Video to be an enormous help. We had so many photos but Nick provided us with a methodology that enabled us to compile the perfect representation of her life. The overall effect turned out to be exactly what I had been looking for. It worked beautifully in the final ceremony and I would recommend Nick to anyone seeking a memorial video.
    Lloyd Fell, Customer

Applications

Social Impact

We work with not-for-profits and volunteer organisations to create documentary outputs to influence social and political change at the local and global level.

Human Insight

We work with social and cultural researchers who need to create an expository documentary film or video program to communicate findings in an accessible way to non-research audiences.

Historical Archives

We work with social and cultural institutions to build oral history archives and carefully document the memories of people who lived important historical events and periods.

Digital Marketing

We work with businesses to produce insight-rich video content that explores consumer cultures for use in digital marketing campaigns - social media, email marketing, websites & YouTube.

We do REAL

Real People
Real Worlds
Real Experiences

Make an Authentic Video

  • Start
    Brief Nick
    1hr Zoom interview to understand the needs of the video project.
  • ACCEPT Proposal
    Commission Project
    Agree on video objectives and final outputs. Detail methodology/approach. Provide estimated costs and timeline for completion.
  • Pre-Production
    Project Development
    Generate documentary script, treatment, shot list and interview guides. Create detailed schedule for filming and editing.
  • PRODUCTION
    Capturing Real
    Videography. Collect additional content, such as video diaries, stills and archival footage.
  • post-production
    Create Authentic Video
    Rough edit. Fine edit. Final Cut. *Includes shared edit sessions.
  • Delivery
    Format Creation
    Export video into required format e.g. High Quality Video, Online viewing formats, Vimeo portfolio, Social media compatible (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok)

Co-Creation

Co-creation is a powerful, collaborative approach that enriches storytelling by incorporating diverse perspectives. By involving subjects, communities, and multiple voices throughout the creative process, we can capture a more authentic, nuanced narrative. This fosters deeper connections and understanding, allowing for stories to be told with greater empathy and integrity. Co-creation not only strengthens a film’s impact, but also empowers those involved, giving them a stake in how their stories are shared with the world.
  • Involve clients in all aspects of production, including the editing process.
  • Engage documentary participants to co-create footage.
  • Use video diaries to capture important moments in peoples' lives, as well as personal reflections.
  • Integrate video diaries with professional footage to create textured videos with multiple perspectives.
Client footage
40%
Authentic Video footage
60%

Video diaries are a great way to involve documentary participants in co-creating an Authentic Video

Resources for Self-Documentation

To help with the co-creation process Authentic Video creates how-to videos that clients can use as a guide for creating documentary content for a video project.

Recording a Memory For a Special Tribute

Recording a Testimonial For an Endorsement

NEWSLETTER!

Join our mailing list or subscribe to our YouTube Channel and get 10% off your first Authentic Video commission.

Let's tell your story!

Ready to embark on a documentary journey project together? Whether you have a specific project in mind or need help bringing your vision to life, Authentic Video is here to help. Let's co-create something truly unforgettable! Contact Authentic Video today to discuss your videography and filmmaking needs, and let's start crafting your next Authentic Video.