DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING
IS OUR SPECIALITY
The most impactful stories change our minds about what's possible. Our job at Matchlight is to build windows where there were once walls, leveraging the power of human connection to drive change.
TRUSTED BY
Matchlight's commitment to unique storytelling and high quality content defines their work. The creative process was exciting and full of incredible ideas. This team is very special and we cannot wait to work with them on many future projects.
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Rhapsody Fitness | "We are Rhapsody"
OUR PROCESS DELIVERS
We’ve streamlined the entire process so you can stay focused on what matters most — the final film and its results. From the very first discovery call to premiere and distribution, we’ve got every step covered.
OUR STORY
The human eye can spot a single match in the darkness from over thirty miles away. We apply this idea to storytelling, believing that a well-told story can cut through noise and clutter, resonating with customers seeking to stand out. This belief continues to shape every piece we create.
Established in 2019, Matchlight was founded by Noah Wallace, lead producer, and Davey Schaupp, lead director, as a response to seeing great organizations struggle to stand out in an increasingly noisy world.
Today, Matchlight has evolved into a full-service video production company, proudly operating out of Charlotte, North Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; and Portland, Oregon.
Our growth has led us to collaborate with nonprofits and Fortune 500 companies alike, showcasing our documentary work at film festivals nationwide. Despite this expansion, Matchlight's founding principle remains unchanged: no matter the project, the story comes first.
LET'S TALK ABOUT TELLING YOUR STORY

If your looking for a premier documentary film maker, schedule a free strategy call today and discover how we can help you grow.
Submit a form and we'll send a follow-up email with next steps. Let's discover your story together.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Matchlight is an award-winning, full-service video production company specializing in documentaries, commercial films, and branded storytelling. For our documentary work, we focus on short- and long-form films that capture authentic human experiences and meaningful stories.
We’ve worked with nonprofits, healthcare organizations, and corporations, bringing to life stories that resonate emotionally and spark action. From short impact films for social campaigns to multi-city feature-length documentaries showcased at festivals, our goal is simple: bring real human stories to the forefront.
The heart of any great documentary lies in its characters and the challenges they face. We begin by identifying the people, moments, and conflicts that make a story resonate. Whether it’s a nonprofit like Humans for Housing, a corporate partner like CF Evans Construction, or a global mission like African Mission Healthcare, we craft narratives that reflect your mission, values, and impact.
Our approach ensures that viewers don’t just watch—they feel, learn, and act. Through thoughtful research, immersive storytelling, and strategic release planning, we turn real-life stories into films that inspire change and generate measurable results.
From concept to final delivery, every documentary decision we make is designed to maximize engagement and impact. Unlike generic marketing videos, documentaries require a delicate balance of authenticity, pacing, and emotional resonance.
We combine cinematic expertise with a deep understanding of your audience, ensuring every story moves the heart and motivates action. With a team of storytellers, strategists, and editors, we provide a full-service partnership without the overhead of an in-house team, helping your documentary achieve its creative and strategic goals.
Documentaries can generate meaningful results beyond traditional metrics. We measure success by tracking audience engagement, awareness, and conversions, aligning with your goals—whether that’s raising donations, attracting new clients, or building brand advocacy.
Our process includes:
Clarifying Goals: Define what success looks like—donor growth, viewership, or social awareness.
Tracking the Campaign: Install analytics to measure views, shares, and audience interactions.
Evaluating Impact: Compare the documentary’s outcomes against your objectives, ensuring your story drives measurable results.
For example, our work with Humans for Housing has reached millions, generating 72 million impressions and screenings in more than 40 cities, demonstrating both reach and impact.
Matchlight has a proven track record of producing award-winning documentaries for organizations and corporations of all sizes. Notable projects include:
Bloomberg Originals and Bloomberg Investigates—cinematic documentary content that reaches global audiences.
African Mission Healthcare—telling the story of a doctor bringing quality medical care to Africa.
Humans for Housing—an impact-driven film generating 72 million impressions across 40+ cities.
Can-Am / Vic Blends—highlighting corporate social responsibility through human-centered storytelling.
CF Evans Construction—showcasing company culture and its real-world impact.
We combine cinematic storytelling with strategic insight, making us a trusted partner for documentary campaigns that inspire, educate, and engage audiences.
Absolutely. We can create single, impactful documentaries for smaller budgets or specific campaigns, while ensuring each project aligns with your long-term strategy.
Even one-off documentaries can make a big difference. For instance, a short film might launch a nonprofit campaign, highlight a corporate initiative, or tell the story of a local community hero. We approach every project with the same care, strategy, and cinematic quality as our larger campaigns.
A successful documentary campaign combines storytelling excellence with strategic distribution. The most effective campaigns include:
Identifying the Right Audience: Understanding who will connect most deeply with the story.
Highlighting Unique Perspectives: For example, we’ve told the story of a social media influencer partnering with Can-Am to address school bullying, and chronicled CV Evans Construction’s culture to show how it drives their work.
Creating Films That Move the Heart: Our documentaries focus on authentic moments that inspire action, empathy, or awareness.
Measuring Engagement and Reach: Tracking impact ensures your story not only resonates but drives tangible results, like donations, sign-ups, or awareness campaigns.
CASE STUDY DETAILS
REAL WORLD IMPACT
Case Study 1: Sydney Severance & MUSC Direct Funding Impact
Type: Social Impact Documentary, 7mins
Our documentary featuring patient Sydney Severance for MUSC Health proves that compelling, authentic healthcare storytelling can directly catalyze significant institutional change and funding:
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Funding Goal Surpassed: The film was central to the "Operation Upright" campaign, which successfully raised $1.2 Million to purchase the Carolina's first upright MRI machine.
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Systemic Change: This project resulted in the installation of a new $2.5 Million specialized MRI system at MUSC Health West Ashley Medical Pavilion, improving diagnostic accessibility for patients with complex spinal disorders like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome .
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Expertise Signal: This high-stakes collaboration showcases our proficiency in creating narratives for leading healthcare institutions and non-profits that convert awareness into concrete philanthropic funding.
Case Study 2: No Place to Grow Old Driving Digital Media Scale
Type: Feature Documentary, 43 Mins
Our feature-length documentary, No Place to Grow Old, produced with Humans for Housing, demonstrates our expertise in strategic distribution and generating massive visibility for social impact filmmaking:
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Media Reach: The campaign drove a 72,282,645 Press Impressions, confirming our ability to create content that resonates with national media and policymakers.
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Direct Engagement: The film connected with audiences through 9,933 Screening Attendees across 160 cities in the US, demonstrating the film's success as a tool for community discussion and action.
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Key Insight: Our various film promotional assets enabled our partners to use this film in venues ranging from community screenings under highway bridges to presentations in the halls of the State Senate, proving its power as a flexible advocacy tool.
Where Your Story Comes First
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