Satellite Films

Satellite Films Satellite Films is a 2022 Telly Winning full service creative strategy and video production company.

A clean white c*c is the lab bench of production.Just like in science, it’s all about eliminating noise—so the subject s...
07/09/2025

A clean white c*c is the lab bench of production.

Just like in science, it’s all about eliminating noise—so the subject stands out.

We’ve used this approach for medtech demos and explainers, especially when precision and clarity are the whole story.

Production tip: it’s easy to make a white c*c feel sterile. The real work is in lighting and motion—so it feels clean but alive.

Seeing our work make a tangible business impact for our clients is always gratifying.When Thermo Fisher Scientific neede...
06/26/2025

Seeing our work make a tangible business impact for our clients is always gratifying.

When Thermo Fisher Scientific needed to introduce a new pairing of instruments, they aimed to communicate how the QuantStudio Pro and the Orbitor Mover worked seamlessly together, allowing scientists to work efficiently outside the lab. Our video was more than just visually appealing; it was also a strategic tool that addressed critical business challenges.

The video demonstrated the interaction between these products, highlighting how they empower scientists by automating workflows outside the lab.

Thermo Fisher Scientific's objective was to showcase the synergy between the instruments. Our video clearly showed how it tackled key customer pain points and offered innovative solutions. This video garnered significant engagement, demonstrating a 30% increase in viewer retention compared to previous product videos, indicating strong resonance with the target audience.

The video went beyond simple product promotion, though. It effectively communicated Thermo Fisher Scientific’s value proposition, showing how the combined power of the QuantStudio Pro and the Orbitor Mover benefits scientists worldwide. By telling a compelling story, the video connected with the audience and demonstrated real-world applications and benefits.

Link to the final video in the comments.

A few years ago, we produced a video for life science company PerkinElmer that won a prize from the prestigious Telly Aw...
06/20/2025

A few years ago, we produced a video for life science company PerkinElmer that won a prize from the prestigious Telly Awards. But the real victory was how this video impacted their business.

At Satellite Film and Video, we take pride in seeing our work make a tangible impact. The PerkinElmer video wasn't just a showcase piece—it was a strategic tool that helped solve critical business challenges. It told the story of how the product empowered scientists and researchers worldwide.

PerkinElmer aimed to increase visibility for their product. This video highlighted how it addressed key customer pain points and offers innovative solutions. By telling a compelling story, the video connected with the audience and demonstrated the product's real-world benefits.

The video did more than just promote a product. It also conveyed the rich history of the PerkinElmer brand and its long-standing commitment to solving scientific challenges.

The storytelling was so effective that it not only met the client's needs but also earned a Telly Award, bringing recognition to their marketing team.

Link to video in comments.

06/17/2025

INVISIBLE HEROES — A Creative Experiment with a Clear Purpose

I set myself a challenge:

Could I use the full AI creative tool stack to make a brand anthem video—not just as a tech demo, but as a real, emotional piece of storytelling for the audience I care about most?

Life science professionals.
Medical researchers.
People in diagnostics, cleanrooms, logistics, regulatory.
The folks who don’t often show up in commercials—but whose work saves lives.
So I built a creative brief with one goal:
Make something that feels human using tools that aren’t.

Here’s what I used:
Script – ChatGPT (to help refine voice and rhythm)
Visual Development – MidJourney (storyboards + style references)
Cinematic Footage – Luma AI (to create movement and texture)
Voiceover – ElevenLabs (for tone, pacing, nuance)
Dialogue + Face Performance – Google Veo3 (experimenting with character-driven delivery)

Every step pushed the boundaries.
Some tools surprised me. Others fell short. But together, they gave me a kind of control and speed I’ve never had before in the creative process.
More importantly, I wasn’t trying to make a “look what AI can do” video.

I wanted to make something for the people we serve. Something respectful. Something that could stand on its own.
Invisible Heroes is what came out of that.
It’s a tribute to the quiet professionals who keep science and healthcare moving, often without thanks, without recognition, without being seen.
This video was made with AI.
But it was made for humans.

The Hero’s Journey in B2B: Applying Narrative Archetypes to Scientific StorytellingIn the world of B2B marketing, especi...
06/12/2025

The Hero’s Journey in B2B: Applying Narrative Archetypes to Scientific Storytelling

In the world of B2B marketing, especially in the life sciences, it’s easy to fall into the trap of dry, data-heavy communication. We focus on performance specs, regulatory compliance, and technical milestones. And while all of that is important, it rarely sparks an emotional response. It doesn’t stick.

That’s where story structure comes in. Specifically, The Hero’s Journey: an age-old narrative framework popularized by Joseph Campbell and beloved by Hollywood screenwriters. It’s the arc behind Star Wars, The Matrix, and countless epic tales. But it’s not just for movies. This timeless structure is one of the most powerful tools B2B marketers can borrow from the world of storytelling.

So how does it apply to your CRISPR startup, your lab automation tool, or your biobank platform? Let’s break it down.

Why the Hero’s Journey Works in Scientific Marketing

Every great story is about a character who starts in one place, faces challenges, and comes out changed. That same arc is present in nearly every successful product story.

Think of your customer as the hero, not your product. Your technology is the mentor, the guide that helps them cross into new territory, overcome obstacles, and achieve their goals.

When you use narrative structure, you’re not just explaining what your product does—you’re showing what your customer can become. And for scientists, clinicians, and researchers who spend their lives solving problems, that kind of story is incredibly resonant.

Real Examples in Life Science Marketing

We’ve seen this narrative applied in ways both subtle and bold:
- A genomic sequencing company framing their platform as a “companion” in the fight against rare disease.
- A biorepository brand positioning researchers as explorers unlocking the next phase of cancer treatment.
- An automation company showcasing a lab manager’s journey from overwhelmed to in-control.

in the world of science, where the stakes are high and the stories are deeply human, that kind of narrative structure might just be your strongest tool.

We're excited to share some behind-the-scenes shots of our recently completed location scout for a flyby drone tour at o...
06/10/2025

We're excited to share some behind-the-scenes shots of our recently completed location scout for a flyby drone tour at one of Eurofins' facilities in Fremont, California! Working with Eurofins - a highly respected and multinational science company - is a privilege and allows us to continue Satellite Films' mission of elevating the complex.

These photos in particular showcase just some of our latest filming capabilities with drones and other mobile units, building on our extensive animation and other live action work. A special thank you to Dana Haley-Vicente for her gracious help with this project!

We discovered something that feels like magic for GenAI video: the power of the first frame and last frame.We've been ex...
06/06/2025

We discovered something that feels like magic for GenAI video: the power of the first frame and last frame.

We've been experimenting with Luma, Veo3, and other AI video tools for a while now, but until recently, there was always this frustrating gap.

In particular, there was a lack of control over where the video starts, where it lands, and how the AI fills in the motion between. But after digging into the “First Frame / Last Frame” approach, we’ve unlocked a whole new level of precision.

We can set up the perfect hero shot or payoff moment and guide the AI toward it, rather than just hoping for the best.

This means:
✅ Better narrative flow
✅ More reliable shot-to-shot consistency
✅ More deliberate storytelling arcs

For companies like us, who're used to directing live-action and animation with careful attention to visual beats, this makes us genuinely excited because it opens the door for fuller control over GenAI videos, especially for life science, medtech, and high-stakes marketing work where clarity, timing, and precision matter.

Check out the images below for my Midjourney to Luma workflow! Let us know what you think.

06/05/2025

Experimenting with Google Veo3: "Ever Wonder What Your Dog is Thinking?"

Our director, Kuang Lee, is a brand-new dog owner, so he was curious: What kind of commercial could he make with the latest generative video tools, featuring pets?

That curiosity turned into a full-on creative experiment. He decided to build a playful, satirical commercial for a fictional Dog Translator Collar.

Here’s how he made it (and what he learned):

Script + Storyboard:
He worked in ChatGPT 4.0 to generate scripts with escalating humor.

Visual Anchors:
Using Midjourney, he designed base images like futuristic collars glowing in sci-fi environments and playful, colorful cartoon dogs for motion graphic elements.

Video Generation + Dialogue:
Google Veo3 handled the core video assembly and the human-delivered dialogue. Here, Veo3 was genuinely impressive, especially in capturing timing and emotional beats. But it’s worth noting: the visuals weren’t dramatically stronger than other top generators, and right now, you can’t maintain consistent animated characters across shots.

Animated Voices + Sound Effects:
Since Veo3 can’t make the animals “talk” yet, he turned to ElevenLabs to generate the dog voices and narrator voiceovers, plus supplemental sound effects.

Key Takeaways
Some outputs were jaw-droppingly good like the dialogue timing and scene cuts.
Others revealed the current limits of the tech, especially character consistency and animal animation.
Importantly: no animals, real or AI, were harmed during this experiment. 😉

Excited to share: Our director will be teaching a screenwriting class again this summer at The Writing Salon.This is an ...
06/04/2025

Excited to share: Our director will be teaching a screenwriting class again this summer at The Writing Salon.

This is an in-person class in their Berkeley classroom.

One of the best parts of this course is rediscovering the magic of the short film, watching and breaking down brilliant shorts with the class, exploring why they work, and seeing students unlock new ideas. It’s a reminder that great stories don’t need long run times, just sharp craft and emotional punch.

Over three in-person sessions this July, you’ll dive into writing a short film script, whether you’re aiming to light up the festival circuit or create a strong calling card for a future feature.

With two feature films distributed on Hulu and Amazon, plus award-winning shorts that have played at festivals worldwide, we're eager to share insights and tools that help bring your stories from the page to the screen.

Details are in the comments. We'd love to see you there!

06/03/2025

A few months ago, we created a video to highlight battery technology solutions for our valued client Thermo Fisher Scientific. The challenge was to take the complex topic of battery manufacturing solutions and communicate it in a visually impactful way; to accomplish this, we used a dynamic motion graphics approach that would visually guide viewers through each phase of battery production.

We're please to announce that our video (included below) is now featured front and center on the company's newly redesigned battery page! Link to the page is included in the comments.

Special thanks again to Rachel Weideman for being a great creative collaborator on this project!

05/30/2025

Almost a million people have watched my little GenAI experiment: a satirical 1950s-style travel ad.

For this one, I wanted to push Runway’s new lip-sync capabilities.

So, I swapped out some of the original off-screen narration for retro-futuristic, on-camera talent.

These GenAI video tools are evolving fast. Some still feel rough around the edges, but the pace of change is both thrilling and a little unsettling. I tried to weave a bit of that tech unease right into the piece.

Curious what you think, does the future feel more exciting or more eerie to you?

Deep Dive: Bottom of Funnel Video Content for Scientific AudiencesWhen your buyer is nearing a decision, they’re balanci...
05/22/2025

Deep Dive: Bottom of Funnel Video Content for Scientific Audiences

When your buyer is nearing a decision, they’re balancing logic with risk. They want to be confident they’re choosing the right vendor and that your solution will deliver as promised.

Bottom-funnel video content is about de-risking the decision. This is where science meets strategy.

Case Study Videos:
Think of these as visual white papers. Showcase a successful deployment in a research lab, clinic, or pharma workflow.
Include metrics: time saved, error rate reduced, publications supported.
Don’t shy away from technical detail—that’s what builds credibility.

Visual Ideas: Before/after process diagrams, charts showing ROI, or animated overlays of improved throughput.

Onboarding Walkthroughs:
One of the biggest barriers to buying is fear of complexity. Film a new client’s first 30 days: delivery, setup, training, troubleshooting. Feature your support team and how they assist researchers. Include real timelines, integration examples, and outcomes.

Format Tip: Use a documentary style with timestamps and client quotes. Think of it as a "day in the life" of post-purchase success.

ROI Explainers That Quantify Value:
When procurement is involved, emotion won’t cut it. Show the math.
Highlight the specific ways your product reduces cost, time, or labor.
Use motion graphics to walk through hypothetical or real cost-savings models.
Consider voiceover from a product manager or applications scientist.

At the bottom of the funnel, it’s not about inspiration. It’s about proof. Use data, clarity, and confidence to nudge your buyer from "maybe" to "yes."
And always end with a smart CTA: book a demo, download a spec sheet, or schedule a consult. The clearer the next step, the faster the decision.

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Satellite Films

Satellite Films is a full service creative strategy and video production company that combines storytelling scope with technology know-how. We can translate and amplify your company’s message into powerful video with our twenty years of storytelling and creative experience.

Kuang Lee, a member of Writers Guild of America West, has written television dramas, feature films, and best-in-class television advertising. He combines that experience with numerous content creation roles in Fortune 50 companies to further your message. Kuang’s first feature film, BUDDY SOLITAIRE, is distributed by Gravitas Ventures.