Empowering conservation groups, researchers, institutions, & sustainable businesses with scalable media production.
This 15‑minute short film commissioned by UC Santa Cruz offers an intimate look into their renowned scientific diving course as it follows a dynamic group of students as they complete intensive training which emphasizes scientific sampling techniques and teamwork, enabling students to document the rich marine biodiversity of the Monterey Bay.
Alongside their journey, faculty and alumni share candid interviews that reveal how scientific diving has propelled their careers and continued research, underscoring the program's legacy in nurturing future marine scientists dedicated to ocean conservation.
Documenting UC Santa Cruz’s innovative ACCESS Diving program, where graduate students and professionals guide undergraduates through "discovery SCUBA pool" experiences. The assignment captured dynamic images of students trying scuba diving for the first time in a controlled pool designed to simulate real research scenarios. A mix of portrait and candid shots highlighted the program’s dual mission: engaging newcomers with SCUBA while demonstrating its role as a scientific research tool.
This showreel highlights the wildlife filmmaking and editing expertise behind our company. Stunning visuals capture beautiful animals, delicate ecosystems, and sweeping landscapes from the Arctic to Antarctica. Through immersive cinematography and precision editing, this reel showcases our deep commitment to wildlife filmmaking—bringing nature’s most extraordinary moments to life.
I'm Kayvon Malek, and I founded Subtidal Media to bridge a gap that too many passionate conservationists, scientists, and non-profits face: access to high-quality storytelling that does justice to their work.
After nearly a decade as a wildlife filmmaker and underwater videographer for outfits like the BBC, NatGeo, and Netflix, I had the privilege of meeting dedicated individuals working tirelessly to protect our planet. But I kept seeing the same roadblocks—limited budgets, time constraints, and a lack of media services that truly understood their mission.
Social media might offer a lifeline, but without the right storytelling tools, even the most inspiring work can struggle to reach its audience. If the local news picks up your story, it’s often fleeting—oversimplified, dictated by schedules, and told through a lens that may not fully capture the depth of your research or impact. And while major documentary productions may showcase the results of your labor, the people behind the discoveries—their voices, struggles, and triumphs—are often left out when decisions are made without you in a boardroom more concerned with stock price.
That’s why I started Subtidal Media. Here, we do more than just create polished media—we help you tell your story the way it deserves to be told. With the same tools and techniques used in big-budget documentaries, we craft narratives that highlight the heart of your work, tailored to your needs.
In a time when funding is fiercely competitive, visibility matters. Your research, your mission, your passion—it all deserves to be seen, understood, and supported. Let’s make that happen, together.
Reach out—we’d love to help bring your story to life.
Don't be shy, feel free to reach out and ask us any questions you have or just give us a boop to say "hi"!
