Content Studio Creation
In 2024, I built Wild Alaskan Company’s first in-house content studio end-to-end. I led the creative and operational vision, hired and managed the core team, secured and designed the studio space, established all production systems, and guided leadership through defining what the studio should own. The studio enabled 3 shoot days weekly, increased creative control, improved content quality, and replaced reliance on previous vendors with a more efficient, more on-brand internal model.
ROLE: Head of Production
CLIENT: Wild Alaskan Company
YEAR: 2024-2025
Overview
After years of outsourcing to a New York studio with limited creative control, Wild Alaskan Company needed an in-house content engine capable of producing high-volume, Alaska-inspired photo and video work. I led the full buildout—from strategy to space, from team to systems.
How it Started
We started in a temporary Airbnb and resourcing other studios as needed before moving into our commercial space
Vision & Strategy
Designing the entire studio ecosystem: team structure, workflows, gear infrastructure, and content strategy.
Space & Aesthetic Direction
Scouting, securing, and adapting a South Seattle production space to support brand aesthetics and functional production needs.
Cross-Functional Partnership
Guiding leadership through evolving priorities to determine what the studio could sustainably own.
Team Leadership
Hiring, managing, and developing an in-house team (food stylist, photographer, production coordinator) and a network of specialized contractors (editors, motion designers, stylists, UGC creators, hosts).
Technical Foundation
Purchasing all gear, building lighting setups and backup systems, and configuring software and cloud-based workflows.
Operational Systems
Creating scalable processes for pre-production, shoot days, post-production, and asset delivery.
Securing a Location
Once we secured our core content studio team, I moved us into a commercial space that fit our expanding needs. There we would shoot several days a week, supplementing with on-location environments to meet brand standards.
Challenges:
Building a team capable of wearing many hats
The brand needed multidimensional creatives who could handle food, natural-light mimicry, photography, light video, post-production, and recipe work—requiring extensive scouting, testing, and leadership recruitment.
Finding a space that balanced look, function, and logistics
The studio needed a full kitchen, freezer capacity, strong electrical support, storage, sound stability, parking, natural light potential, and Alaska-adjacent aesthetics — all within Seattle city limits and budget constraints.
Navigating shifting, high-level expectations
Leadership had ambitious creative goals and evolving needs. I acted as the practical anchor, translating ideal scenarios into achievable solutions and guiding the company through months of iteration.
Defining the studio’s role in a constantly changing environment
Through continuous testing (recipes, lifestyle, ads, social, events), I helped establish the optimal balance between in-house capabilities and external partners.
Balancing vision with real constraints
I led the team through concessions and creative problem-solving — adapting the studio aesthetic, renting Airbnbs when needed, and bringing in specialized vendors to fill skill gaps.
Conclusion:
The in-house studio became a central part of Wild Alaskan Company’s creative strategy — supporting product launches, the 2024 brand refresh, weekly culinary content, lifestyle assets, and performance ads.
By leading the space, team, systems, and strategy from the ground up, I delivered a sustainable production model that elevated creative quality, expanded content volume, and drastically increased creative control.
I also played a key leadership role in guiding stakeholders through what the studio could achieve. This required diplomacy, persistence, and a clear-eyed understanding of constraints, enabling the company to move from ambitious visions to a functional, future-ready studio operation.