Films, commercials, and documentaries from the Pacific Northwest—made with experience, curiosity, and craft.
Daniel A. Cardenas directing a documentary film named, Beyond the Salish Sea:Crude Truth
On location in Seattle for Beyond the Salish Sea, directed by Daniel A. Cardenas

What we do

Sierra Media is an independent production company creating film, commercials, branded content, and documentaries.

We keep Sierra Media small by design and build the right team around each production. That means less overhead, more agility, and direct collaboration, without layers of people between you and the people actually making the film.

The scale may change—from a small documentary crew to a full commercial production—but the fundamentals don’t: understand what you’re trying to say, bring together the right people, and make something worth watching.

Behind the scenes of Beyond the Salish Sea documentary, directed by Daniel A. Cardenas

Recent Work

Molecular Devices
Product Launch

Molecular Devices is a long-time Sierra Media client. Over multiple projects, we’ve helped introduce sophisticated scientific instruments and technologies through films that make complex ideas clear, visual, and engaging. Sierra Media created the launch film for ImageXpress HCS.ai, an advanced high-content screening system. Our job was to take a sophisticated piece of scientific technology and make it clear, visual, and engaging—without losing the science behind it

Sierra Media handled the production from planning, storyboarding, and filming through post, combining product cinematography, editing, VO, and motion graphics.

“Beyond the Salish Sea” feature documentary

An independent documentary exploring the risks of increased crude-oil transportation through the Salish Sea—and the people working to understand and protect this extraordinary inland sea.

Hopped Up, Poster- a documentary by Daniel A. Cardenas

“Hopped Up” feature documentary

This award-winning feature-length documentary is available on Amazon Video and various streaming platforms. Hopped Up—How Yakima Valley Changed Craft Beer Forever is a documentary about the science of breeding hops and the challenges of growing them in Washington’s Yakima Valley, WA. To purchase a limited edition DVD, go to the film’s website

Valant Software

Working with a software company in the mental health industry was an incredibly fulfilling project. With travels to San Diego, Atlanta, and Seattle, this project was a quick turnaround with a minimal crew.

Daniel A. Cardenas founder Sierra Media

About

I founded Sierra Media because I love telling stories and believe in film’s ability to connect people with ideas, products, places, and each other. I’ve spent decades working as a director, DP, and editor for clients worldwide, while continuing to pursue independent stories that matter to me.

I’m still curious. Still making films. And still looking for the next good story to tell.

Maybe you know exactly what you need.
Maybe you just know you need a film.
Let’s figure it out.

Sierra Media, Pacific Northwest- Available Worldwide

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