Based on the Mendocino Coast — working with the inns, vineyards, guided experiences, and destinations that make Northern California worth the trip.
That history — formal media arts training, years of production work, and generational community ties — is what separates this work from what an outside agency can offer. We know the light here. We know the seasons, the landscape, the businesses, the people.
That knowledge shows up in websites, brand identity, campaign strategy, and the harder work of helping an inn, a vineyard, a guided experience, or a regional destination articulate what makes it worth seeking out.
Strategy
Brand & creative direction
Media
Photo, video & writing
Ongoing
Managed care & support
When a traveler looks you up and finds visuals that undersell the property, a story that sounds like everyone else, or no clear reason to book direct — they go elsewhere. The gap between your actual experience and your online presence is where revenue leaks.
Visuals that undersell the property
Dated photography or generic imagery that does not reflect the actual quality of the guest experience.
OTA dependency
When most bookings flow through Expedia or Booking.com, margins erode and the guest relationship starts with someone else's brand.
No owned narrative
Every coastal inn says "charming" and "stunning views." Without a specific story, there is nothing to remember — and nothing to choose you over the property next door.
Inconsistent brand across touchpoints
The website, listing platforms, and social profiles all present a different version of the property — none of them cohesive.
Traffic that does not convert
Visitors find the site but leave without booking or inquiring, because nothing gives them a clear, confident reason to act.
No owned media library
Relying on guest uploads and stock imagery instead of professional media that can be licensed, reused, and built upon.
Content that never gets updated
Seasonal programming, new amenities, and current offers that exist only in the owner's head — never making it to the site.
No case for booking direct
Nothing on the site gives a traveler a reason to book direct rather than through an aggregator — so they go back to the OTA.
From defining what a place means to building the digital systems that bring people there — strategy, narrative, visuals, and marketing working together.
Websites
Managed websites for inns, tasting rooms, experience providers, and destinations — built to give visitors a clear reason to book direct rather than go back to an aggregator.
Brand & Narrative
For destinations and hospitality brands, the most important work is defining what a place means — its stories, its character, and its identity in the eyes of visitors. We bring local knowledge, filmmaking, and writing to that work.
Brand Visuals
Photography, video, aerial media, and visual direction that make your business feel specific and memorable.
Marketing & Advertising
Paid campaigns, content strategy, and visitor acquisition for the businesses that depend on bringing the right people through the door.
Website background video, brand reels, and visual content for properties along the California coast — including The Beachcomber, Little River Inn, and Trailborn Mendocino.
The Beachcomber — Mendocino Coast
Independent properties and coastal retreats that need a strong direct booking presence and a digital identity that earns the premium their experience commands.
Tourism boards, visitor bureaus, and regional destinations that need compelling web presence, content strategy, and visitor acquisition campaigns.
Vacation rental managers and property owners building a direct booking brand that reduces OTA dependency and drives repeat visitors.
Tours, private chefs, guides, food experiences — help visitors understand what you offer before they arrive.
Spas, massage therapists, retreat centers, and wellness practitioners — build trust, communicate your approach, and make booking straightforward.
Coastal and inland producers who need a web presence that matches the quality of what they make — and brings visitors to the source.
Visuals with local character
Surfside Studio has years of experience in coastal media production — photography, video, and aerial cinematography are native capabilities, not outsourced. Clients can draw from an existing coastal media library or commission original production as part of their project.
Production work spans hotel website video, DMO content and media licensing, real estate brand photography, and aerial cinematography — including work for national broadcast and streaming.
Photography
Brand, place, product, and team imagery
Video
Short-form clips for web and social
Aerial Media
Coastal context, properties, and experiences
Every engagement starts the same way — a clear brief, the heavy work on our end, and nothing goes live until you approve it.
It starts with a conversation about your business, your goals, and the customers you want to reach — what's working, what isn't, and where the opportunity is.
We establish a visual direction based on your brand — colors, typography, photo style, and layout that fits your business.
We build your site using modern tools and a refined component system. Fast, clean, and built for real performance.
We connect your domain, activate SSL, test every contact path, and verify mobile responsiveness before going live.
Your site is managed, monitored, and updated on a scheduled basis. You focus on your business — we keep the site current.
For full-scope engagements where brand strategy, media production, and digital presence need to work as one — inns, wine-country producers, destination campaigns, and beyond.
Tell us about your business. We will come back with a clear recommendation — no pressure, no pitch.
Rooted in Fort Bragg, on the Mendocino Coast
