Starfish Otter Pup II Video Series

Crew filming an interview of Starfish Space employees

On location at Starfish Space HQ

overview

Starfish Space approached Lake & Pine to create a five-episode documentary-style series for the launch of their Otter Pup 2 satellite. Our objective was to move beyond technical specifications and capture the human story and engineering brilliance behind the mission, delivering a high-quality, cinematic asset that fueled recruiting and generated excitement across the commercial aerospace community.

the challenge

Translating Complex Space Tech into a Human Story

Starfish Space is pioneering RPOD--Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking—a highly technical and often abstract field within the commercial aerospace industry. Before the Otter Pup 2 launch, they faced two core challenges:

Building Pre-Launch Momentum: They needed to generate excitement and validate the mission for investors and the public.
Recruitment and Culture: They needed to showcase the team and company culture to attract top-tier engineering talent, who would need to see the emotional resonance and significance of the work.
Clarity for a Broad Audience: They required clear storytelling that could explain complex concepts to engineers, investors, partners, and general space enthusiasts alike.

This required a consistent narrative arc and a content cadence designed to carry viewers from early development to a successful launch and beyond.

Our Strategic Approach

Cinematic Video Production for Commercial Aerospace

We structured the project around a holistic, narrative-driven process focused on maximizing the emotional and strategic impact of the teams' stories.

1. pre-production

The Narrative Blueprint

We began with deep research and interviews to establish the core narrative. We didn't just write questions; we crafted an interview plan designed to help Starfish's engineers speak confidently, clearly, and emotionally, balancing technical depth with accessible, high-stakes storytelling. This phase established the episode arcs, key engineering themes, and the final visual style.

2. ProductioN

Capturing the Human Brilliance

Over four total shoot days (in Seattle and California), we focused on capturing the environment, the team, and the engineering in a cinematic style. Our goal was to capture not just the satellite, but the culture behind it.

Key Deliverables:

Cinematic Interviews: Two-camera setups to capture emotional depth and high-end quality.
Engineering & Culture B-Roll: Footage of manufacturing, mission prep, and authentic team collaboration moments.
Custom Motion Graphics: Created reusable, custom-branded title sequences and a motion graphics system to ensure visual consistency and a high-end feel across all episodes.

3. post-ProductioN

Sequential Staging for Momentum

We edited a five-episode series and two 30-second trailers (horizontal + vertical versions) concurrently with the final production phases. This sequential staging allowed for maximum efficiency while maintaining a cinematic quality through professional color grading and music scoring.

Note on Release: The series is structured as an ongoing narrative. Three episodes have been released to date, the fourth is prepared for immediate launch, and the fifth (the mission success finale) is scheduled for after the satellite successfully attempts docking with another satellite in low earth orbit. This staggered release plan is designed to sustain momentum.

Watch the Starfish Space Otter Pup 2 Video Series

outcome

Impacting Recruitment in the Aerospace Community

The video series accomplished the primary goal: it helped Starfish communicate the heart of the mission—not just the spacecraft. The initial three episodes have already elevated the voices of their engineers, successfully highlighted the company’s culture, and delivered clarity and emotional resonance to a technical audience.

The initial released episodes have contributed to heightened visibility and broader engagement across the aerospace community.
The series significantly strengthened the company’s recruiting positioning by giving them high-value content to share on platforms like LinkedIn.