SEEK FIRST
A fighter kneels in a boxing ring, lit by a window behind him
Film studio · Houston, Texas

Documentary films for brands & athletes.

True-to-life brand films, athlete profiles and short docs. Real people and real moments, finished with cinematic craft.

See the work Start a project
Selected work

The work.

What we make

Three kinds of film.

Every project is directed, shot and edited by the same small team, from the first call to the final file.

For brands

Brand films

Documentary-style films for fitness, health and lifestyle brands. Founder stories, about films, launches and campaigns, built from real people and real moments.

  • A hero film plus social cutdowns
  • Interviews, b-roll and natural sound
  • Formatted for your site, social and paid ads
Start a brand film
For athletes and families

Athlete profiles

Short films that show who an athlete is: their skills, their work ethic and the person behind them. Made for school applications, recruiting, sponsors and family.

  • A 2 to 3 minute profile film
  • Training, interviews and the best game moments
  • Files ready for application portals and social
Start an athlete profile
For stories that need room

Mini-docs

Longer films about people and companies worth following, shot over a day or a season and built around their own words.

  • Story development and pre-interviews
  • One or more shoot days, on location
  • The film plus a trailer and cutdowns
Start a mini-doc
Our approach

Editorial Realism.

The best version of what was actually there.

We film in a vérité style: what really happens, not a staged version of it. Our job is to bring out the best in the people on camera, so their personality and their work speak for themselves.

Black and white close-up of an athlete's face mid-motion Frame from Reset the STNDRD

Real over staged

We film people doing what they actually do, and let the real moments carry the story.

Sound first

The coach's voice, the crowd, the breath between reps. We mic it all, because sound is what makes a film feel alive.

Cinematic finish

Composed framing and careful color on every shot, so real moments look their best.

How it works

Call to final cut.

A clear plan before we film, and two rounds of notes after. You always know what comes next.

  1. 01

    Call

    A 15-minute call about your story, your audience and your deadline.

  2. 02

    Proposal

    Options and pricing within 24 hours, with a clear scope and timeline.

  3. 03

    Plan & shoot

    We agree on the story, the interview questions and the shot list, then we film.

  4. 04

    Deliver

    First cut on Frame.io, two rounds of notes, and final files ready to post.

A director checks a fighter's frame on the camera monitor
Jae Phan holding a cinema camera Meet Jae · 0:59
About

Behind the camera.

Seek First is a Houston film studio led by director and cinematographer Jae Phan.

I played Division I football at Rice and graduated with a background in science before I picked up a camera. Over the last five years I've built Seek First into a studio that directs, shoots and edits documentary films for brands, athletes and the people behind them.

Having been the athlete in front of coaches, I know what it feels like to be evaluated, and how to help someone relax enough on camera to be themselves.

The name comes from Matthew 6:33. It's a reminder to put first things first, on set and off.

@phantast1kJae Phan, cinematographer @seekfirst.studioThe studio on Instagram
Brands & partners
  • STNDRD
  • REGENX Health
  • AVANCE
  • Fortitude Strategic Wealth
  • LoneStar Electric Supply
  • Piping Technology & Products
Contact

Tell us about your film.

Send a few details and we'll reply within one business day, usually with a time for a 15-minute call.

Based inHouston, Texas. Available to travel.