Storytelling Subscriptions:
Donut Kitty & Santa Cruz Brewing
How does a small business let people feel what it's like to be there before they ever walk in?
In the summer of 2026, I produced the first Storytelling Subscription shoots for Donut Kitty and Santa Cruz Brewing, highlighting their individual businesses and also a collaboration beer-donut pairing during the Brewsology Beer Festival at the California Science Center.
The idea was simple: one evening that would give both brands a library of video and photography to draw from for months, rather than a single post.
A Donut Kitty isn’t just a donut — it’s an experience. Inspired by malasadas, these fluffy, golden beauties are filled with ever-changing, over-the-top flavors. Limited runs? Absolutely. Secret menus? Of course. Seasonal drops? You bet. We believe indulgence should be a little mischievous. One week it’s a bourbon caramel cream, the next it’s a tangy yuzu custard — and good luck finding it again. When a Donut Kitty is gone, it’s gone. So stay sharp, follow the crumbs, and don’t miss your chance to sink your teeth into the next flavor obsession.
The Santa Cruz Family is a passionate bunch and when our family had a chance to grow our passion for beer we jumped on the opportunity. After hard work and the support of friends and family Santa Cruz Brewing Co. opened its doors on May 18, 2024. Santa Cruz Brewing Co. is a place where tradition, passion, and community come together to create exceptional craft beer. At our brewery, every batch is brewed with love and care, reflecting our deep-rooted passion for the art of brewing. We ensure that every sip from our brewery is a testament to our family's love for brewing and our dedication to those who support us. Our roots run deep.
The Challenge
Small businesses rarely lack stories. They lack hours. Between running the place and everything else, content tends to get captured in fragments: a phone clip here, a borrowed photo there, nothing that quite adds up to a point of view.
The challenge was to create content that:
Felt observed rather than staged
Worked as a feature video, as short vertical clips, and as still photography
Fit around a small business's schedule
Could repeat, so a body of work builds over time instead of arriving in one burst
Gave two businesses, each with its own identity, and the collaboration between them a fair place in the frame
My Role
As producer, photographer, and videographer, I handled the project from first conversation to final delivery, with a video editor supporting post-production.
My responsibilities included:
Leading the planning call and shaping the story and shot priorities with Donut Kitty
Coordinating logistics and timing for the evening shoot
Capturing video and photography on location
Shaping the edit of the feature video and the vertical cutdowns with our editor
Selecting, editing, and color grading the photo gallery, and preparing the colored selects export
Delivering finished files and guidance on how to use them across their channels
The Shoot
The shoot took place on August 1, 2026, from 6:00 to 11:30 PM during the Brewsology Beer Festival at the California Science Center. The aim was to stay close to the people and the product, and to let moments unfold rather than directing them.
Approach
Plan the story before the camera comes out
The Quarterly tier is built around a planning call, where the question is less "what do you want to post?" and more "what do you want people to feel when they see you?" Donut Kitty isn’t a traditional donut pop-up. The menu is always changing, recipes are always being pushed somewhere new, and collaboration is part of the brand, so the conversation centered on the product and the booth rather than a fixed menu. The festival was a chance to try something they hadn’t: their first savory donut, a beer-and-cheese creation made with Santa Cruz Brewing’s beer, alongside a stout chocolate donut (also made with Santa Cruz Brewing’s beer), a strawberry powdered sugar donut using the Kitty Litter-sized donuts.
One shoot, several formats
Because the cutdowns and the gallery were planned alongside the feature video, every frame had a job. The same evening produced a longer piece for the brands' own channels, short vertical clips for social feeds, and stills that hold up on a website or a menu.
What We Delivered
Feature video: 90 seconds
Vertical cutdowns: Short clips cut from the same footage, so the social presence matches the longer piece
Photo gallery: 20 total edited selects
Colored selects export: An add-on, video clips color graded and exported for use across the brands' channels
Donut Kitty Deliverables
Hero Featured Video
Hero Featured Video - Vertical
Vertical Cutdown A
Vertical Cutdown B
Stills
Colored Selects (Add-On)
Santa Cruz Brewing Deliverables
Hero Featured Video
Hero Featured Video - Vertical
Vertical Cutdown A
Vertical Cutdown B
Stills
Colored Selects (Add-On)
Key Takeaways
This first shoot reinforced a few things I carry into every subscription.
A single shoot day works best when every frame has a purpose before the camera comes out. When two brands share a story, the agreements need to be as clear as the footage, so publication rights are confirmed up front rather than assumed. And the strongest content comes from staying close to people and letting the moment lead.
About Storytelling Subscriptions
Storytelling Subscriptions give small businesses a steady, low-pressure way to build a body of visual work over time, with three tiers: Quarterly, Monthly, and Story Partner. Each is built around planned shoot days, edited video, and finished photography. Details at jessboyermedia.com/storytelling-subscriptions.
If you run a small business and want to see how this could work for you, I'd be glad to talk it through.
Credits
Production: Jess Boyer Media
Role: Producer, Videographer, Photographer
Clients: Donut Kitty and Santa Cruz Brewing
Video Editor: Bobby Aholt
Package: Quarterly Storytelling with Colored Selects Export
Arrangement: Both shoots were produced as collaborations, in exchange for permission to share the work and this case study.
Location and date: Brewsology Beer Festival, California Science Center, August 1, 2026
Scope: Story planning, on-location video and photography, editing, color grading, delivery