01 — Studio

A studio that speaks two languages — creative and technical.

Founded in 2015. A decade-plus embedded at NASA. We work with organizations whose missions carry weight — building the platforms, stories, and systems that make complex things understood, funded, and remembered.

One practice. Two fluencies. No translation layer.

Founded 2015
Location California
Office 37° 24' 41.882" N, 122° 3' 27.91" W
Philosophy

Trust isn't given. It's built — one brief, one system, one story at a time.

The best work doesn't start with a scope of work. It starts with an invitation. A seat at the table where we listen and ask the questions others aren't. That is where we operate — and it takes trust to earn the right.

Our mandate: isolate the signal. The platform, the system, or the narrative that every stakeholder — from researchers to Congress — recognizes as the truth. Then, build it with enough technical and visual clarity that it requires no explanation.

Capabilities
One team — Multiple disciplines
01

Brand Systems

Strategy / Identity / Design Systems / Voice

Identity architecture from positioning through production. Built to be understood.

02

Product & Engineering

Web / Mobile / API / Systems Architecture

Design-led engineering for web and infrastructure. Built for how people actually work.

03

Film & Motion

Film / Photography / Motion / Post

Directed with intent. Produced at broadcast standard. Stories that move at the speed of culture.

04

AI & Interactive

AI / ML / Prototyping / Experimental

Intelligent tools and emerging interfaces. Making the complex feel effortless.

05

Strategy & Transformation

Consulting / Implementation / Change Management

Roadmapping for organizations evolving at pace. Vision grounded in empathy.

06

Ongoing Partnership

Retainers / Embedded Teams / Operations

The work gets better when we stay at the table. Continuous design and engineering.

Team
Ashcon Nejad

Ashcon Nejad

Founder & Executive Director

Emmy Award-winning creative technologist. Over a decade directing design, engineering, and film for NASA — turning science and exploration into stories that reach millions.

Maria Leus

Maria Leus

Creative Director

Fourteen years leading cross-functional creative at NASA. Transforms complex challenges into visual systems that communicate with precision and feeling.

Hanai Muhammad

Hanai Muhammad

Creative Producer

Visual storyteller with roots in music. Bridges strategy and production — directing narratives through design, photography, and film.

Partners
Exceptional specialists
Raphael Pranga Director
Andromeda Tan Executive Producer
Ka'nete Mlaudzi Operations & Production
Freddy Song Full Stack + AI/ML
Alex Apodaca Production
Noel Dasmarinas Cinematographer
Frances Dale Retirado Post-Production Manager
Rica Mae Soriente Film Editor
Chris Sante Graphic & Motion Designer
Cejaye Erickson Editor
Mayad USA Media
Chapters PH Production
M Post Post-Production
Yours Truly, Studio Creative Direction
Recognition
5 awards

Emmy Award

2024 Total Solar Eclipse: Through the Eyes of NASA

Outstanding Live News Special

2024–2025

Emmy Award

2024 Total Solar Eclipse: Through the Eyes of NASA

Excellence in Production Technology

2024–2025

Webby Award

Winner + People's Voice

2024 Total Solar Eclipse: Through the Eyes of NASA

Video & Film | Events and Live

2024

Webby Award

Winner + People's Voice

2024 Total Solar Eclipse Campaign

Social | Events and Live Streams

2024

NASA Honor Award

Enhancing collaborative virtual environments for NASA Aeronautics

Creative + Technical Leadership

2022