Nettlefilms is an independent media production company based in the San Francisco Bay Area—lo-fi, low budget, and proud of it. If you're like us, you're bored and fed up with mainstream entertainment, rehash, and design by committee. The world needs more imagination, not demographics. We need things that challenge our expectations, and entertain us while respecting our intelligence and individuality. Nettlefilms aspires to do more with less and create works that reflect these values.
Our name is derived from sea nettles. Exotic and passive creatures of the ocean, these jellyfish drift through the currents with their long flowing tentacles laden with nematocysts. We find this to be a fun metaphor for the creative process: from the aimless drifting, to the majestic movement, to the harsh and unforgettable sting.
Nettlefilms was founded by Cielo Cervantes and Kurt Shulenberger, friends and creative partners for over 15 years. Like most independent artists, we create in our own time and by our own dime. We create because we love it, and feel strongly that these things are worth doing even if it takes years between responsibilities and day jobs. Some work here is collaborative, and some is individual, but we believe that all of it contributes to the greater voice and manifest that is Nettlefilms.
We thank you for your interest, and hope you consider subscribing to our newsletter for updates on our latest work. Artists interested in collaboration and/or using Nettlefilms as a platform for their work are invited and encouraged to contact us.
Born and raised in San Jose, California. Currently he lives in Berkeley after an 8-year excursion in New York. Kurt received a BA in Cinema from San Francisco State University in 2004 and an MA in Cinema Studies from New York University in 2007. He works as a managing editor at a translation company and freelances as a writer occasionally. Creatively, he is involved with film, writing and music. He thoroughly enjoys his wife's cooking and games of the videoed variety, and wishes he could draw.
Click here to see a full list of Kurt's individual projects.
Write to Kurt at kurt@nettlefilms.net
Originally from San Jose, California, Cielo now lives near Monterey and works at the local community college. He enjoys helping others and pushing both artistic and technological boundaries. Cielo graduated from Evergreen Valley College in 2004, receiving an AS in Digital Media Design. Artistically, he has dabbled in a wide range of media, but he specializes in digital and visual design. Cielo is secretly a clown shaman and you should beware if you ever see him dance.
Click here to see a full list of Cielo's individual projects.
Write to Cielo at cielo@nettlefilms.net
