Oystercat Productions is just the two of us — Lani Chan and Nathan Bender. We met in 2015 while earning our master’s degrees in documentary film production at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City. After several years of working in a mix of newsrooms and hospitality programs, we decided to return to our roots in Northern California.

We’ve launched Oystercat Productions with the goal of bridging our passions for hospitality, social advocacy, photography, filmmaking, and documentary-style content marketing — in addition to building community in our new home.

We’d love the opportunity to help you tell your story.

Lani Chan

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After graduating from UC Davis, Lani moved to Copenhagen, where she found herself barely surviving kitchen stages under Michelin-starred chefs and eventually learning enough Danish to work on the opening team of a very cool craft beer bar. Upon her return to San Francisco, she worked as a bartender and cocktail server for two years before moving to New York for graduate school. 

In 2016, she wrote and produced a short film about women sommeliers which went on to screen at several film festivals, including the Sonoma International Film Festival. She then joined the New York-based video storytelling powerhouse NowThis, where she worked for three and a half years. During that time, she produced and edited hundreds of newsy short videos on topics ranging from firefighter mental health and climate justice to solar-powered #vanlife and an actual squirrel census in Central Park. 

Nathan Bender

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Nate grew up in a winemaking family in California’s Sierra Foothills, where he developed a keen appreciation for both artisanal craftsmanship and thoughtful storytelling. After graduating from Hampshire College with degrees in Documentary Photography and Ethnographic Studies, he spent two years writing a book titled “Ganbei your Ganghong: Tales, Imagery, and the Cultural Implications of Wine in China.” Nate went on to receive a Fulbright grant to produce a photo-ethnography exploring sustainable tourism in China, which afforded him the opportunity to research, travel, and also hone his Mandarin language skills for over six years.

Nate’s first foray into documentary filmmaking came in 2014 while working on the HBO documentary “Going Clear: Scientology and Prison of Belief.” Needless to say, he was hooked. He received a scholarship to attend Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism where he earned his Masters degree in documentary journalism and also met the love of his life, Lani Chan. Since then Nate has contributed to various broadcast news outlets and documentary companies including CBS News, Al Jazeera, and National Geographic.