Malibu Living Shoreline
Producer Case Study
Malibu Living Shoreline
Client: Integral Consulting in partnership with California State Parks
Role: Creative Direction • Producer • Director • Editorial Lead
Production House: Swan Dive Media
Goal:
To create a public-facing film that explains a complex coastal resilience project while building community understanding and engagement around a proposed living shoreline at Malibu Lagoon.
Context / Problem
Malibu's shoreline sits at the intersection of multiple cultural, ecological, and historical assets: the world-famous Surfrider Beach surf break, Malibu Lagoon, the historic Adamson House, and the Chumash heritage site of Humaliwo. Rising sea levels, intensified storm events, and decades of interrupted sediment flow caused by Rindge Dam have accelerated erosion along the beach, threatening both natural and cultural resources.
Traditional coastal armoring solutions often create unintended impacts elsewhere along the shoreline and can permanently alter the character of a place. California State Parks and Integral Consulting were exploring a different approach—a nature-based "living shoreline" strategy that would use native cobbles, driftwood, dunes, and vegetation to restore some of the natural processes that historically protected the coast.
The challenge was communicating a highly technical coastal engineering concept in a way that felt accessible, relevant, and meaningful to local residents who care deeply about Malibu's future.
Narrative Angle (Editorial POV)
Rather than framing the project as an engineering proposal, I approached the story as a question:
What happens when we stop fighting nature and start rebuilding the systems that once protected us?
The film uses Malibu's iconic surf break as an entry point into a broader story about climate adaptation, ecological restoration, and public stewardship.
The narrative focuses on:
Connection between watershed and coastline
Restoring natural processes instead of relying solely on infrastructure
Community participation as part of climate resilience
Balancing recreation, cultural heritage, and environmental protection
By following surfers, scientists, and coastal planners, the film translates an abstract climate issue into a story rooted in a place people love.
Creative / Visual Strategy
The visual approach was designed to make coastal science tangible through place-based storytelling.
Key creative choices included:
cinematic landscape imagery highlighting the relationship between the creek, lagoon, beach, and surf break
observational interviews conducted in the environments being discussed
drone cinematography to reveal sediment flow, shoreline change, and coastal dynamics at a systems level
archival and contextual storytelling that connected present-day erosion to historical changes within the watershed
natural pacing that allowed scientific concepts to emerge through lived experience rather than exposition alone
The goal was to create a film that felt equally relevant to surfers, residents, policymakers, and environmental professionals.
Cultural / Audience Intent
The film was designed to expand public understanding of living shorelines while fostering trust in the planning process.
Rather than persuading viewers toward a predetermined outcome, the intent was to help audiences understand:
Why erosion is occurring
How historic modifications to the watershed continue to affect the coast
What a living shoreline is
Why nature-based solutions are increasingly important in a changing climate
The project also positioned Malibu as a case study for coastal communities throughout California facing similar challenges.
Social Editorial Translation
The film was developed as the centerpiece of a broader public engagement strategy.
Supporting content included:
short-form educational video assets
social media excerpts featuring scientists and community voices
public meeting outreach materials
digital content designed to support stakeholder engagement throughout the planning proces
Results / Impact
Helped translate complex coastal engineering and restoration concepts into accessible public storytelling
Supported community engagement efforts during the conceptual planning phase
Created a visual communication tool for California State Parks and project stakeholders
Elevated public awareness around living shorelines and nature-based coastal resilience strategies
Established a narrative framework that connected local concerns to larger climate adaptation conversations occurring across California
Creative Reflection
This project reinforced the importance of finding the human story inside technical subjects. The most compelling narrative wasn't about erosion control—it was about engaging a community on what kind of coastline it wants to leave behind, and whether nature itself can be part of the solution.