Sealife Productions is a family-run company dedicated to filming and producing wildlife documentaries, with a strong commitment to ocean conservation. Founded in the 1990s by Florian Graner, the company was born from his passion for the ocean and a deep interest in underwater photography. After earning a B.Sc. in Marine Biology, Florian transformed his hobby into a career in cinematography. He went on to complete a Ph.D. in Marine Biology, specializing in marine mammals. Drawing on both scientific expertise and hands-on field experience, Florian creates compelling, authentic ocean stories.

Florian has contributed to a wide range of acclaimed productions, including Octopus! (Amazon Prime), Incredible Animal Journeys (Disney), and the Monterey Bay episode of Netflix’s Our Great National Parks, narrated by Barack Obama. His footage also appears in the two saltwater seasons of Animal Planet’s River Monsters with Jeremy Wade, CBC’s The Wild Canadian Year, and several BBC series, including Pacific Abyss, Amazon Abyss, and The Blue Planet.

He has worked with leading production companies such as Disney, Amazon Prime, Wild Space Productions, Plimsoll Productions, Parthenon Entertainment, and Icon Films. In addition, Florian produces for the German documentary company Doclights for NDR Naturfilm, with credits including Orcas – Herrscher der Meere and America’s National Parks: Olympic (for National Geographic). His recent film about orcas, Orcas – Life in Black and White won the Silver Medal at the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards and inspired the spin-off online production Among Orcas.

Florian is a certified rebreather diver and has been diving with rebreathers since 1995. As of July 2024, he has logged over 3,450 dives in diverse environments around the world. He began his diving journey in Germany and earned his research diver certification through the Biological Institute of Helgoland.

Gina Truesdell is Florian’s partner in both business and life. She holds a Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, along with M.S. and B.S. degrees in biology and education. Before joining Sealife Productions, Gina worked as a research scientist specializing in evolutionary arms races between pathogens and their hosts.

Her deep enthusiasm for science and nature now fuels her second career in wildlife cinematography, where she supports ocean filmmaking with a scientist’s insight. Gina is a certified scuba diver and drone pilot who plays a key behind-the-scenes role in each production—contributing as production manager, boat and field crew, camera and sound assistant, and digital imaging technician (DIT). She thrives on the adventure of ocean cinematography.

Sealife Productions also promotes ocean conservation, with a particular focus on the waters of the Salish Sea. Florian has filmed and produced content for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, Puget Sound Restoration Fund, NOAA, and the Northwest Straits Commission in collaboration with the North Pacific Coast, Island County, and Snohomish County Marine Resources Committees. 

Florian's film Discover the Olympic Coast is sparking curiosity and care for the ocean in classrooms across the Salish Sea and beyond. Integrated into school curriculum, it has reached more than 1,000 students, inspiring a new generation to explore and protect the marine environment.

The company maintains an extensive stock library of video and images, filmed in 4K to 8K resolution on RED cameras. Inquiries about footage licensing or custom projects are always welcome.

Land Acknowledgement

Sealife Productions is located on Indigenous land. We live and work on the traditional and ancestral territory of the Coast Salish people, specifically the Snohomish people, who have cared for these lands and waters since time immemorial. We recognize the enduring presence, knowledge, and cultural traditions of the Snohomish people and their neighbors throughout the Salish Sea region.

We honor gʷisgʷistalb, the land, ʔaʔacəp, the sea, and the people—past, present, and future. These connections inspire our dedication to responsible environmental storytelling and marine conservation. We are committed to listening, learning, and contributing in ways that respect Indigenous sovereignty, environmental stewardship, and cultural resilience.