Welcome
To Wavecrest Films
We specialize in independent and advertising-related filmmaking,
bringing depth, artistry and originality to our own brand of storytelling.
We specialize in independent and advertising-related filmmaking,
bringing depth, artistry and originality to our own brand of storytelling.
At Wavecrest Films, we have one mission: to create content that makes a positive social impact. It’s that simple. We consciously seek out brands, organizations and individuals who share our passion for spreading goodness around the globe.
Our speciality is creative, soulful storytelling – great nuggets of content that inspire audiences, move ideas forward and make a positive contribution to the media landscape. There’s enough noise already; we don’t care to add to it. We do, however, care about the messages we’re putting out there, and so we choose our projects carefully.
Whether we’re making films for clients directly, offering production services for foreign clients, or creating original works of our own, we put our heart and soul into all we do, and we love doing it!
Hey, Everybody –
The first half of 2025 has not been easy. Here in LA, we experienced historical loss and heartbreak as fires burned thousands of homes and acres of beautiful Southern California nature. So much loss, so much grief. We have a rough road ahead…but we are Angelenos – creative, resilient, and community-minded — so we’ll get through this, and we’ll be stronger than ever.
Speaking of strength from loss, we are proud to share with you our most recent Mindful Short film, “Broken & Beautiful” , (following “Just Breathe”, “Release”, “Into Light”, and “A Good Day”). In “Broken & Beautiful”, a woman whose daughter was murdered in a mass shooting finds a way to piece her life back together. Using the Japanese art of Kintsugi as a metaphor for repair, this short documentary offers hope to anyone suffering from loss. It recently won Best of the Festival at the Los Angeles Short Film Festival!
We made this film for people who are having difficulty navigating grief, to show how a mindfulness practice can help people once again find beauty in the world after devastating loss. Please share it with folks you know who might be suffering from any sort of loss.
The Mindful Shorts film series has been a labor of love for years, and has reached millions of people around the globe, offering very practical mindfulness tools that can make a huge difference in just a few minutes. The films have been translated so far into French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Hungarian, Czech, and Italian — all for free.
Because we have been giving these away, the only way we can continue on making them is to ask for help — so please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Mindful Shorts series today: https://mindfulshorts.wedid.it/
In other news: Our years of traveling and collecting imagery, objects and whatnot along the way have resulted in some truly unique works of art. Check out our studio on Etsy to see what we’ve been up to, and maybe find a cool gift for someone you love: https://www.etsy.com/shop/WavecrestFilmsStudio
Be well, everyone. And be kind. Let’s all work on being better humans — the planet is demanding it of us.
Warm wishes,
Julie & Josh
A GOOD DAY
The 4th completed film in the Mindful Shorts series, "A Good Day" paints a tender portrait of a mindfulness-based addict...
SURFING CORONA
Welcome to the Unknown. The coronavirus pandemic is affecting us all in a myriad of ways. Our short film, SURFING CORONA, is a lov...
N is for NATURE
Our short N is for Nature premiered on Sesame Street/HBO on May 9, 2020. The girl featured is the remarkable ShelbyO’Neil. Shelb...
INTO LIGHT
The 3rd short film in our Mindful Shorts series, "Into Light" features 4 inspiring teens who use their mindfulness pract...
K is for KARATE
"K is for Karate", a film produced for our friends at Sesame Street, features members of the Dragon Team - a fierce kara...
Giusti Farms
Meet John Giusti, a 3rd generation farmer in Half Moon Bay, CA, and get a glimpse into the past, present and future of a family fa...
FOSTER CARE / SESAME STREET
The warm, empathic Adriana Molina offers tools to foster parents on how to help their foster kids through challenging transitions....
G is for Grandparents
A tribute to the special role grandparents play in our lives, "G is for Grandparents" was produced for Sesame Street and...
Release
The 2nd film in our series of Mindful Shorts, "Release" addresses Anxiety as experienced by middle school kids, and offe...
CETMA Cargo
We've been big fans of cargo bikes ever since we first saw them in Europe a few years ago, and we've been waiting to find an Ameri...
Just Breathe
The viral hit "Just Breathe" features kids speaking candidly about anger and how they use mindfulness techniques to cope...
A MAD(libs) SUMMER — Expedia
What started out as a fun idea for our son's preschool class turned into a piece for Expedia. ...
Time & Tide
"Time & Tide" began in April 2000 upon reading an article about how the South Pacific nation of Tuvalu signed a deal...
Projects, Praise, Participate?
Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.
~ Denis Diderot
A series of experiential short films that give people of all ages
tools to navigate this emotional rollercoaster we call Life.
“Just Breathe”
A film on anger for elementary school kids.
“Release”
A film on anxiety for middle school kids.
“Into Light”
A film on depression for high school kids.
“A Good Day”
A film on addiction for middle-aged adults.
“Broken & Beautiful”
A film on grief — for us all.
We are cycling through the stages of life, addressing a particular experience common for that age, and showing how a simple yet profound mindfulness practice can help people navigate the very real challenges of being human.
The films collectively have been seen millions of times online, in schools, and in training seminars around the world, and have thus far been translated into French, German, Portugese, Spanish, German, and more…ALL FOR FREE.
The impact this series is having is global; the only way we can continue is with your help.
Next up: A film on the SCIENCE of Mindfulness, specifically as it relates to trauma, designed for young adults.
We would so appreciate whatever assistance you can offer as we endeavor to help others cultivate inner peace in the midst of 21st century chaos.
Many thanks for your time & support. Please share this campaign with your friends, colleagues, family members, etc. Let’s do this together!
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.
~ Anais Nin
Julie and Josh are storytellers. Their own story, and the spirit of their work, is driven by the power of vivid, creative filmmaking. Both self-taught photographers and avid environmentalists, they have combined their unique talents and experiences in film and video to pursue projects that give voice and visibility to the true stories of others. As creative partners, they strive to craft distinct productions that tap into the issues of today, and the emotions of today’s audiences.
Julie Bayer
Filmmaker
A lover of powerful stories with rich imagery, Julie spent the first part of her career gaining a solid understanding of the nuts and bolts of commercial production. For over ten years, she produced and oversaw countless commercial campaigns for others before moving into writing and directing projects of her own.
She, along with Josh, made her directorial debut with “Time & Tide”, a documentary about the impact of globalization and global warming on the tiny South Pacific nation of Tuvalu. The film garnered numerous film festival awards, screened internationally, and was broadcast in the US on PBS for seven years.
Julie's sensitivity to subject and subject matter was fully realized and recognized in the widely celebrated short film “Just Breathe” - a film about the power of mindfulness to transform anger, as articulated by a group of elementary school kids. The unscripted piece showcased on Oprah's Super Soul Sunday program in April 2015, screens regularly at international children's film festivals, and is used as an educational tool in classrooms and training seminars around the world, having so far been translated into Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, and Hungarian.
Often with her hand in many pots, Julie's main focus is on the Mindful Shorts series, while continuing to write screenplays, work on photography projects, and produce television commercials. When she’s not working, you can usually find her wandering in the hills, camera in hand and dog in tow, or somewhere hanging out with her tribe. She puts a tremendous amount of heart and soul into everything she does, and believes that the joy and beauty of filmmaking (and life itself, really) lies as much in the process of creative collaboration as in the actual completed projects.
Josh Salzman
Director of Photography
Creativity is the greatest rebellion in existence.
~ Osho
“Just Breathe”:
http://www.supersoul.tv/supersoul-short-films/what-children-can-teach-us-about-dealing-with-anger
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/05/22/children-mindfulness-emotions-anger-calming-
http://www.mindful.org/kindergarteners-talk-about-mindfulness-in-just-breathe-short-film/
http://www.upworthy.com/what-we-can-learn-from-6-kids-who-are-masters-of-their-anger
Audience’s Choice, Best Short, Providence Children’s Film Festival, 2015
“Time & Tide”:
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2006/s1705128.htm
http://www.hiff.org/about-hiff/history/hiff-2006/
Golden Orchard Award, Best Documentary, Hawaii International Film Festival, 2006
Audience Award, Best Documentary, Sidewalk Film Festival, 2006
Best Documentary, Big Muddy Film Festival, 2006
Best Documentary, ReelHeART Film Festival, 2006
“Release”:
http://www.mindful.org/middleschoolers-tame-anxiety-release-short-film/
“A Good Day”:
Best Social Issues Documentary, ReelHeArt Film Festival, 2024
“Broken & Beautiful”:
Award of Merit: Documentary Short, Impact DOCS 2025
Award of Merit: Motivational / Inspirational, Impact DOCS 2025
Best of the Festival, 2025 Los Angeles Short Film Festival
OTHER:
Shoutout LA, Apr ’25
LA Note, Dec ’21
Awards become corroded; friends gather no dust.
~ Jesse Owens
310.505.4619 (Julie) or 310.503. 5690 (Josh)
Venice, California
