Groove solventless
Brand video + Product video
Overview
Groove Solventless produces premium cannabis extracts using a chemical-free process that results in a cleaner, more flavorful product than the industry-standard BHO (butane hash oil) extraction. The tradeoff: solventless is more labor-intensive and expensive to produce.
The project had two distinct goals. Create a brand video to educate the public on Groove's process and values: why solventless matters, how it's made, what makes Groove different. And a series of six product videos designed to play on in-store displays, giving consumers a closer look at each product line and reinforcing the quality differentiator at the point of purchase.
The project had two distinct goals. Create a brand video to educate the public on Groove's process and values: why solventless matters, how it's made, what makes Groove different. And a series of six product videos designed to play on in-store displays, giving consumers a closer look at each product line and reinforcing the quality differentiator at the point of purchase.
The Brand Video
The brand video needed to walk viewers through a multi-stage production process (cultivation, harvest, extraction, packaging) and make it feel accessible and engaging. The footage had to communicate craft and care while aligning with Groove’s premium brand.
The project began with a scouting day at their cultivation facility. The facility is a working industrial space: many rooms and operations with bright overhead lighting and limited rigging options. We walked every room, mapped out what could be mounted where, and identified the structural constraints that would shape our lighting and camera plans.
From there, we developed detailed shot lists and lighting diagrams for every scene. The approach blended cinema vérité with a clean, cinematic technique: dolly work, probe lenses, macro inserts, object-POV rigs. We wanted viewers to feel like they were on the ground with the team.
The project began with a scouting day at their cultivation facility. The facility is a working industrial space: many rooms and operations with bright overhead lighting and limited rigging options. We walked every room, mapped out what could be mounted where, and identified the structural constraints that would shape our lighting and camera plans.
From there, we developed detailed shot lists and lighting diagrams for every scene. The approach blended cinema vérité with a clean, cinematic technique: dolly work, probe lenses, macro inserts, object-POV rigs. We wanted viewers to feel like they were on the ground with the team.
Production spanned two locations: the cultivation facility and the packaging and distribution facility. Despite shooting across different facilities over multiple days, the footage needed to feel like one cohesive world. That came down to consistent lighting philosophy (shaping sterile industrial spaces with lighting and blocking), intentional camera movement, and thoughtful framing throughout.
The resulting piece explains why solventless matters, communicates what Groove values, and lets the process speak for itself.
The resulting piece explains why solventless matters, communicates what Groove values, and lets the process speak for itself.
The Product Videos
Groove’s core product line includes vape cartridges, infused pre-rolls, hash, beverage enhancers, and live rosin badder. The product videos were designed to play on in-store displays next to the products themselves, giving consumers a closer look at what they’re buying and reinforcing Groove’s premium differentiator. Six videos. Six products. Each needed a unique visual identity while still feeling like part of a unified series.
We developed an elemental design language: earth, water, sand, rock, concrete, wood. Each product got a distinct environment that reflected its character. Each set was built by hand from sourced materials, assembled on shoot day, and lit to maximize depth and texture.Working at such small scales introduces challenges. At macro distances, everything is amplified. Dust. Label creases. A train idling three blocks away created visible vibration. Turntable footage shot slowly for maximum frame data revealed centering imperfections the moment it was sped up in post. Products this small (one to four inches) can easily disappear into their own sets if the environment overwhelms them.
We addressed this through keeping relative proportions consistent across sets, aggressive layering (distinct foreground and background elements to separate product from environment), and post-production cleanup. Turntable shots were manually stabilized frame-by-frame. Some product shots were rotoscoped and isolated. In some cases, entire backgrounds were digitally reconstructed to achieve the desired effect.
We addressed this through keeping relative proportions consistent across sets, aggressive layering (distinct foreground and background elements to separate product from environment), and post-production cleanup. Turntable shots were manually stabilized frame-by-frame. Some product shots were rotoscoped and isolated. In some cases, entire backgrounds were digitally reconstructed to achieve the desired effect.
The motion graphics were designed to live within the footage as tactile elements. Text was 3D-tracked into the macro environments so it felt like part of the world. The result is six videos that feel tactile and grounded. Each is distinct but unmistakably part of the same family.
This process netted 6 unique videos that place the products in visually striking environments paired with product messaging.
This process netted 6 unique videos that place the products in visually striking environments paired with product messaging.
What Made It Work
Three things:
Pre-production runway. We had time to scout, plan, iterate on scripts, develop art direction, and align with the client before cameras rolled.
Parallel workstreams. Shot lists, lighting plans, art direction, scripts, and VO casting all developed simultaneously. By the time we hit production, everyone knew exactly what we were making.
Client trust at the right moment. Groove was deeply involved in messaging and strategy. But once it was time to execute, they let us do our jobs. That balance (collaboration and trust) is when the best work happens.
Pre-production runway. We had time to scout, plan, iterate on scripts, develop art direction, and align with the client before cameras rolled.
Parallel workstreams. Shot lists, lighting plans, art direction, scripts, and VO casting all developed simultaneously. By the time we hit production, everyone knew exactly what we were making.
Client trust at the right moment. Groove was deeply involved in messaging and strategy. But once it was time to execute, they let us do our jobs. That balance (collaboration and trust) is when the best work happens.
Special Thanks
Special thanks to Nick, John, Dylan, Kaylene, Ryan, Ian, and the rest of the team at Groove.
