FLOLAB FILMS.
We make meaning.
FLOLAB FILMS. We make meaning.
Purpose-Driven Films for Brands Creating a Meaningful Future
At FloLab Films, we don’t just make content.
We make meaning. Where most corporate or NGO films feel safe, sterile, or emotionally flat, we create disruptive storytelling that hits the heart, moves culture, and turns purpose into something people feel.
From mindfulness programs in Chicago housing projects to bomb-sniffing rats saving lives in Tanzania, to under-privileged surf communities finding belonging on the South African coastline — our work amplifies the stories that matter.
Stories that restore dignity.
Stories that shift perception.
Stories that spark change.
Because the world doesn’t need more videos.
It needs better stories.
Purpose-Driven Films for Brands Creating a Better Future
We don’t just make content.
We make meaning.
Stitched Up.
A Retro-African Surf Myth Reimagined
Shortlisted for the Young Directors Awards (YDA), Ciclope, and featured in IDidThat.
Stitched Up is a bold, stylized short film that transports viewers into the retro-cool world of Africa’s counter-surf culture. Set against the vibrant textures of a reimagined 1970s, the film follows two siblings whose passion for design and surf becomes the catalyst for rewriting the narrative of their time.
Part period piece, part cultural remix, Stitched Up is a tribute to creativity, resilience, and the unstoppable pursuit of freedom. It is both a celebration of African identity and a cinematic challenge to the tropes of who gets to belong in surf culture — and who gets to shape its future.
This film was created for Small Steps Surfing South Africa, a small but impactful non-profit dedicated to helping children in under-resourced communities learn to surf, stay in the water, and find belonging through the power of the ocean. Their mission goes beyond sport — it’s about confidence, connection, and creating safe spaces where young people can grow.
BEROCCA x Eben Etzebeth (Director's Cut)
This director’s cut of Berocca x Eben Etzebeth brings high-performance energy to life through bold visuals, sharp storytelling, and a proudly South African production. Directed by Gareth Kaatze and produced in collaboration with Cape Town–based production house Groundglass, the film blends Eben’s athletic intensity with Berocca’s vibrant brand world. Backed by Bayer and the creative team at Oliver Agency, the project showcases a seamless partnership between agency, production, and post—delivering a punchy, high-impact spot that celebrates clarity, focus, and unstoppable drive.
Reshaping the Story for 1,000 Kids in Chicago’s South Side
Reshaping the Story for 1,000 Kids in Chicago’s South Side is a documentary piece that spotlights Rebels for Peace, a youth-led movement transforming mental health support and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) for young people in one of Chicago’s most challenged communities. Filmed and directed by Gareth Kaatze, the project captures a powerful grassroots initiative driven by teenagers who understand the stakes firsthand.
The film follows the Rebels as they deliver peer-led mental health programs designed to build emotional resilience, leadership, and connection—reframing a narrative too often dominated by struggle. Through honest storytelling and on-the-ground access, the piece reveals how these young changemakers are equipping over a thousand kids with the tools to heal, grow, and redefine what’s possible.
Edited by Mathew Gardner, with animation by Skye Davis and online editing by Gareth Kaatze, this work highlights a generation choosing agency over adversity and building a future from the inside out.
The Monk
The Monk is a visceral short film that follows the extraordinary journey of Aaron Green—from being held hostage in Iraq to rediscovering purpose and inner stillness in a remote monastery in Nepal. Filmed and directed by Gareth Kaatze, the documentary captures Aaron’s transformation with raw honesty and cinematic focus.
The film traces Aaron’s escape through sewers under fire, his years spent navigating war zones and covert missions, and the rigorous mental and physical training he embraced in monastic life. Blindfolded mountain hikes, days of silence, and the disciplined return to intuition became the unexpected tools that reshaped his identity.
More than a survival story, The Monk explores how trauma can be transmuted into strength, how fear can open the door to growth, and how stillness can become a path home. Edited by Gareth Kaatze and Mathew Gardner, with animation by Skye Davis, the film offers an intimate look at what it takes to rebuild a life from the inside out.
Hunters – Waking Up to Dance
Hunters – Waking Up to Dance is a vibrant short film that tells the story of Philiswe Xhaga, a rising South African pantsula dancer whose craft is rooted in rhythm, resilience, and cultural expression. Directed by Gareth Kaatze and edited by Mathew Gardner, the film offers an intimate look at Philiswe’s daily life—where movement becomes both art and identity.
Through kinetic visuals and grounded storytelling, the piece follows Philiswe as she navigates the streets and stages that shaped her, revealing the discipline, community, and joy behind her journey. Waking Up to Dance celebrates not just the power of pantsula, but the spirit of a dancer who moves with purpose and lives in motion.
A portrait of passion, culture, and the rhythms that rise from South Africa’s townships, the film brings Philiswe’s story to life with honesty and cinematic energy.
First Person: A Snap Original
Gareth Kaatze directed a chapter of First Person, the award-winning Snap Original series produced by Seen.tv, which explores how everyday people are fighting climate change in unexpected and innovative ways. Filmed through custom wearable camera glasses, the series immerses viewers directly into the lives of activists, entrepreneurs, and changemakers around the globe.
Gareth’s episode brings a visceral, first-person perspective to environmental storytelling—capturing intimate, ground-level moments that traditional filmmaking often misses. The result is a raw, human, and immediate narrative experience that invites audiences to step inside someone else’s world and witness climate action from the inside out.
A fresh blend of documentary, technology, and character-driven storytelling, First Person pushes the boundaries of how climate stories can be told.
EduConservation Toolkits – Namibia
This short documentary captures the rollout of EduConservation’s Teacher Toolkits across Namibia’s upper primary schools—a nationwide initiative designed to bring active learning, environmental awareness, and creative teaching tools into the classroom. Filmed and directed by Gareth Kaatze, the piece documents a series of immersive training workshops attended by teachers from 30 pilot schools, alongside Senior Education Officers and Principals.
Held in the presence of Mrs. Sanet Steenkamp, Namibia’s Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, the workshops introduced educators to the new EduConservation materials and hands-on methodologies aimed at transforming how environmental education is delivered. As the Minister noted, “We can transform through experience,” a sentiment embodied throughout the program.
The film highlights the energy of the training sessions, the commitment of the educators, and the promise of these resources to reshape learning in classrooms across Namibia. It’s a portrait of education in motion—practical, collaborative, and rooted in the belief that meaningful change begins with empowering teachers.
LEGS – Building Better Brands to Build a Better World
This brand film, crafted in collaboration with LEGS, captures the company’s mission to design brands that make a meaningful, measurable difference in the world. Directed and shaped by Gareth Kaatze, the piece brings LEGS’ philosophy to life—showcasing how strategic creativity, ethical design, and purposeful storytelling can drive real impact.
Through a blend of striking visuals and grounded narrative, the film highlights the agency’s belief that brands are not just market actors but cultural forces. It spotlights the work, the people behind it, and the intention that guides every project: to build better brands so that we can build a better future.
The result is a clear, compelling portrait of LEGS’ values and vision—an invitation for organisations to lead with integrity, design with conscience, and influence the world for the better.
Contact us.
gareth@flolab.co.za
+27 82 526 0634
2 Pincushion
Scarborough, Cape Town, South Africa
INSIDE THIS PROGRAM
YOU’LL FIND….
Who We Are.
FloLab Films is a purpose-driven content studio built for brands, organizations and leaders who refuse to tell boring stories.
We combine:
Cinematic filmmaking
Emotional storytelling
Disruptive narrative strategy
Multi-platform content ecosystems
…to create films that are not just watched, but felt, shared, and remembered.
Your mission deserves more than a corporate explainer.
It deserves resonance.
Our Approach: Each story has one thing in common: it changes how people see the world.
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1. Discover the Human Story
We identify the voices, faces, and moments within your mission that carry emotional weight. These become the anchors of your narrative.
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2. Build the Narrative Arc
We use disruptive storytelling tools: tension, surprise, transformation, unexpected POVs, nonlinear formats — whatever brings the story alive.
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3. Film With Intent
Cinematic visuals, natural soundscapes, emotionally intelligent directing, intimate character moments, and movement-driven scenes.
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4. Craft the Emotional Experience
Where most edit to impress, we edit to move.
We focus on feeling, rhythm, sensory immersion, and meaning. -
5. Scale the Story
We extend the content across platforms — short-form clips, reels, teasers, interactive elements, UGC campaigns, podcasts, influencer collaborations.
WHAT WE DO
WHAT WE DO
**We Direct. We Film. We Edit.
We Tell Stories That Change Things.**
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01. Branded Impact Films
Cinematic short films built around your mission, your people, and the emotional heartbeat behind your work.
These are high-end, narrative-driven pieces that carry meaning -
02. Micro-Documentaries
Authentic, character-based stories designed to show real human transformation. Perfect for NGOs, foundations, and social enterprises.
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03. Impact Storytelling Retainers
A long-form partnership approach built around consistency, community, and brand-culture storytelling
READY TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT MOVES THE WORLD?
FloLab Films exists to help purpose-driven brands make meaning, spark connection, and build a legacy through storytelling.
Let’s make something unforgettable.
PACKAGE 1 – The Story Spark
For brands needing a meaningful, high-quality film + social cuts.
2–3 minute cinematic brand/impact film
6–8 short social edits
1 shoot day (Director + cinematographer)
Light strategy session
Basic post-production & colour
Perfect for annual reports, campaigns, launches, and awareness films.
PACKAGE 2 – The Story Engine
Our most popular package for mission-driven organizations building momentum.
Two premium 60–90 second films
12–15 social cuts
2 shoot days (Director, DOP, sound, lighting)
Narrative & campaign strategy
Community-driven social storytelling
UGC curation & audience engagement insights
Script + interview development
Full post-production polish
Ideal for foundations, NGOs, impact startups, and social campaigns with reach goals.
Your mission deserves more than attention.
It deserves impact.
We believe in the power of the stories we create — and we back that belief with a simple commitment:
If you’re not completely satisfied with the final film, we’ll refund you.
No complicated clauses. No hoops to jump through.
If the work doesn’t hit the emotional, visual, or strategic mark we agreed on, you get your money back.
Your trust matters. Your mission matters.
And we’ll never keep a cent we didn’t earn.
