NASA Award Goes to Unlikely Film Project

Episode 11 Productions and the Accidental NASA Award

The day began with a crime against caffeine. Brian, the heartbeat of our crew and a man who treats coffee like oxygen, stood over the espresso machine waiting for magic. Instead, it coughed out a burnt mess that smelled like despair and tasted like someone boiled a sandal.

In the absence of caffeine, Randy did what any creative would do. He grabbed a drone, muttered something heroic under his breath, and announced, “We’re shooting anyway.”

This is how a video about dog treats turned into an interstellar accident.

From Local Client to NASA Award Winner

Our client in Statesville wanted a short commercial for their new line of gourmet dog treats. It sounded easy. One camera, one happy dog, one airborne snack.

Enter Margaret.

Margaret was a pug. Not a trained actor. Not even motivated by snacks. She arrived with the energy of a croissant and the athletic ability of a retired mop. She sniffed the treats, ignored the camera, and took a nap in the softbox.

Rather than admit defeat, we did what Episode 11 Productions always does—we went full throttle on creativity. We animated a 3D squirrel who chased treats across the Milky Way. Margaret was transformed from sluggish snacker to intergalactic legend.

The video was weird. It was wonderful. It was the kind of thing that makes people say, “Wait, why am I crying over a cartoon pug?”

Todd, Tabs, and the NASA Award

Beth, our Editor walks into the editing and sees Todd, our overly enthusiastic intern with a passion for clicking things.

Todd was supposed to upload the video to our client’s private folder. But Todd also had another tab open. A tab labeled “NASA 2025: Deep Space Content Competition.”

He clicked the wrong one.

Weeks passed. Then it arrived. The email subject line: Congratulations on Your NASA Award.

We blinked. We re-read. We laughed. We cried. Then we printed the email and framed it.

Apparently, our video won “Best Use of Canine Motion to Depict Theoretical Space Physics.” Margaret had unintentionally become the face of gravity.

Randy accepted the NASA Award with a speech that began with “We would like to thank all non-cooperative dogs everywhere,” and ended with a standing ovation from our office manager and a confused UPS guy.

Not Just a NASA Award… A Lesson in Unexpected Wins

At Episode 11 Productions, things don’t always go according to plan. But the magic happens in the detours.

We take real challenges and turn them into something memorable. Whether it’s drone footage, 3D animation, or sound design that rivals Hollywood, our team delivers visual stories that connect, engage, and sometimes, win government-sponsored accolades by accident.

If your brand wants to stand out, spark conversation, or just make people feel something, without relying on a pug nap, we’re ready.

And if we win another NASA Award? Well, this time, it’ll be on purpose.