We are Hearth Creative.
We make things that feel human.
Films, photos, and words that actually mean something. Whether it's a story worth telling or a message that needs to land, we're here to help people connect.
Our film work has a natural, down-to-earth approach where we really get to know you. It spans from brand stories and commercials to documentary-style portraits and experience films. On the writing side, we craft knowledge bases, onboarding flows, white papers, thought leadership, and web content.
We'll work with your footage or shoot from scratch. And we're just as flexible with writing — building from a loose idea or overhauling content that's not quite hitting. Either way, we aim for work that’s real, clear, and built to resonate.
Our film work has a natural, down-to-earth approach where we really get to know you. It spans from brand stories and commercials to documentary-style portraits and experience films. On the writing side, we craft knowledge bases, onboarding flows, white papers, thought leadership, and web content.
We'll work with your footage or shoot from scratch. And we're just as flexible with writing — building from a loose idea or overhauling content that's not quite hitting. Either way, we aim for work that’s real, clear, and built to resonate.
This lights our path...
We believe in living and working with honesty and curiosity. Through stories with heart and substance, we support those working to bring positive change to their communities.
We care about stories that leave something behind. Real voices, true moments. Work that feels lived in.
We believe in living and working with honesty and curiosity. Through stories with heart and substance, we support those working to bring positive change to their communities.
We care about stories that leave something behind. Real voices, true moments. Work that feels lived in.
... and fuels our hearth.
We bring our own texture and character to everything we make, leading the way on vision and craft, but your story is always the foundation.We make space for clarity, emotion, and the quirks that make stories come alive. We’re not after perfection, just something real.
This is us.
Anne Marie
VP OF LANGUAGE AND LOGIC
Growing up with a finance-obsessed father and literature-loving mother — one chasing patterns in numbers, while the other chased meaning in words — Anne Marie grew up steeped in books and budgets, and never chose between the two.
Instead she carried forward the instinct to see how everything relates. To themselves, others, and the world around them. People, animals, things. All one interconnected system.
Anne Marie studied primatology and environmental science, then worked for years in animal care — zoos, wildlife removal, vet clinics. During the first millennial recession she shifted gears into tech working her way through the years from entry-level tech support to Head of Customer Success for a SaaS startup.
Writing became her craft almost by accident in her late twenties when she turned to it as a way to process feelings she'd never been taught how to manage. Friends noticed a natural way with words before she did, and their encouragement pushed her to hone her skills and begin sharing her work with the world.
She's the detail-obsessed half of the Traas duo; the one who sees the trees while Michel sees the forest. Her work always aims to make people feel seen, whether it's creating knowledge bases, writing thought leadership pieces, or editing someone else's work so it still sounds like them, but clearer.
Outside of work, she's raising a sassy and amazing small human, (still) acclimating to life in the Netherlands, and moving through life with pretentious coffee, too many hobbies, and a slightly abrasive tone that hides a very soft heart.
Growing up with a finance-obsessed father and literature-loving mother — one chasing patterns in numbers, while the other chased meaning in words — Anne Marie grew up steeped in books and budgets, and never chose between the two.
Instead she carried forward the instinct to see how everything relates. To themselves, others, and the world around them. People, animals, things. All one interconnected system.
Anne Marie studied primatology and environmental science, then worked for years in animal care — zoos, wildlife removal, vet clinics. During the first millennial recession she shifted gears into tech working her way through the years from entry-level tech support to Head of Customer Success for a SaaS startup.
Writing became her craft almost by accident in her late twenties when she turned to it as a way to process feelings she'd never been taught how to manage. Friends noticed a natural way with words before she did, and their encouragement pushed her to hone her skills and begin sharing her work with the world.
She's the detail-obsessed half of the Traas duo; the one who sees the trees while Michel sees the forest. Her work always aims to make people feel seen, whether it's creating knowledge bases, writing thought leadership pieces, or editing someone else's work so it still sounds like them, but clearer.
Outside of work, she's raising a sassy and amazing small human, (still) acclimating to life in the Netherlands, and moving through life with pretentious coffee, too many hobbies, and a slightly abrasive tone that hides a very soft heart.
Michel
DIRECTOR OF VISION & VIBES
Michel grew up in a family where helping others was the norm — his mom a nurse, his dad a first responder and repairman. Whether you needed a bandage or a dishwasher repaired, someone had you covered. He considered becoming a physical therapist, but after finishing school, he did what a lot of people dream of and never do: packed up and left.
Michel spent two years traveling through Australia and Southeast Asia, chasing sunsets, making friends, meditating, practicing yoga, and figuring out what mattered in life. Then one day, Anne Marie handed him the camera she'd been lugging around the world but not using.
He never put it down.
For Michel, film is about focus. Not just camera focus, but attention. He’s always been drawn to the raw, unpolished, and real. His yoga background shows up in his process: calm, steady, and grounded. Whether he’s shooting a story or editing for hours, he approaches each project with quiet intensity and deep respect for the people in front of the lens.
He’s the big-picture thinker in the duo — the one who sees the forest while Anne Marie sees the trees. He believes the most effective films are those that feel meaningful and his work reflects that, whether filming real people on location, editing a documentary, or asking the right questions to figure out what's worth capturing.
Outside of work, Michel’s happiest with his family, a good coffee, and a new place to explore. He’s not the most expressive guy, but watching his son discover the world always makes him smile. He’s also completely smitten with his wildly talented wife.
And that has nothing to do with the fact that she wrote this...probably.
Michel grew up in a family where helping others was the norm — his mom a nurse, his dad a first responder and repairman. Whether you needed a bandage or a dishwasher repaired, someone had you covered. He considered becoming a physical therapist, but after finishing school, he did what a lot of people dream of and never do: packed up and left.
Michel spent two years traveling through Australia and Southeast Asia, chasing sunsets, making friends, meditating, practicing yoga, and figuring out what mattered in life. Then one day, Anne Marie handed him the camera she'd been lugging around the world but not using.
He never put it down.
For Michel, film is about focus. Not just camera focus, but attention. He’s always been drawn to the raw, unpolished, and real. His yoga background shows up in his process: calm, steady, and grounded. Whether he’s shooting a story or editing for hours, he approaches each project with quiet intensity and deep respect for the people in front of the lens.
He’s the big-picture thinker in the duo — the one who sees the forest while Anne Marie sees the trees. He believes the most effective films are those that feel meaningful and his work reflects that, whether filming real people on location, editing a documentary, or asking the right questions to figure out what's worth capturing.
Outside of work, Michel’s happiest with his family, a good coffee, and a new place to explore. He’s not the most expressive guy, but watching his son discover the world always makes him smile. He’s also completely smitten with his wildly talented wife.
And that has nothing to do with the fact that she wrote this...probably.
Have passport, will travel.
We are a husband and wife team. From the moment we met, our story has been built on curiosity, creativity, and a love of adventure.
We met while traveling, both landing at a volunteer project in rural Thailand. Anne-Marie had already been there a month when Michel walked in like something out of a movie scene: long hair, linen scarf, gentle presence, and the quiet confidence that makes the whole room slow down. Think Keane Reeves after he's come into his own as Neo. But with more hair.
What started as a chance meeting became the kind of love that grows fast but holds steady. We've been to 39 countries between us, 16 (and counting) together.
We love going off-grid, exploring nature, and soaking up local culture. But these days, with a toddler in tow, our priorities have shifted: good beds, AC, and strong coffee are non-negotiable (lets be real, the coffee always was).
Kai's already been to nine countries, making friends wherever he goes — especially on airplanes, where even the grumpiest seat mate can't resist a spontaneous game of peek-a-boo.
We’re always happy to travel for work; it keeps projects fresh and gives us an excuse for a new adventure. Near or far, we’re game. We travel light(ish): gear, snacks, and a small co-producer who leaves a trail of smiles behind him.
We met while traveling, both landing at a volunteer project in rural Thailand. Anne-Marie had already been there a month when Michel walked in like something out of a movie scene: long hair, linen scarf, gentle presence, and the quiet confidence that makes the whole room slow down. Think Keane Reeves after he's come into his own as Neo. But with more hair.
What started as a chance meeting became the kind of love that grows fast but holds steady. We've been to 39 countries between us, 16 (and counting) together.
We love going off-grid, exploring nature, and soaking up local culture. But these days, with a toddler in tow, our priorities have shifted: good beds, AC, and strong coffee are non-negotiable (lets be real, the coffee always was).
Kai's already been to nine countries, making friends wherever he goes — especially on airplanes, where even the grumpiest seat mate can't resist a spontaneous game of peek-a-boo.
We’re always happy to travel for work; it keeps projects fresh and gives us an excuse for a new adventure. Near or far, we’re game. We travel light(ish): gear, snacks, and a small co-producer who leaves a trail of smiles behind him.
Work with us.
Imagine spotting someone interesting at a bar, walking up to say hi...and getting handed a form. That's what contact forms feel like to us. We'd rather keep it human. Send us an email or give us a call. Say hey, share your idea, tell us a joke. Just don't call unannounced — we won't answer. We're millennials, after all.
