The engagement in media production in cross curricular activities poses many challenges for teachers and students. The concept of “learning by doing” without core competence in media literacy can create high thresholds, limiting the object of the activity, creating a backlash in the development of new teaching and learning practices. This study examines an international collaboration on Ocean literacy, using media production for creation and representation of knowledge between two upper secondary schools in USA and Sweden. Using an activity theoretical model for different levels of operations, actions and activity to analyze the challenges for teachers, it highlights the need for competence at all three levels with the textual aspects of media production, being a key factor for success. Technologies are constantly developing and though teachers in the study found it hard and time consuming to use and support students use of different technologies, this operational level of the activity was not the most complex problem. The use of media production as a language practice was perceived as an underplayed aspect when connecting subject matters to media production and the skills required to achieve good results. The theoretical model made these different levels visible and tangible and enabled an analysis of professional development needs and to make the necessary connections between technology, media literacy and subject matter content.