Our Collective Journey: How We Got Here and What’s Next
Can you believe we're already a couple of months into 2025? Time has flown by, and if I’m being honest, it’s been a whirlwind. We’ve realized just how difficult independent filmmaking can be—and how much we’re truly committing to. But you know what? We didn’t give up. We didn’t accept defeat. And honestly, that's what I’m most proud of.
A few years ago, I had an idea—or maybe it was more of a longing—for a film community here in West TN. I wanted a place where filmmakers could come together, share stories, collaborate, and grow. Thanks to all of you, I found it. That idea turned into the Hub City Film Festival, which is now approaching its third year (!!!), and then it evolved into what is now The Reel Collective.
Looking back, it’s wild to think about how far we’ve come. We’ve built something from the ground up, step by step, often facing challenges that seemed insurmountable at the time. But here we are, with a growing team, a successful festival, and a community of creatives who make this journey worthwhile.
The core of independent filmmaking is community. No matter where you are, if you commit to creating films at this level, you're also committing to showing up for your community and hoping your community shows up for you.
The best part about all of this? There are almost no limitations. No rules. No studio execs telling you what to do that could potentially lessen the impact of your story or visuals. The possibilities are endless, and that’s the beauty of independent filmmaking.
But, as with anything, there are challenges. Sometimes, the community isn’t there, or maybe they’re there but they just don’t see your vision. But what I want you to know is this: We see your vision. We want others to see it too.
I’ve learned that filmmaking is not a solo endeavor. Every time I made a film, I never did it alone. Never once did I create a film and have to juggle all the jobs. Those were always my best works—because I had a team. And that’s when it clicked for me. In February, I approached the team and said, “I think I’ve been doing this all wrong.”
I realized that no film, no company, no project can survive on just one person. And I hadn’t been giving my amazing team the space to be active members of this collective. But the moment I let go, I gained so much more perspective. I was able to dive back into old writing projects I’ve had on the shelf, and I found the courage to pick up a camera and learn things I hadn’t before.
When I stepped back and allowed all of us to truly integrate into The Reel Collective (you know, because it’s a collective, haha... don’t know how I missed that), it reminded me why I started all of this in the first place.
We are so incredibly grateful for the community that has rallied around us over the past three years. We’re beyond excited to continue our journey—both as a team and with all of you. We have so much in store and even more ideas to share. I can’t wait to dive into all of it with you.
Oh, and one more thing: We’ll be sending out weekly newsletters to keep you updated on what’s going on with us, local events you should check out, Hollywood happenings, and so much more!
Thanks for being part of our collective!
- Shelby
