We love seeing former Dragons soar. Filmmaker and 2015 Southlake Carroll graduate Shelby Halliman is doing just that with her short film, “Reach.” Currently living in Los Angeles, Shelby is hoping to share untold stories and help more people see themselves reflected on screens.
The Dragon alum and second-year grad student at UCLA knows the power of storytelling; it helped her find her voice as a young girl. Growing up in Southlake, Shelby got to see firsthand the strength community can offer. Shelby’s mom, Sheila, founded the Black History Cultural Enrichment Committee in Southlake in 2000, giving Shelby an opportunity to learn more about historical Black heroes and heroines at its annual events.
“She was able to host an event for our community and uplift black voices,” Shelby says. “I think that helped boost my confidence.”
During one of these events, Shelby dressed up as Mae Jemison, the first African American woman astronaut to travel to space. Stepping in Mae Jemison’s shoes and hearing her famous quote, “Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations,” helped Shelby set her eyes on her dreams.
After graduating from Carroll Senior High School, Shelby attended Wake Forest University, where she decided to major in communication and double minor in film studies and entrepreneurship to get a full understanding of each of the components of the film industry.
“I always had this passion for filmmaking,” Shelby says. “I didn't really know how to pursue it. I wanted to know the business aspect of things — how to sell a film, how to manage finances, make a pitch… The business side of film is just as important. It’s such a creative medium, but it’s also a very business-oriented medium.”
During her junior year, Shelby became the president of the film organization on campus. She expanded the group’s portfolio of work and focused on curating untold stories, all while providing that communal aspect to students that she saw while in Southlake. Her efforts reaped recognition, earning her the Christian Balady Award two years in a row.
“I didn’t really need proof of my merits, but it was nice to see other people seeing what I was doing and honor it,” Shelby says.
After graduating, Shelby knew she wanted to move to L.A., which she describes as the mecca of filmmaking, but she wanted to head west with a plan. She was accepted into TFTUCLA, the graduate film and television program at UCLA. Now as a second-year student, Shelby spends her time conceptualizing and producing films, which has led her to her current project: “Reach,” currently in pre-production and seeking crowdfunding, is a coming of age story of a young girl with dual interests, basketball and space travel, and a huge imagination.
“I was talking to one of my professors before the pandemic about my community. I told her how I was a shy kid and how my mom really brought my confidence out of me through that [Mae Jemison] performance, and she was like you should write about that,” Shelby says.
Shelby hopes the film acts as an ode to Black women and children and shows everyone that they should pursue their dreams.
Shelby says she has several other ideas she hopes to explore, sharing untold stories about people and things from different backgrounds and who have different experiences.
“When I would watch movies, I didn’t see myself or similar experiences. I just felt there was an emptiness when I looked on screen,” Shelby shares. “I thought to myself, if i was ever in a position to [change that], I would do so. It was important.”
Shelby is excited to see that her work inspire others to contribute to her cause. She met her half-way mark to her crowdsourcing goal late last month. Shelby says the money the crowdfunding collects will be used to bring the film’s main character Vi’s imagination to life. The film is set to film later this spring, and Shelby ensures that the production will follow all COVID-19 safety regulations.
While there are still a few days for people to commit to supporting “Reach,” Shelby says she’s already grateful to those in the Southlake community who have given to her project.
“It’s a very overwhelming sight to see so many people support you,” Shelby says. “Along with my family, Southlake gave me the push to soar and explore more,” Shelby says.
After filming and post-production wraps, Shelby plans to send “Reach” to film festivals.
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