Telling their stories: 2 young Birmingham documentarians are breaking into the film business

Film is an art form, but it’s also a business — one that UAB graduates and budding filmmakers Jessica Chriesman and Kayla Gladney are rapidly becoming a part of.

A Birmingham native, Chriesman earned a B.A. in filmmaking and B.S. in psychology from UAB in 2015 and works as communications and media manager at Impact America, a Birmingham nonprofit.

A Montgomery native who lives in the Magic City, Gladney graduated from UAB with a degree in film production in 2016 and is the owner and founder of DawnG Media.

Both have screened work in film festivals, including Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham and the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival in Florence.

Both women got a big boost to their career efforts in recent months.

They were named finalists in the third annual IF/Then Shorts American South Pitch hosted by Tribeca Film Institute (TFI) in New Orleans in October.

This year, the pitch had the theme of “inclusive economies” and called for original stand-alone short documentaries, ranging in length from 10-20 minutes, that explored themes of economic inclusion and resilience through a regional and place-based lens.

The competition was open to “diverse filmmakers from the American South,” according to the Tribeca website.

Chriesman and Gladney made the finals with the pitch for their proposed film, “Bridge to Better,” which will highlight the work of legendary African-American businessman A.G. Gaston and his legacy for black entrepreneurs in Birmingham today.

Along with five other finalists, the Birmingham filmmakers pitched their film concept to an industry jury at the New Orleans Film Festival.

Chriesman and Gladney did not win the top prize of $25,000 to complete their film.

However, they gained valuable experience in presenting their ideas, made a lot of industry contacts and gained additional confidence that they have the skills and strong story concepts they need to express themselves and build careers in a competitive industry.

The women’s proposed film follows the story of Isaac Cooper, a financial advisor; Tabilah Bayles, a tax and finance guru; and Damian Carson, a business coach — three entrepreneurs who have made the conscious choice to live and work in Birmingham and try to help nurture local African-American businesses.

These three are continuing A.G. Gaston’s legacy by taking the economic stability of their community into their own hands.

The title is derived from a Gaston quote: “Money’s no good unless it contributes something to the community, unless it builds a bridge to a better life.”

Chriesman and Gladney began work on the project in August.

“We are so excited to have the opportunity to tell a story of Birmingham in this competition,” Chriesman said in a news release prior to the event in New Orleans.

The very exercise of pitching the film to the jury helped the women “articulate” their idea, she said.

They made their presentation using a brief description of the project, as well as a short trailer or film sample, Chriesman said.

It was valuable “being able to talk about our artistic vision and our vision for the story ... and being able to talk to people we would not have been in the same room with if we didn’t have this opportunity,” she said.

“We made a lot of connections with some pretty important people in the industry,” Gladney said.

“We have also gained confidence,” Chriesman said, who noted it was beneficial for them to receive validation from people who had no personal connection to them or Birmingham.

The reception from the jury was a positive one, Gladney said. “I think we painted a picture of Birmingham that was interesting,” she said.

The people they met at the gathering were “all very interested in the city,” she said.

Chriesman and Gladney have begun shooting some footage for “Bridge to Better” while continuing to work out a budget and search for funding.

They got some footage of an A.G. Gaston exhibit that was on view at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Gladney said.

“We also filmed an interview with Marie Sutton, an author who has written a book about Gaston, at the exhibit,” Gladney said.

The women have also begun work on a second documentary, called “Montgomery, Montgomery.” The film will show how Montgomery, founded in 1819, became both the cradle of the Confederacy and the heart of the Civil Rights Movement and how its legacy shaped America.

The women recently shot a substantial amount of footage at a city bicentennial celebration in downtown Montgomery.

They are also working on assembling a work sample, or teaser, for the film, Gladney said. “We think a visual will help us with trying to secure funding,” she said.

The importance of having strong visuals was “one take away” from their experience pitching the Birmingham film at the TFI event, Chriesman said.

As they move forward with their projects, Chriesman and Gladney will proceed with confidence in their abilities and their vision.

The experience in New Orleans made them realize that, even though they did not have as much experience in the industry as some of the people they met, they are well trained and are fully equipped to tell their stories, Gladney said.

“They would not be able to tell our stories like we would,” Gladney said.

They also learned it is important to stick to your vision, Chriesman said.

“It’s so subjective and the criteria the judges were looking for fluctuated from person to person,” Chriesman said. “It was a lesson that you can’t please everyone, and you have to please yourself first. Do the project you want to do. You can’t make decisions based on what you think other people will like.”

For more about the filmmakers, go to jessicachriesman.com or dawngmedia.com.