Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chloe Shelton. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Chloe , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I like to think of my business, Chloe Shelton Films, as a Creative Preservationist Media company. Historic preservation is my mission. I am a lover of things from the past! My aim is to preserve history, people, memories, feelings and ideas through high-value narrative films, documentaries and photo restoration and colorization. I take both fanciful and down-to-earth approaches to my projects, chosen to best preserve and evoke a feeling.

There are countless stories to tell and many perspectives to explore.

Since I was a little girl I have always loved hearing stories of real people living their authentic, daily lives. I ate up all of the historical fiction I could get my hands on in the form of books or film. But, growing up I was honestly a more voracious reader than movie-watcher. So, I’d read books, usually about the struggles people faced in some by-gone era, and I would imagine the scenes with such clarity, I began to wish that I could connect a projector to my brain so I could share those scenes with the world. It was then I realized I wanted to be a filmmaker.

When I was 17 I found a famous photograph of a little 12-year-old girl working in a cotton mill. I studied that photo and was surprised to find that it was taken in my hometown. There was very little information given about this photo other than a small caption scribbled on the back. I was drawn to this girl’s story, and wanted to explore what a day in the life of a young girl who was supporting her family may have been like. I wrote a script and it was chosen to be produced in my film program, with fellow students filling the crew, industry professionals in the key roles and me as director. The first day on set with all of the actors in historic costumes and with antique props, I felt like I had finally entered that space in my brain that I’d been longing to share for so long. I was telling a story that had not been told of a young girl that didn’t have a voice until now. The film went on to win 22 laurels, solidifying my passion for historic preservationist filmmaking.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

At my core, I am a storyteller, and film is the medium I choose for bringing those stories to life. I’ve known virtually my entire life that I wanted to make films to share with the world the vivid stories I see in my mind.

I began making my own little films as a child of about 7 years old, and by the time I was 11, I was interning with an emerging professional, learning to edit, use professional television cameras and film on a greenscreen. My mentor was a young woman and that was rare in my field. So, starting out with my primary mentor being female allowed me to feel comfortable in my field from the beginning. I didn’t realize I was in a male-dominated industry until many years later. I studied her college textbooks for the next few years and sought out opportunities to learn on my own and observe other professional productions that were going on near me. I was homeschooled so I was able to set my own schedule and intern during school hours as well as choose my extracurriculars from the very beginning. At 16 I enrolled in a brand new after-school program aimed at young filmmakers. It was a small group of passionate kids, and we all had similar aspirations. I dedicated my last two years of high school to absorbing all I could there as well. We met industry professionals who were successfully making films and commercials and they all became my mentors as well. By the time I graduated high school I was surrounded by professional mentors who were wonderful enough to help me continue to make films on their own time, (and most of the time without pay!) I also had 5 Student Emmys from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and 50 other laurels for films I made during my high school years.
During my senior year of high school, I was commissioned to create my first documentary for a local museum. I dove into their primary source documents, using them to write the script, then took on the roles of producer and director. As someone who loves research, this project was incredibly fulfilling.
That same year, I worked on another project, Cotton Clouds, which I mentioned earlier. It’s a fictionalized, semi-biographical film rooted in extensive research, blending creative storytelling with historical context.
For both of these films, I was awarded the 2018 Preservation Award for the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation and I was awarded the Young Preservationist of the Year for Preservation Virginia in 2020. It was at that time that I came to realize that my goal in my work is preservation. Preserving feelings, images, and stories of the past is my primary mission. I also began to restore and colorize photographs at this time with the intention of bringing the color back to the black and white history.

Today, I collaborate with museums and historic sites to create films that help connect modern audiences to the rich history these places hold. One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is seeing how film can make history come alive in a way that resonates emotionally with visitors, encouraging them to connect with the past in a more personal way. Many visitors may not have considered visiting a museum or historic site before, but through film, we are able to draw them in, sparking curiosity and a deeper appreciation for history.
I frequently work with young people on my cast and crew who often have grown up believing that history is boring or that it’s monochromatic and unrelatable. It’s so rewarding to see the spark in their eyes as they connect to the past in a way they haven’t before. It’s inspiring to see them become just as invested in the stories we are telling as I am.
Ultimately, my goal is to make history feel more accessible and engaging, whether through films for historic sites, or photo restoration. To transport modern audiences to past times and places, immersing them in the lives of those who came before us. I hope my work encourages others to think about how they can help preserve the past and keep those memories alive for future generations. It’s an ongoing process, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it.

Do you have multiple revenue streams – if so, can you talk to us about those streams and how your developed them?

My business introduced a supplementary revenue stream nearly a year ago, which has been an exciting and successful addition. My partner is an award-winning cinematographer and he has a remarkable talent for filming and editing dance. A couple of years ago, he filmed a segment for the local news during Hispanic Heritage Month, featuring Hispanic Folk Dancers and a studio specializing in Quinceañera dancers. This opportunity connected us with the studio director and the community, opening the door to filming and photographing quinceañeras.
Since I’ve been offering photography for years, we combined our strengths and services to create a secondary branch of Chloe Shelton Films called Contrast Captures Media. Through this brand, we provide event packages for weddings and quinceañeras, as well as commercial packages for local businesses. I also continue to offer photography services under this arm.
This venture has been quite successful, keeping us incredibly busy with filming, editing, and photography across both businesses. It’s been a rewarding journey, and we’re deeply grateful for the opportunities it’s brought us!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

One challenge I think non-creatives often face is understanding how unpredictable a creative career can be. The path to success in this field is rarely straightforward, and it’s something I’ve learned to embrace. Along the way, I’ve encountered skepticism from others who didn’t fully understand my choice to pursue a career in filmmaking without focusing on traditional “film hubs” like Hollywood or Atlanta. Unlike some, I’ve never aspired to move there just to be inside a busy film market. That is a totally valid path, and I’ve had colleagues take that path with success, but Hollywood, and working on film sets just because they are film sets, has never been my aspiration. For me, my true passion lies in telling stories’ and I’m excited to see where films and projects may take me in the future, but for now, I’m happy to be living and working in “the birthplace of the nation” where we breathe history just about everywhere we go. I just want to tell stories and explore history.
For most creatives, the road to becoming a self-sufficient, bill-paying artist requires resilience, adaptability, and an entrepreneurial spirit. There’s no guaranteed formula in art where you go to school, earn a diploma, and automatically achieve success. Instead, we have to embrace trial and error, learn from failures, and keep pushing forward to carve out a unique space for ourselves in the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.chloesheltonfilms.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chloe.shelton.films/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChloeSheltonFilms
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@chloesheltonfilms5659
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/contrastcapturesmedia/
  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557133011321