The Bluest Space; Creatives Defining Fine Art Spaces (Pilot)
The Bluest Space; Creatives Defining Fine Art Spaces is a documentary film series featuring black creators transmuting trauma, dedicating their lives to crafting fine art spaces, and mentoring youth to build confidence in their most authentic self throughout Metro Atlanta.
The first chapter of the BLUEST SPACE documentary series, FULL-TIME HALFTIME, dives straight into the heart of Creekside High School's Band. Go down memory lane as Band Director, Dexter Bailey Jr., describes the unfolding of his passion for arranging music.
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Monique GillDirector
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Monique GillWriter
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Monique GillProducer
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Project Type:Documentary, Short
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Completion Date:October 30, 2020
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Atlanta Women's Film FestivalAtlanta
United States
Best Documentary
The Stone Mountain, Ga native graduated from Stephenson High School. In high school, her passion for filmmaking grew while producing the Jag-8 News and Entertainment show, winning first place in the Dekalb County Technology fair for her news-package titled "Where has Chivalry Gone?"
Alumni of Mississippi State University, she earned degrees in Broadcasting and Public Relations. While partnering with the University Television Center, she directed live broadcasts of Take 30 News. A highlight of her college experience was composing a variety of educational and marketing projects with acts such as Eddie Levert of the O'Jay's and Jars of Clay with the MSU Riley Center in Meridian, MS.
Since graduation, Monique has since transitioned from the newsroom into education. As a film educator and Film Program Director, Monique cultivated relationships with professional peers and students alike. Taking keen awareness of the challenges middle school students face, she cultivated a modern curriculum that specifically targeted entrepreneurship development and improving empathy. Her experience in film production and pride in her African-American heritage led her from the classroom into the community, to not only teach, but also inspire youth to creatively express themselves through film; Thus, the development and introduction of MoKnowsBest LLC., a film company.
With the success of several previous workshops, the goal of her newest project is to introduce a series of programs that not only offer safe spaces within and between home, school, and the community but also highlight and encourage the expression of feelings and emotions. As an extension of her initiative, Monique plans to produce a short film series that showcases Atlanta creatives that inspire, heal and uplift their communities using art.
As a native of Lithonia, Georgia. My introduction to film production was by a black woman, Eboni Chillis. As an award-winning producer for a CNN affiliate, her knowledge and industry experience led my passion for film education into a career-endeavor. Post undergrad, as a film educator in Fulton County Schools in the Metro Atlanta area, I gained awareness of the minimal visibility of black leadership for African-American children to learn from. I am uniquely positioned to tell this story because as a filmmaker, turned film broadcast teacher, who once sat as a student in a Metro Atlanta public school, I recognize and want to share the importance of having representation for a predominantly black learning community. She and no one else showed me I was equipped to write, film, and share my stories and thus reminding me of the importance of evoking that value to others.