“Because it’s past time.”
SLIM PICKINS
Director: Justin Jeffers
Producer: ABDUL KASSaMALI, Davis Goslin
DP: Greg Balkin
Editor: Tim Kressin
Client: Outbound Collective
Partners: HOKA, Sawyer, KOA, Visit Florida
Starring: Jahmicah Dawes, Heather Dawes, Ben Tabor
The city of Stephenville, Texas is better known for rebel flags and cowboys than diversity. But Jahmicah Dawes, owner of SlimPickins Outfitters, the first Black-owned outdoor gear shop in the country, is changing that. Dawes, along with his wife, Heather, and basset hound mascot, Bill Murray, is working to diversify the outdoors and infuse some chill into Stephenville. As the COVID-19 pandemic worsens, the shop experiences economic hardship and Dawes struggles with depression, but he still hopes one day he can pass his business and the outdoor community he has built down to his kids.
Vulnerability Wins
From the outset, we believed the story of Slim Pickins Outfitters would be impactful. Above everything else, it was the story about the first black owned outdoor outfitting shop in the country. But that isn’t what ultimately made it a successful film.
It was jahmicah and Heather and their whole family opening up, being vulnerable, and sharing who they are with sincerity that created a film that would go on to receive a vimeo staff pick, be screened at over 15 festivals, and create a viral fundraising campaign that would be a lifeline for the shop.
Our Approach
After partnering with The Outbound Collective and Hoka, We brought in first time director justin jeffers to provide his creative vision for the short film and worked with Abdul Kassamali (Now part of the wonderfam) to produce.
We believe in representation not only in front of the camera but also within production.
This isn’t just because it’s nice to say, it’s because it’s good storytelling. Multiple times throughout production Justin and Jahmicah were able to connect on levels that were unique to them. And throughout the editing process, Justin kept an eye out for things that uniquely resonated with his personal experience.
Case Study
Production
We spent six days in stephenville, TX in november 2020 (yes, we watched the election from The Slim Pickins Shop). This timeline, along with the surrounding current events, allowed us to bond and connect with the Dawes family on a level that is rare with a shorter timeline.
We saw them experience life, from welcoming folks into the shop to family members being cursed at because of their connection to Jahmicah.
That connection and trust that we created ultimately allowed for Heather and Jahmicah to have a heartfelt conversation on their front porch - a beautiful insight into their hearts and hopes.
The Response
Simply put, the response to the film was overwhelming. We partnered with The Outbound Collective to help strategically share not only the film, but a go Fund Me that resulted in over $170,000 raised.
This resulted in a Rush of publicity for Slim Pickins, a Vimeo Staff pick for the film, and over 15 screenings at film festivals across the country.
Most importantly, we still get to see and connect with Jahmicah and Heather when we visit in texas. We’re proud to be a part of this story, and proud to help make the outdoor industry a bit more diverse itself.
Frames
