Mountaintop Media
As the filmmaking wing of One Family Memphis, Mountaintop Media exists to not only document the experiences of our community members but to also give our community members the experience of working in the film industry and realizing their creative potential.
Our founder Tom Shadyac, a filmmaker whose credits include The Nutty Professor and Bruce Almighty, launched Mountaintop Media with the intention to mentor and raise up the next generation of storytellers. In 2018, when Tom began production on Brian Banks, his return to narrative filmmaking after a decade-long hiatus, he brought on thirty students from LeMoyne-Owen College and the University of Memphis to shadow every department on the film.
Since then, Mountaintop Media has been involved in numerous productions that brought more awareness to the One Family and Memphis Rox Mission.
Meet the Film Crew
Tom Shadyac
Founder, Executive Producer, Writer & Director
Christopher Dean
Creative Producer
Joshua Cannon
Director & Associate Producer
Elisha Jewell
Creative Producer & Songwriter
Black Diamond: Soul Deep
This film follows the intersecting lives that make up the vibrant community at Memphis Rox, offering “a glimpse into the future where a climbing gym can become a crucible for diversity, inclusivity and community.” The production was sponsored by Black Diamond Equipment Co., who claim themselves as “the greatest dreamers about what could be” — a testament that goes hand in hand with our mission to create an inclusive and accessible space for all.
MILCK: Somebody's Beloved
In a partnership with Atlantic Records and Benefit Partners Foundation, the Mountaintop Media team created a music video for Milck’s Somebody’s Beloved, a delicate, powerful ode to the social justice protests that swept the country last year. Under the mentorship of Tom Shadyac, the video served as the directorial debut for Malik Martin. Further assembled by producers Chris Dean, Elisha Jewell and Joshua Cannon, it was shot on location in South Memphis and created by a diverse crew of Memphians. The music video was part of a larger fundraising campaign that directed resources to social justice organizations — a portion of which will go back to Rox.
Reel Rock 15: Black Ice
Since 2005, The REEL ROCK FILM TOUR has annually premiered the best new climbing films to communities all around the world. In 2020, they highlighted Memphis Rox in a film titled BLACK ICE, which followed a team from our community as they ventured to Montana with Manoah Ainuu, Conrad Anker and Fred Campbell for an ice climbing excursion.
The film premiered alongside three other shorts in a virtual event hosted by Free Solo’s Alex Honnold. While the excitement was palpable at the socially-distanced premiere we hosted at the gym, an outpouring of love and donations flooded our inboxes and social media accounts in the days that followed. After a tumultuous year that left us often unsure of how we’d proceed, this groundswell of support encouraged our team and bolstered our work.
