Wes and Tera Wages, the husband and wife team of Armosa Studios, are working together on a new project called “Made in the Shoals” to highlight businesses and people in the Shoals area.

“It’s about a community of creatives telling the story of our community,” Wes said. “Our attempts are to brand the Shoals area as a start-up community.”

Once a month, a local business or person will be featured in a short documentary filmed, produced and edited by the couple and their team of volunteers, all of whom live in the Shoals area. Any music featured in the films is provided by local Shoals artists as well.

Wes said the area is “an idea factory” that he wants to share with others who are unfamiliar with what the Shoals area has to offer.

The “Made in the Shoals” project team chose to feature Rivertown Coffee Co., a local favorite, as its first short film, released Jan. 24.  

Wes credited John Cartwright, owner and operator of the coffee shop, for initiating the project idea more than a year ago. When the time came to choose a business to premier, Rivertown was the first choice for Wages.

“I never thought of anyone else,” Wages said.

The Wages, graduates of UNA, selected students and alumni from UNA to help with the project. First assistant cameraman Tate Hipps and digital imaging technician Jonathan Oliphant are current students at UNA, while sound technician Alex Wittscheck and editor Will Rhodes are alumni of UNA.

In addition, part of the debut short film was filmed by the fountain at UNA.

“I know the reason for the ‘Made in the Shoals’ is so we can all learn,” Hipps said. “Wes always says, ‘he will always be a student,’ and we are always students — we’re always learning.”

Wages plans to rotate each of the students through the various positions of the film process as they document a new business each month. Like the students, Wages said he learned more about audio from his work with Rivertown.

“It’s to tell stories to the world and also to educate and collaborate with others,” he said.

“Made in the Shoals” has begun storyboarding their second film on No’Ala magazine and plan to release it at the end of February. In addition, viewers can expect a second film and photographs documenting behind the scenes footage of the shoot.

“I hope to see that businesses will flourish even more and for more awareness of the Shoals to happen with this work,” Hipps said.

For more information, visit the project’s website at www.madeintheshoals.com or find them on Facebook.