Meet Shelby Manton | Co-Founder, Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shelby Manton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shelby, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Ten years ago, Boldly started as an experiment amongst friends. We knew we wanted to make films, but we didn’t quite know what shape our company would take or what our business model would be. Between the three of us co-founders, we collectively had a film degree, a computer science degree, and a business degree – coupled with a few years of work experience in those respective fields and a passion for the filmmaking medium. We knew there was a gap in Vancouver when it came to independent production companies making cool and creatively-driven work, so we decided to simply start by trying to fit ourselves into the picture. Honestly, being young and naive is what allowed us to jump into it without hesitation. We started small by building our brand around a core set of values, and we have grown each year to become what Boldly is today – a creative production studio that empowers filmmakers and photographers through our values-based producing model built around a culture of care, community, and vision.

What should our readers know about your business?
At Boldly, we’ve let our company values lead our decision-making and that is also the same thing that sets us apart.

For us, creative excellence is a baseline, not a finish line. Yes we want our work to look incredible and make an impact on audiences, but we’re also interested in the process behind the film. How was the experience for the crew and talent who actually made it possible?

We’re often told that Boldly productions just feel different. They simply feel…nice. What was once just our way of doing things has now become a repeatable model that we’ve coined Values-Based Producing.

It’s up to producers and decision makers to change the way content is made for the better. We work towards this vital shift by uplifting new voices through opportunity, treating everyone with equal respect, and creating inclusive spaces that ultimately foster the best creativity. This hasn’t been easy because a lot of this work goes against the traditional mindset of “maximizing profit” but we can proudly say that it has been worth it.

It’s remarkable how unremarkable it is.

This approach is not ground-breaking or some big secret. It’s just common sense; it’s just good business.

We’re not perfect, but we are intentional. We do our best to imbue our sets with empathy, care and a sense of community.

The cumulative effect is tangible: the best production environment attracts the best talent who care deeply about creating powerful work. Plus, everyone gets to feel good while doing it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in Vancouver, BC permanently but I’m lucky that my in-laws have a condo in Scottsdale, Arizona and we spend a good chunk of time there every year! This would by must-dos for anyone visiting the area:

Hike Camelback mountain
Day trip to Sedona
Golf at McCormick Ranch
Play pickleball at one of the many outdoor courts
Dinner at Los Olivos
Explore Old Town Scottsdale

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Boldly would be nothing without the consistent hard work and passion of the hundreds of crew members that we are lucky to collaborate with daily. The high level of production value in Boldly’s work can be shared amongst every single person that has ever graced our sets with their talent, professionalism, and dedication. They deserve the biggest shoutout this Shoutout series has ever seen!

Website: https://boldly.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/filmboldly/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/filmboldly/

Other: https://vimeo.com/filmboldly