Aaron schillinger

Producer/Director/Editor

Aaron Schillinger is an award winning filmmaker whose directorial debut is Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale (2021). The documentary, which the Metrotimes called “a magical mystery boat ride of the film,” is narrated by Motown Legend Martha Reeves, and played at festivals across the country. It was selected as the opening night film of the 2021 Freep Film Festival where it won the ‘Hometown Talent’ award. Aaron is a cofounder of the Sarah E. Ray Project, an organization shining a light on the forgotten story of a Detroit civil rights pioneer.

Aaron’s production company, Baby Volcano Films, specializes in telling stories that make a lasting impact. He also works as a video editor with clients including Acuvue, Green Giant, PNC and Sherwin Williams. Aaron graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Cinema Studies. He lives in Ferndale, Michigan, with an ornery macaw named Sinbad.

WEBSITES: BABY VOLCANO/BOBLO BOATS/SARAH E RAY PROJECT
SOCIAL MEDIA: TWITTER/INSTAGRAM

A Q&A WITH FILMSHOP BREAKTHROUGH SERIES 2019 FEATURED ARTIST Aaron Schillinger...

1. What was the inspiration for your project?

Although most Detroiters over the age of 35 rode on the Boblo Boats at some point in their lives, I’m from Virginia and had never heard of the boats or the amusement park, Boblo Island. In 2015 I met a psychic named Gloria who had a unique connection with SS Columbia: Gloria could hear the boat speak to her. This magical relationship was my gateway into understanding how boats, or really any inanimate object, could possess its own distinct personality.

 2. How has the Filmshop community contributed to the development of your project?

Our decision to have SS Columbia narrate her story in the first person was cemented through the feedback from our FilmShop chapter. Their reactions helped us to see that this storytelling device made our documentary unique, even if it was a little quirky. 

 3. What do you feel is your greatest challenge moving forward?

Now that we are approaching a fine cut of the documentary, our next task is creating a thorough marketing and distribution plan. Based on the subject matter, we already have a strong built in audience from SE Michigan and southern Ontario. Our challenge will be to leverage this loyal fan base in order to expand into other markets.

 4. What are you most looking forward to getting out of your Breakthrough experience?

We were delighted to be picked for the Breakthrough Series and are thankful for the opportunity to share an excerpt of our documentary with a larger audience. I look forward to forging connections to a documentary producer or distribution consultant who can help put together a marketing team to get the film out into the world.